How to Make Two Pictures Look Like One

The art world has many names for the act of combining two pictures into one -- collage, diptych, morphing and blending -- and the world of graphic design computer software programs offers just as many ways to achieve such designs. In some cases, making two pictures look like one is just an act of picture placement; other ways involve a more detailed process to actually blend the images so they appear as if they were photographed or drawn that way.

Things You'll Need

• Adobe Photoshop
• Windows Paint
• Microsoft Publisher

Instructions

With Photoshop

1. Open Adobe Photoshop and click the "File" menu. Click the "Open" link and browse to the two pictures to combine. Press and hold down the "Ctrl" key. Click once on each image and then click the "Open" button. The two images open in two separate tabs at the top of the Photoshop work area.

2. Click the tab of the image that will go on top of the other. Click the "Select" menu and click "All." When blinking lines appear, press the "Ctrl" and "C" keys to copy the picture.

3. Click the tab of the other picture. Press the "Ctrl" and "V" keys to paste in the image, but now the second picture obscures the first.

4. Right-click the "Eraser" icon on the "Tools" pane. Choose "Background Eraser Tool" from the fly-out menu -- make sure you choose the one with the little scissors icon.

5. Slowly drag the cursor over parts of the picture. This "erases" the top layer and the picture below begins to show through, beginning your image of the blended pictures.

With Paint

1. Open Paint. Click the Paint button and select "Open." Navigate to the first picture and double-click its file name. When it opens, click the "Select" button on the ribbon. Choose "Select all." Dotted blue lines surround the image. Click the "Copy" button on the ribbon.

2. Click the Paint button again and select "Open." Browse to the other picture to use in the combination and double-click it. If Paint asks to save the first picture, click "No." The second picture opens.

3. Click the Paint button and select "Properties." Enter new dimensions into the "Width" and "Height" boxes larger than those of the current image -- you're increasing the Paint canvas so you can add the other image. If the "Inches" radio button isn't selected, click it. Click the "OK" button.

4. Press the "Ctrl" and "V" keys on the keyboard to paste in the first picture. Drag the image so it partially overlaps the first, such as the second image's top left corner overlapping the first image's bottom right corner.

5. Click the Paint button and select "Save As." Type a new name for the two-images-as-one and click the "Save" button.

With Publisher

1. Open Publisher. Click the "11 x 8.5" button near the top left corner of the "Available Templates" screen.

2. Click the "Insert" tab. Click the "Picture" button on the ribbon. Browse to the two images. Press and hold down the "Ctrl" key and click each image file name. Click "Insert."

3. Drag one of the pictures so it aligns with the left border of the Publisher page -- stay to the right of the blue guideline if you will be printing.

4. Drag the other picture to the right of the first picture so the edges abut each other, leaving no space in between. This forms a diptych image.

5. Click the "File" menu and click "Save As." Give the file a name and click the "Save" button.

Tips & Warnings

• In Publisher and Photoshop, if the two pictures to combine are not located in the same folder or area, browse to and double-click each one individually, then proceed with the instructions.

References

• University of Washington: Painting
• Windows: Using Paint
• Microsoft Office: Publisher 2010 Features and Benefits