In this tutorial you only need PSP7 to create the
actual collage’. After that it’s up to you to add the pictures to the shapes
made for them! (See my example at the bottom of this
tutorial)
Remember to save as you go
along……….
- Open a transparent image 200 x 200 pixels, changing
resolution to 300.00 per
pixels/inch (This will help to create smoother edges on your
shapes)
- Select your preset shapes icon
(antialias / create as vector checked)
and choose a shape to use (I did five different ones, ellipse, rounded
rectangle, hexagon, dodecagon and star 2.)
- Now on your transparent image draw the shape taking
up as much of the 200 x 200 area as possible, leaving a small gap where the
shape meets the edge (use the grip handles to adjust fit) as
below:
- Now go to layers, covert to raster layer, to remove
the grip points on the shape.
- Effects, 3D effects cut-out and apply below
settings:
- OK to apply.
- Follow steps 1 – 6 for the different shapes you
want to use.
- Open a new transparent image 824 x 600 pixels
(remember to change resolution to 300.00 pixels)
- We are now going to create another larger shaped
cut-out for the body of the collage’.
- Using
the preset shape icon again, choose the rounded square and
fill the new transparent image with the shape as before and apply the same
cut-out settings.
- We are
now ready to create the collage’ itself.
- Open a new transparent image 1024 x 800
pixels.
- Flood
fill
this with a colour or as I did with a
preset textured background. For this tutorial I used old
paper.
- Create
a new raster layer.
- Flood
fill with a chosen foreground colour (I used
#BBAA72 – Gold)
- Now go
back to the cut-outs and apply as new layers to the foreground with copy and
paste function.
- I
applied the larger shape being used for the body first, and then arranged the
shapes around it, being careful not to touch sides or other
shapes.
- Rotate
some of the shapes by 25 to 45 degrees to create some difference between them
where necessary.
- Your
image should now look as follows:
- Now go
to your layers palette and make layer 1 (background) and 2 (foreground)
invisible like below:
- Now
right click with your mouse and ‘merge all visible’ the remaining
layers.
- Make
layer 2 visible again (leave layer 1 invisible for the
moment).
- With
your merged layer active, use your magic wand and click on the foreground
outside of a shape.
- Selections,
invert.
- Selections, modify, contract by 13
pixels.
- Selections, modify, feather by 5
pixels
- Go
back to layers palette and ‘merge all visible’ the current merged layer and
layer 2.
- Make
visible layer 1.
- Edit,
clear (delete).
- You
should now see our background through the shapes like
below:
- You
can leave the collage here and not add anything else or you can apply a
texture to the gold if you wish.
- With
your merged layer active, set your magic wand to zero tolerance and click
anywhere on the gold foreground.
- Effects, texture effects, fine leather with the
below settings for this tutorial:
- You
should now have what was shown at top of this tutorial, ready for applying the
pictures you want. Save this as a psp file for use when you
want.
- To add
a picture, select the picture you want and shift + d to duplicate it (close
your original).
- Select
the area you want to use within the picture and image, crop to
selection.
- Now
resize this to approx 190 x 190 pixels.
- Edit,
copy, then edit, paste as new layer on your
collage’.
- Position photo over top of selected
shape as below:
- No go
to layers, arrange, move down, and viola your picture is
framed!
- Do
this with the rest of selected pictures and you have finished your
collage’!
N.B. With
the star in the corner I applied text to describe the collage’ presented. You
can do this also or use for another picture. You can also colourise your layers
or just your merged layer as I have above.