How To Make An Editable Template In Photoshop

How To Brand A Collage In Photoshop

Making a photograph collage is a fun way to share a whole agglomeration of images in one place. Whether y'all just got back from vacation or desire to share memories from a family unit effect, collages brand it piece of cake to showcase all the highlights. Creating a collage in Photoshop is very straightforward and doesn't crave a whole lot of Photoshop noesis to get the job done.

The downside, however, is that creating a collage can be fourth dimension consuming and fickle. That's why learning how to make a collage template in Photoshop is one of the best ways to go about creating a new collage. Rather than starting from scratch every time, you simply have to drag and drib your images into place!

To Make A Collage Template In Photoshop, You Need To:

Create A New Layer And Fill It With Color
Resize And Duplicate This Layer To Form A Collage Blueprint
Add A Clipping Mask To Restrict Your Photo To Fit Into Each Particular Shape
Create A New Clipping Mask For Every Image Until Everything Has An Assigned Shape
Export Your Collage Template Equally A PSD File To Work With Afterwards On

That might all seem a little overwhelming at offset, just I promise this whole process is a cakewalk. Let'southward dive into how to create your very own collage template in Photoshop.

Does Photoshop Have Collage Templates?

Before you brainstorm, you might be wondering if Photoshop has any collage templates born. Unfortunately, there aren't whatever templates that come up with Photoshop, merely there are tons bachelor online for free.

In fact, you tin get started with these 5 free collage templates to make your life a lot easier. Just brand certain to continue through the steps below so you understand how they work!

How To Make Your Own Collage Templates

Collage templates save so much time that you'll wonder why you ever thought of working without one. Since a collage requires you to brand a serial of shapes over and over, why suffer through doing the whole process more than once?

With a template, you can create a drag and drop collage that will work perfectly for any collage you lot want to create in the future.

In the steps below, we'll get over how to make a simple 3×3 grid collage. You can interchange these foursquare shapes with other shapes equally y'all wish.

For now, let'due south stick to the basics and create a squeamish and uncomplicated collage template that volition work perfectly for any collage idea you take.

Step 1: Batch Import Your Images

Before you import your images, brand life easy on yourself, and group all of your photos into one binder on your computer. Rather than sort through dissimilar folders and hard drives, do the work beforehand and put them in 1 place.

Past doing this, you tin can import all of your collage pictures at once to relieve time.

Later on making your collage image folder, create a new Photoshop document (Command/Control + N) in the desired dimensions of your collage. For this example, I'll brand a square certificate of 2000×2000 pixels at 300PPI.

Ensuring y'all have a higher resolution (PPI) will improve the image quality if you decide to print your collage.

Click create to open your new document into Photoshop.

Now it'southward fourth dimension to import your photos. Rather than doing them each individually (considering who wants to spend the fourth dimension), permit'southward import them all together. Only go up to File > Scripts > Load Files Into Stack.

In the new dialogue box, click Browse and locate the photos for your collage on your computer. This should be easy since you put them all in a dedicated collage binder beforehand!

Double checking that your files are listed in the file menu, click ok to begin importing your photos.

All of the selected photos will load into their own project as private files. After they cease importing, hold shift and click between your peak and bottom layers to select them all at one time.

Next, create a grouping by pressing Command + G (Mac) or Command + G (PC). This will make information technology easier to move your pictures into your collage template afterwards on.

Next, going through each image in your grouping individually, right-click on the layer and go to Convert To Smart Object.

Turning each layer into a smart object gives yous the ability to rescale your images without whatever quality loss. This will be very important in one case you kickoff putting photos into the collage! More on that afterwards.

For now, we're done with the images and are going to outset creating the collage template.

Click on your collage tab to switch to your other Photoshop window.

Step 2: Create A Filigree Template For Your Collage

Permit's start to create a template for the collage by first creating a new layer. Simply click on the new layer icon at the lesser of the layers panel.

With the new layer selected, set your foreground colour to black (or whatever other color too white) and printing Choice + Delete (Mac) or Alt + Delete (PC) to fill the layer with color.

To rescale the layer to fit the 3×3 grid collage we volition create, press Command + T (Mac) or Command + T (PC) to access your transform tool.

Going to the upper settings bar, make certain your reference point location is checked off, then ready the location to the top left corner. The white dot on the reference point icon will shift to this upper left corner along with the anchor bespeak on your transform tool.

Since I want to dissever each row into 3 images, I'll change the percent value to 33.33%. Depending on how many photos you want per row, this per centum value volition alter.

Just divide 100 by the number of photos yous desire in a row to requite you the correct per centum value to use.

At present your shape volition resize to the upper left according to the specific per centum value. Printing enter to commit to your changes.

This square is going to be what you lot use equally the template for each image in the collage. Since you demand a new square for every photo, it's time to duplicate and move this square to fill out the collage.

The easiest mode to do this is by holding Alt or Option (PC/Mac), and then clicking and dragging on the shape. This will automatically duplicate and movement the layer at the aforementioned time.

Repeat this process twice until 3 individual squares make full in the unabridged row.

In some cases, certain document sizes tin can leave yous will small gaps between shapes. To become rid of these, select a layer with the Move tool (Five) and apply the arrow keys to nudge the layer into position.

If you're still struggling to eliminate the white gap, you can slightly resize the shape to better fit. While still using the move tool (V), hold shift and elevate out the edge you lot want to brand larger. It volition resize itself and snap to the edge of your canvass or other shapes.

Since it'southward but adding a few pixels to the shape, yous won't observe the size difference in your overall collage.

– Organizing The Image Row

Things can become very confusing if y'all don't properly organize your collage templates. The style I've constitute to piece of work best for this is to grouping each row.

Shift-clicking all 3 of the square layers to select them, press Command + K (Mac) or Control + 1000 (PC) to group them. Rename this grouping to "Superlative Row".

Inside of the grouping, I'll so rename each square equally Shape one, 2, and three based on their position going left to right. This is a lifesaver when you outset dealing with many rows in a collage.

– Duplicating The First Row To Complete The Template

Now that yous've successfully created a single row of the collage template, the hard work is over. At present you tin just duplicate this row to create your eye and bottom row of this grid collage.

With your summit row group selected, press Command + J (Mac) or Command + J (PC) to duplicate the group.

Grab the Move Tool by pressing 5 and drag down the row until information technology fits in the middle of your canvas.

Rename this duplicated group to "Middle Row."

Echo this process with your middle row, pressing Control + J (Mac) or Control + J (PC) to duplicate the group them using the movement tool to position information technology at the lesser.

Rename this terminal group, "Bottom Row."

If y'all find any gaps between each row, once again, employ your pointer keys to nudge the entire row with the group selected. If you lot notwithstanding can't get rid of them, use the Move Tool (V), hold shift, and drag out the edge, you demand to extend.

Just as with the layers, the pocket-sized amount of size difference won't be noticeable in your Photoshop collage.

White space between rows

White space filled by nudging the row with the arrow keys.

Step 3: Clip Your Images To The Shapes Of Each Row

Now the fun begins, and you tin beginning adding photos to your collage template! Switching windows to find your images, select the Move Tool (V), and click on the group layer.

Next, click and drag this group up to the other tab to bring it into your collage template. Allow become of your cursor while hovering over the collage template. All your photos volition now exist in the same project as your template.

All that's left now is to determine which epitome yous desire to put in each row. Starting with the upper row, drag and drop your images into the different groups you want them to be shown in. For example, I've called three images to identify in my upper row of the collage and accept placed each image above its ain shape.

Since you want your photos to be confined to the shape's size and location, you need to create a clipping mask. Ensuring your image layer is directly above the shape you want it to exist displayed in, right-click on the image layer and select "Create Clipping Mask."

Now your photo will simply exist visible within of the shape information technology's been clipped to. You can utilise the Motility Tool (V) to rescale and position the image to ameliorate fit inside the shape. Since the image layer is a smart object, y'all tin can calibration information technology up or downwardly without having whatever quality loss!

Rinse and repeat this process until all of your photos are clipped to their ain shape. At present your collage is complete!

Step 4: Calculation Lines Between Images In The Collage

For a trivial more than creative flair, you lot might consider adding borders betwixt the images. One of the easiest ways to do that is with the single row and single column marquee tool.

Click and hold on the Marquee Tool in the toolbar to reveal the unmarried row and single column marquees. For this, I'll use the single column marquee.

Creating a new layer at the top of the layer stack, click on your canvass, and position the marquee option along a vertical row of the template.

With your selection active, set your foreground color to white and press Option + Delete (Mac) or Alt + Delete (PC) to fill your pick with white.

Press Control + D (Mac) or Control + D (PC) to deselect later y'all're finished.

At this point, the line will appear extremely thin. To beef information technology upwards a little, double click on your layer to reveal the layer styles options. Select Stroke, fix the colour to white, and conform the size accordingly. This is ane of the easiest ways to quickly thicken the line between rows!

To speed up the process, y'all can indistinguishable this line to use again for your additional rows. With the line layer selected, grab the movement tool (V), concur Alt or Selection (PC/Mac), and click and elevate out from your line to duplicate it. Reposition this second line accordingly with another cavalcade.

With two new line layers created, shift-click between the summit and bottom lines and printing Command + G (Mac) or Control + G (PC) to grouping them. Rename this group to "Cavalcade Border."

To make life piece of cake for the rows, duplicate the column group by pressing Command + J (Mac) or Control + J (PC). Select the move tool by pressingVand rotate the cavalcade borders until they align with the rows of your collage. In one case done, rename this group to "Rows Border."

– Outlining Your Entire Collage With A Colored Border

To take it one step further, you can likewise add an outline to your unabridged collage template. Unlike some of the other steps and then far, this can be done with just a couple of clicks.

Create a new layer at the top of your layer stack and set your foreground colour to black. Fill this new layer with black by pressing Pick + Delete (Mac) or Alt + Delete (PC).

Change your layer blending mode from Normal to Screen to make all of the black transparent.

Next, double click on your layer to open the layer styles option. Select the Stroke option, set the position to inside, choose the colour, and adjust the size of your stroke. Click OK when you're happy with the effect.

Now you'll take a colored outline around the edges of your collage that adds a nice looking consequence to your template!

Step five: Saving Your Collage Template Every bit A PSD File

At this point, you've successfully made a collage in Photoshop that is fix to exist exported and shared. The beauty of following the steps in this tutorial is at present y'all're left with a collage template that y'all tin can use for the rest of time.

All that'due south left is to salve your template!

To start the process, go upward to File > Save As.

Adjacent, rename your file and select a salvage location on your figurer.

Now for the important office. Depending on whether you desire to consign your collage to share, or save your collage as a template, the file format you cull will be different.

To save your collage as a shareable photograph, set the format to JPEG.

If you want to create a collage template for future apply, gear up the format to Photoshop. This will save your image as a Photoshop file that tin can be reopened later on with consummate access to all your files! You lot can learn more about PSD files and how they work in this post.

Click Save, and your Photoshop collage template is consummate!

Get Access To 5 Free Collage Templates For Photoshop

Depending on how fancy yous want to get your Photoshop collage, you might end up spending more time than you'd like. To help you save heaps of time, be certain to download these 5 Complimentary Collage Templates For Photoshop.

This template pack includes the exact template I just created in this tutorial, as well equally four additional templates to spice things up. Above highlights the look of all five of these gratuitous collage templates!

Click Here To Access These five Complimentary Templates!

At present that you know how to brand a collage in Photoshop, you can start getting creative with how you display your pictures online. Whether you want to share something on social media or print an paradigm to hang on your wall, this method gets the job washed with ease.

Happy Collaging!

– Brendan 🙂