Automatically create a collage?

[DigitalChickster]

Hi all! I'm using Photoshop CC on an iMac. I have a client who wants the cover of her brochure to be a collage of about 40 little photos (yes, blech... but it's what she wants). I was hoping there was a way to have Photoshop do this automatically. I discovered Photomerge... something I hadn't used before. But it didn't seem to do what I wanted, and I can't find a good tutorial to do what I want... so now I'm wondering if it will do it at all. My question is... is there a way to create a collage automatically (that is then editable) in Photoshop? Thanks!

[JonathanArias]

i personally a collage can be very fun if you know composition and work with a grid to show design decisions.

why not create a page size. give yourself a grid, and place the images within that grid.

the automated approach will place things on a grid anyways. but only you can decide how images can relate to each other with your design sense.

a collage is blech if you make it that way.

[JonathanArias]

Here, Sean Adams has a great video course on working with Grids in composition, maybe watching this will give you more confidence/different view on dealing with collages and grids. It sounds like you personally don't like it but you may just need to get ideas to inspire your work.

Layout and Composition: Grids

[DigitalChickster]

Oh, I do like collages. I just think five or six photos (or 10) would be more attractive than 40 tiny photos. I went ahead and just placed all the photos. I think it will be fine. I just thought maybe there was a way to have them scattered into a random collage automatically.

[DigitalChickster]

Thank you for your reply!

[JJMack]

I use windows I know at least some of my scripts work on a Mac for I have used some on my scripts on my son's Mac.  However I have made some changes and added some additional scripts since then. If you just want to lay them out on canvas in a tiled matrix.  The Paste Image Roll should be able to do that.  Just fill in its dialog then select the 40 images. Paste Image Roll scriptl

Photo Collage and Mockup Toolkit

Photoshop scripting is powerful and I believe this package demonstrates this. Here is a video showing a 5 image collage PSD template  being populated with images

The package includes four simple rules to follow when making Photo Collage Template PSD files so they will be compatible with my Photoshop scripts.

1. Size the photo collage templates for the print size you want - width, height and print DPI resolution.
2. Photo collage templates must have a Photoshop background layer. The contents of this layer can be anything.
3. Photo collage templates must have alpha channels named "Image 1", "Image 2", ... "Image n".
4. Photo collage templates layers above the background layers must provide transparent areas to let the images that will be placed below them show through.

There are  eighteen scripts in this package they provide the following functions:

1. HelpPhotoCollageToolkit.jsx - Online Help
2. TestCollageTemplate.jsx - Used to test a Photo Collage Template while you are making it with Photoshop.
3. CollageTemplateBuilder.jsx - Can build Templates compatible with this toolkit's scripts.
4. LayerToAlphaChan.jsx - Used to convert a Prototype Image Layer stack into a template document.
5. InteractivePopulateCollage.jsx - Used to interactively populate Any Photo Collage template. Offers most user control inserting pictures and text.
6. ReplaceCollageImage.jsx - use to replace a populated collage image Smart Object layer with an other image correctly resized and positioned.
7. ChangeTextSize.jsx - This script can be used to change Image stamps text size when the size used by the populating did not work well.
8. PopulateCollageTemplate.jsx  - Used to Automatically populate a Photo Collage template and leave the populated copy open in Photoshop.
9. BatchOneImageCollage.jsx - Used to Automatically Batch Populate Collage templates that only have one image inserted. The Collage or Image may be stamped with text.
10. BatchMultiImageCollage.jsx - Used to Automatically Batch Populate Any Photo Collage template with images in a source image folder. Easier to use than the interactive script. Saved collages can be tweaked.
11. PasteImageRoll.jsx - Paste Images into a document to be print on roll paper.
12. BatchPicturePackage.jsx - Used to Automatically Batch Populate Any Photo Collage template with an image in a source image folder. Images Rotates for best fit.
13. BatchPicturePackageNoRotate.jsx - Used to Automatically Batch Populate Any Photo Collage template with an image in a source image folder.
14. PopulatePicturePackage.jsx - Used to Automatically populate a Photo Collage template Fill with the same single image and leave the populated copy open in Photoshop.
15. PCTpreferences.jsx - Preferences Use in several of the above scripts. Edit this file to change default settings and add layer styles.
16. BatchReplaceOneObject.jsx - Used to populate simple Mockup templates. Simple Mockup have one rule the top layer must be a Smart Object Layer it contents will be replaced and a Jpeg file saved.
17. BatchUpdateSmartObject.jsx - Used to populate simple Mockup templates like BatchReplaceOneObject script but can update more than a single smart object layer.
18. BatchMockupTemplates.jsx - Used to populate mutiple Mockup Template that need to be populated eith the same replacement image objects.

Mockup Support Added

I created my Photoshop Photo Collage Toolkit nine years ago and Avoided supporting Templates that used Smart Object layers to warp, to add perspective,  to rotate, add any distortion to images. Because replacement Image file needed to have exactly the same Aspect Ratio, Size  and Print resolution as the Object in the Template's smart object layers object. Lately there have been some threads in Adobe Photoshop scripting forums dealing with updating/populating  products Mockups Templates that have prototype smart object layers that need to be updated to create the output mockup files.  These were good threads and prompted me to do some thinking.

So like my Photo Collage Template design has four simple rules.  I came up with four simple rules for Mockup templates.  I find that I can easily modify Photo Collage Templates and Mockup Template files I download from the web so they comply with my Photo Collage Template rules or my Simple Mockup Template rules.  Mockup templates may be far from simple the only simple part is they are easy to update.  So I have add support to my Photo Collage Toolkit to support Mockup templates.

Simple Mockup Templates Four Rules

1. Simple Mockup Templates Only the Smart Object Layer on the top of the Template layers stack will be updated then a Jpeg file saved.
2. Only Photoshop Objects are support in the top smart objects layers. That is they can not be Object File that are not supported by Photoshop like Camera RAW Files or Illustrator file like .ai, .svg.
   I suggest these objects should be PSD or PSB that Photoshop creates. Avoid using PNG objects in Mockup template. For when replace content is used to replace .png  objects within a .psd template which has your png's object the replace content operation is very slow.
3. The first None Smart Object Layer near the top of the layer stack Marks the end of Smart Object Layers the will be updated. Lower Smart Object Layers only update if they share top layers objects.
4. The Replacement Image Collection need to be in sub folders named obj0, obj1, obj2, .... objN. Each folder must contains the same number of replacement Image files.

For Details and Download use this link Documentation and Examples

[DigitalChickster]

Thank you! I'll check that out...

[Lucian3]

Hi, JJMack, Could you please help me with a hint to fulfill the following task: I have about 200 JPEG-fotos, all of them A5 landscape. I would need to put them all into A4-portrait-files and then save each resulted A4-file as a JPEG. So at the end I should get about 100 A4 JPEG-files. On the A4 picture there is neither colour background needed, nor other effects, just a thin red horizontal separator line in the middle of that A4 picture. How could generate all these A4 JPEG-files, so that I don't need to do them one by one in Photoshop? 😞 I have never experienced Photoshop scripting before, but I would like to try. Thanks for any piece of advice.

[Randy Hufford]

Hi I use this program all of the time to do collages. I combine the

. Combining the IMAGE MERGER and the BIG PICTURES actions:

Big Pictures - www.panosfx.com

Try it out it has a free version to test it. It is a Photoshop Action

[Evdfoto]

Hello Randy, I take the liberty to ask you a question possibily off topic. But do you know if it is possible, using the tools you mention, to stich photos together without the white space in between and thus creating a picture with a much larger resolution? Im searching for that possibility and cam across this discussion. I would be very happy with a thought on this subject or perhaps a tip on where to look further. Thank you!!

[JJMack]

Photoshop menu File>Automate>Photomerge may be ablee to do what you want.  Or you can load images files into a stack enlarge the canvas and move the image layer  to distribute them over the canvas.  You can also use a script like PastImageRoll that  is in my Free Photoshop Photo Collage and Mockup Toolkit  to tile your images onto a canvas with or without white space. Your images will be resize to fill a tile size and look like a centered aspect ratio crop to tile size. Paste Image Roll script and Picture Package support documentation

[Kayleigh26208601d0l0]

I tried the link but don't see anything pertaining to the script in the link 

[jane-e]

Hi

If you have InDesign, you can use the Gridify feature to place the 40 photos and be done in less than a minute.

• File > Place > Select the 40 photos
• Press and hold the mouse and don’t let go as you:
• tap the right arrow 5 times and down arrow 8 times (5*8=40),
  followed by Cmd + the arrow keys to adjust the spacing between the rows and columns
• Release the mouse.
• Click Content Aware Fit
• Deselect. Done.

Jane

[DigitalChickster]

Oh! I had no idea I could do this in InDesign. I'll give it a try! Thanks!

[DigitalChickster]

So this is a stupid question... but what arrows am I taping 5 times to the right and 8 times down? On my keyboard?

[jane-e]

Yes, keyboard arrows: when creating the grid the right arrow key will add columns, the left will subtract. The up/down do the same for rows.

Without letting go of the mouse, use the Cmd key on the right side of the keyboard so you can reach the arrow keys with your left hand while holding the mouse with the right hand as you adjust the spacing. (Increase/Decrease for Columns/Rows).

You will get 40 frames, all the same size. Then click the new Content Aware Fit so the images fit the frames with the best part showing. A few may need tweaking, but most will be okay.

The power of Gridify

https://indesignsecrets.com/quickly-place-images-indesign-document.php

[Moto-Mucci]

This is some Super User cheat code stuff! I love it.

...now can you get it to auto arrange landscape and portrait images of different aspect ratios like Tetris to have equal spacing all around? Like puzzle piecing the images into one solid block without empty space.

[jane-e]

Hi Moto-Mucci,

Gridify will make frames all the same size in InDesign. To change the spacing between frames after they have been drawn, use the Gap tool to select the gap.

From Adobe Help:

Move the pointer between two objects, and do any of the following actions:

• Drag to move the gap and resize all objects aligned along the gap.

• Shift-drag to move the gap between only the two nearest objects.

• Ctrl-drag (Windows) or Command-drag (Mac OS) to resize the gap instead of moving it. Adding the Shift key resizes the gap between only the two nearest objects.

• Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) to move the gap and objects in the same direction. Adding the Shift key moves only the two nearest objects.

• Ctrl+Alt-drag (Windows) or Command+Option-drag (Mac OS) to resize the gap and move the objects.

• Adding the Shift key to resize the gap and move only the two nearest objects.

To have no empty space or equal space between frames in InDesign, you can also use Distribute Spacing from the Align panel.

 

To be more like Tetris, though, deselect the frames, then drag and drop with the selection tool.

~ Jane

[Thomas Dearie]

Hey, there

There is an automatic way right in Photoshop with a little bit of simple arithmetic.

1. Decide how many columns and rows you need based on the size of your final page and ensure the images are at the resolution/size you want. For example, I wanted 4 columns by 2 rows made of 8 1024 x768 px images of my daughter. So my final will be 4096 x 1536 px

2. Open all the images you want to collage.

3. File > Automate > Contact Sheet

4. In the contact sheet panel choose the following options:

5. Click "OK" and Photoshop will generate a merged file with each photo positioned and masked appropriately. If you want to rearrange the photos as per the client's wants, you can do so. Note that my dialogue panel says "9 files selected" instead of 8 because I did the screen grab after I created the collage. Also, I think you can set the spacing to 0px, but I just de-selected that option.


Cheers

Tom

[Thomas Dearie]

I don't have a completely auto answer -- maybe someone does.
But I do have a time saver.

1. With your calculator, calc the width dimension of your shots x the number of photos wide you want, and the height dimension x the number of photos high you want your collage. Write it down.
2. GO:  FILE > Automate > Contact Sheet
3. Enter your width and height in the appropriate fields.
4. Enter the # of rows and columns you decided on earlier

5. Use autospacing (I can't find a way to make no spaces. Boooooo.)

6. Say OK.
7. NOw you have evenly space photos and can nudge each column and row by the same amount to make contact.
8. Trim the outside excess pixels.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Tom
2. With you