Custom Collage in Photoshop Elements 19

[Jagsho1]

Is there a way to customize the collage made in Elements 19?  I am able to enlarge/shrink the photo so different areas of the photo shows in its box but i would like to change the size of all the boxes in which the photos are placed?  Is there a way to do so?

if not, is there a way to not use the templates and the "Create Photo Collage" feature, but create a collage from scratch with complete control on size, shapes, position etc.

Thank  you.

[hatstead]

Jagsho1  wrote

create a collage from scratch with complete control on size, shapes, position etc.

.

1. In Editor, expert tab, go to File>new>blank file. Enter the dimensions of your paper stock, resolution 240px/in, background color to suit. This will be your canvas.
2. Do the math so that the pictures will fit on the "real estate". You can crop/resize them appropriately. It is also a good idea to have the resolution of the photo files the same value as the blank file - - 240px/in in my example in step #1.
3. Go to File>place, and point to picture #1., You can drag it into position and make size adjustments with the corner handles of the bounding box.
4. Go to File>place, and point to picture #2.
5. Repeat for the other pictures. Note that each picture will come in on a separate layer above the Background layer.

[Jagsho1]

Thank you.  This works very well.  I am able to create a blank file of the dimensions that I want.   I am able to place a picture, resize it, rotate or move it as i like.  I then click the green check mark to accept the photo.  I then can repeat this with one or more photos.

This all works well except for the following:  Once i accept the photo by clicking the green check mark, the size and the orientation becomes fixed.  I can go back to the layer and move the photo, but i just cannot change its size or orientation any more. Is there some way to be able to do so? 

Also, if I save the collage I have produced as a psd file, clos the file and reopen the psd file, i am told that in the layers panel i should see a picture and a mask layer for each photo in the collage.  I see only the picture layer.  are the two problems related?

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP

[Jagsho1]

i HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM.  ONE NEEDS TO CHECK "SHOW BOUNDING BOX" IN THE OPTIONS ON THE "MOVE" TOOL.  THEN THE PHOTO CAN BE SCALED OR ROTATED EVEN AFTER CLICKING THE GREEN CHECK MARK.

I HAVE SPENT QUITE SOME TIME TRYNG TO FIGURE THIS OUT.  HOPE IT HELPS SOME PEOPLE!

[99jon]

It is possible to change the size of the built-in collages. But the manual method, as you discovered, is fine for placing images.

My tutorial may be of interest.

https://youtu.be/SVMxuo-ixeo

[Jagsho1]

Your tutorial was very helpful.  Thank you.

[Jagsho1]

The tutorial you sent me, shows how to change the size of the mask layers.  Is it also possible to change the SHAPES of the mask layers?  if so, how?

Thank you.

[99jon]

I think you need to select the collage style first. You can quickly change the layouts by adding or subtracting photos and switching between portrait, landscape, Instagram and Facebook styles. Only then you can re-size after saving as PSD. As you know it’s possible to place photos on a blank canvas (without using a template) giving you some limited ability to rotate images using the corner handles of the bounding box.

[hatstead]

You're welcome. Glad to help.