How to make a collage from 6 images in workspace

[Ken Veal]

X5
1 I open transparent file via file-new-shows in layers palette as background
2 Open new image ( solid white white) to cover all of 1st file. this then replaces the 1st file so that only 1 layer is showing still
3 This does not show as 2nd layer nor do tabs show top left that represent the open files(why is this not happening)
4 I drag , position, (by dragging the title bar) and zoom on each image via the mouse wheel to resize each of 6 images.
5 I now see 6 images on a white background
How do I get a jpeg image that shows all of the 6 images in the form of a collage from here

[hartpaul]

Is this what you are trying to do?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm7D0sz2atI

[Ken Veal]

Thanks for the link.Got as far as "select the images that you want to use and drag them to the layers palette, each image is added as a separate layer"
this is what I had done up to then
TO MAKE A TRAY
A MANAGE TAB
B CLICK “+” BOT LEFT --IN ADD TRAY BOX –NAME TRAY
C GO TO COLLECTIONS- CLICK ON FOLDER-SHOWS IN ORG PAL
D DRAG WANTED PIC ONTO MY TRAY TAB
E CLICK ON FOLDER NAME –ALL PICS IN FOLDER SHOW-DRAG NEXT PIC ONTO MY TRAY TAB-
REPEAT D+E FOR EACH PIC WANTED.
F SELECT PICS FROM MY TRAY AND DRAG ONTO NAMED TRAY TAB
I had opened a solid white image to use as the background which showed in the layers palette named background.When I dragged an image from the named tray into the layers palette ,instead of showing as a new layer it changed the white background into the dragged image.Selecting all images and dragging them did not show as separate images either.What am I doing wrong here.

[hartpaul]

Working on the Kiss principle I wildescribe a method which does not require you to learn about the organiser , making trays etc.
1. Make a new folder on the desktop and call it WorkingFiles (or some other memorable name). Find the images you want to work with and make a copy of them into this folder, using just normal Windows procedures. (I holddown the control key while dragging and dropping from one folder to the other, you can also Right click copy the images from another folder and then righ click Paste into the collages folder) By only working on copies you have no chance of overwriting the originals at all. Minimise this folder to the task bar.


2.With your X5 open to full workspace, click the minimised WorkingFiles folder and it will open over the top of the workspace. Select your images and drag and drop to the workspace.


3. Quote"zoom on each image via the mouse wheel to resize each of 6 images" . Your belief here is wrong. Using the mouse wheel only scales the image, it does NOT resize (change the pixel size) of the image. To fit a lot of images on a space the images must be resized. (Imagine you are trying to fit 6 photos on a tea towel. If they were all 8 x 10 inch photos they would not fit. You must have physically smaller photos say 6 x 4 inch photos to be able to fit them in that space.)

4. To resize you must use Image > Resize.

and this gives you the resize dialog box. Make sure Lock Aspect Ratio is ticked . I have used 600 pixels on the longest side as an example. You will have to resize to suit your project. (Better to have a little larger as you can reduce its size with the pick tool and still keep quality.)

5. Now to prepare your background. Click on New Image button and I have marked the important parts in the dialog box. Again I have chosen my dimensions based on 4 images at 600 pixels. So have used 1800 x 1000 pixels.

6. I have scaled my background image and placed it near the 4 images I am using. I now click the title bar of the first image and then drag the layer thumb over onto the background image. This is the same as Edit > Copy , and Edit > Paste as New Layer.


7. Repeat this with the other images. When you have finished all the images will be in the centre of your background and your layers palette will show them on separate layers/

8. Now use the Pick tool to move and or rotate / resize your images to your liking.


9. You can do a flood fill to your background using whatever color / pattern you wish.

[Ken Veal]

Thank you very much for all the time and trouble you have gone to in your detailed reply- I will give it a go !

[Ken Veal]

In trouble with setting the resize image box parameters.Can you list the order of how the values are set please-can't get the a/r and pixel size to work.

[hartpaul]

a/r I presume is your abbreviation for Aspect Ratio. (best not to use abbreviations unless they are very commonly used).
What exactly is your problem with setting the parameters?
I have given you an example image to show what it should look like. Even used X5 so it looks the same as you should have.
What are you unable to change?
What are you doing and what happens?
Remember I cannot see what you are doing or trying to do so I need as much info as possible rather than a vague can't get ... to work.
Remember also you can experiment with doing and undoing til you get what you want. It doesn't normally break!!

[Ken Veal]

After your reply and a new day, I returned to the issue in question.The problem I was having was to get the correct sequence of the work flow especially in regard to when the lock aspect ratio box was checked, checking that in the wrong sequence caused a problem setting values.This is what I ended up doing to sort it

1 entered 400 in height box, width 600 with lock aspect ratio box unchecked( and showing other than 1.5000.)
2 check lock aspect ratio -height value changes
3 enter 1.5000
4 now height shows as 400 and width as 600
5 ok
Can I ask another question re image sizes ?
A What values would I need to set if I wanted 6 images in the collage
B In your item 8- did you mean use image-resize box method here or not

[hartpaul]

Good to see you did a few tests. Thats what it is al about and is part of the learning.
If I have an image that is a certain proportion say twice as wide as the height to start with eg 1200 x 600 pixels.
If I have the lock aspect ratio unticked then I can put in 600 for the width and if I press OK then the image will be distorted depending on what the height is. Try it and see.
Use 600 x 600, then undo and try again with 600 x 100. With carefull use of this feature you could make a fat person look a little skinnier or the reverse.

Now if you have 1200 x 600 and you have the lock aspect ratio, then whatever values you type in the other value will be changed so that the width always stays twice the height. Try it, then undo it and try with other figures.
After playing around with that you should start to understand the resizing a bit more. Make notes as you work through it and even try and predict what will happen.

What values would I need to set if I wanted 6 images in the collage?

This all depends on what you are trying to do. Do you want space so you can put in some text.
Do you want the pictures to overlap so some are partially hidden by the others?
Again it is up to you to experiment and see what fits.
But I did say to make the images a bit larger and that way you can use the pick tool to drag inwards on the corners to make them a bit smaller. You will note in the image under 8 that the value scale is used.
So by dragging diagonally from the corners you can make the image smaller and keep roughly the aspect ratio. If you drag from the side handles well try it and see. Experiment and test yourself and learn for yourself.

[Ken Veal]

I have a little knowledge of dragging nodes to resize etc through use of overlays in Video Studio Might be that I have used VS more than PSPro but it seems much easier to get a collage in VS-just have to put overlays on the video track and then move and resize images by dragging . On this instance, I do no not want text or much space in between images on the collage .I have experimented with the vignette picture frame in white on a white background in the past but ended up having to take a screen shot to get a jpeg image.
So , are you saying that I can use the pick tool on an image and then drag the corner nodes to increase/ reduce the image size to suit and move them into position to overlap or not with the move tool ?
I am not at my PC at the moment, will continue my efforts when I am at my desk.

[BrianCee]

I think Ken you need to think of PSP and VS being very similar - instead of very different as you seem to be doing

As you say in VS you put images in the overlay tracks - in PSP you put them on layers which perform the same function.

In VS you drag the corner nodes to resize (holding down shift to maintain aspect ration) - you do the same in PSP (except in VS you do not have to choose a tool as it chooses for you)

In VS you move the images around by clicking on them - in PSP apart from the fact you have to select the move tool - you do much the same

In VS you go to share and choose a video output format - in PSP when you want to save you also need to choose a still image output format

Just suggesting that you think of the two programmes as being similar instead of different - one specialising in images while the other specialises in video.

Sorry to butt in hartpaul - just trying to help Ken get the basics

[Kathy_9]

Speaking of basics and getting to learn your way around PSP, if you are a visual learner, LeviFiction's YouTube videos are a good place to start. https://www.youtube.com/user/LeviFiction

[Ken Veal]

I take on board what you say Brian and realise layers are a kind of overlay and in VS the tool is chosen for you. I am on a learning curve (in both progs) but it does help when you know what tool to use, how to use it best and exactly what it does .There is usually many ways to achieve your goal with most tools and I am very glad to be able to access this great resource for advice. Just dragging thumbnails onto another image as hartpaul described is so easy when you know how and probably would not be in tutorials. Another impediment to easier use is when things change with newer versions.

[dhdvt]

In one of the previous comments, it was said that a photo can be resized by moving the corner node. The ratio could be maintained by holding the shift key. I am using X3 and it does not work for me. I do not use PSP often. The last time I thought I could resize using the corner node and have constant aspect ratio. Now I get a rectangle or trapezoid near the mode and I can not keep the ratio to be constant. If this is new feature I can use the resize box but the handle method is quicker. Thanks for any help.

[Ken Veal]

After you have used the pick tool and you see the corner nodes, you must use the straight double headed arrow icon and not the icon that is double headed but curved icon when you drag
"The ratio could be maintained by holding the shift key" ---I think this only applies to Video Studio as mentioned above.