Techniques-Digital - Page 7
Focal Collage
Finished Collage
Image 1
Image 2
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Focal Collage
As in most digital work I do, I like to start with a large image so that it's easier to see what I'm working with. Also, it is very easy to make any image smaller, but you will lose resolution if you try to make it larger. The finished size of your collage will depend on the size of the images you use.
- Open a New Image, 800 x 800, at 300 dpi, transparent background
- Open all of the images you want to use on your collage. (I used the girl, roses, decorative design, and handwriting.) While you can choose any image you want, I chose all line art images since I wanted to be able to change the background, and color the collage in different ways.
- Since we want to preserve the transparency of the collage, we need to choose only the outline of each image, not the white background, to place on our collage. Click on the Magic Wand tool, then click in a black area of your first image.
(Image 1)
- Choose Selections Menu, Modify, Select Similar. I use a Tolerance of 100. Click OK, and your image will have all the black areas selected.
- Copy your image (CTL + C) and paste as a new layer into your 800 x 800 transparent image (CLT + L). Don't worry about placement yet.
- Repeat with your other images until all images are on your large image.
- Click your Move Tool, and move the images around until they are placed where you want.
- Add a layer, and type the word "Dream" using Castellar font, and move it into place.
- Use your Crop Tool to eliminate any excess that you don't want to be part of your finished collage. (Image 2)
If you click on this image and examine the large version, you will see that because all the layers are transparent, you can see the handwriting on the girls face and arms, and through other open areas as well. I wanted to eliminate that, as well as leave a little empty space around each item.
- In order to see better, add a layer (Layer Menu, New Raster Layer, OK), and drag it below the other layers. Click on the Fill Tool and fill that background layer with white.
- Click on the handwriting layer in the Layers Pallette and then click on the Eraser Tool. Erase the handwriting around the edges of each image and on the girls face and arms. Because I was on the handwriting layer, I didn't need to worry about erasing any of the other images. There was some of the decorative piece showing through the girl's hand, so I clicked on the decorative layer and erased the portion I didn't want.
- Right click on the layer you added and filled with white and delete. Now, save your image as a psp file to preserve the layers.
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Now to use your collage. You can of course print it on any color cardstock, and use any stamping techniques such as brayering, coloring with markers, watercolors, etc. You can also prepare any type of background you want and print the collage directly onto the background. Because of the strong black image, it should show up well on most backgrounds.
Of course, you can now fill your background layer with any solid color, pattern or gradient. Here are two samples.
Click here to see the card I made with this collage
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