how to create a collage in photoshop

In today's tutorial, I am going to take you through the process of creating a polygon/diamond photo collage in Photoshop from multiple images and you can download the photoshop collage template for you to use .

We will use Guides to help us position polygon shapes precisely, the Polygon tool to draw polygon shapes, Drop Shadow Layer Style and Clipping Mask to clips the image layer into the Polygon layer.

Let's get started!

How To Make a Collage in Photoshop (4 sided Polygon)

Final result.

Download These Templates

Download Diamond/4 Sided Polygon Photoshop Collage templates here:

Find others free Photoshop Collage Templates here.

If you liked my works, please subscribe to my YouTube channel -PhotoEffect.

Video: How to create a 4 Sided Polygon collage in Photoshop tutorial.

Watch the video for detailed instructions and use the written steps for quick reference.

1. Create a new Document

Choose File> New (or Ctrl+N).

In the pop-up window, type a name in the Name field and enter the following information: Width 3000 pixels, Height 2000 pixels, Resolution 300 Pixels/Inch, Color Mode RGB color, and Background contents Transparent or White.

Click OK.

2. Create 5 Vertical Guides

Guides help you position any object (shapes or images) precisely.

We will create 3 horizontal and 5 vertical guidelines.

Create a vertical guide.

Choose View> New Guide. In the dialog box, select Vertical orientation, enter 500 px position and click OK.

Repeat this step for 1000 px, 1500 px, 2000 px and 2500 px.

create 5 vertical guides (500px, 1000px, 1500px, 2000px, 2500px)

Create 5 vertical guides (500px, 1000px, 1500px, 2000px, 2500px).

3. If You didn't See the Guidelines

If you didn't see the guidelines, choose View> Show> Guides.

If you want to lock all guides, choose View>Lock Guides. This way you can't move them by accident.

4. Create 3 Horizontal Guides

Choose View>New Guide.

In the dialog box, select Horizontal orientation, enter 500 px position and click OK.

Repeat this step for position 1000 px and 1500 px.

create 3 horizontal guides (500px, 1000px, 1500px)

Create 3 horizontal guides (500px, 1000px, 1500px).

5. Select the Polygon Tool

Grab the Polygon Tool (or just press U).

You can press Shift+U to cycle through the six available shape tools until the one you want is active.

In the Options Bar, make sure Shape is chosen from the menu.

Choose the shape color by clicking the color swatch in the options bar, and then choose a color available.

You can also choose a color from the Color Picker.

Lastly, fill the stroke size and set the number of sides in Sides field with 4.

The Polygon tool

The Polygon tool. Press Shift+U to cycle through the six available shape tools until the one you want is active.

Click the color swatch in the options bar, and then choose a color available

Click the color swatch in the options bar, and then choose a color available.

You can also choose a color from the Color Picker

You can also choose a color from the Color Picker.

Set the Sides field with 4

Set the Sides field with 4.

6. Draw a Diamond/4 sided Polygon Shape
To draw a diamond/Polygon shape, click inside your document and drag away from the starting point.

When you release your mouse button, Photoshop completes the shape and fills it with your chosen color.
To draw a Polygon shape, click inside your document and drag away from the starting point
To draw a Polygon shape, click inside your document and drag away from the starting point.

7. Duplicate and Resize the Polygon

Duplicate the diamond/polygon shape by going to Layer> Duplicate Layer (or press Ctrl+J).

Then resize and reposition your duplicate shape layer using Edit> Free Transform Path.

You can edit the shape as follows:

Resize the shape by dragging any corner while holding down the Shift key to keep the shape does not distort.
Move the shape by clicking and hold anywhere inside the shape and drag.
Rotate the shape by moving your cursor farther out from any corner until you see two arrows. Click and hold, then drag the shape.
Press Enter key when you are done.

Duplicate the polygon shape layer as many as you want and then arranged it all to your satisfaction.

When you are done, hide/remove guides by going to View>Show>Guides.

Duplicate the polygon shape

Duplicate the polygon shape.

Then resize and reposition your duplicate shape layer using Edit> Free Transform Path

Then resize and reposition your duplicate shape layer using Edit> Free Transform Path.

Duplicate the polygon shape as many as you want and then arranged it all to your satisfaction

Duplicate the polygon shape as many as you want and then arranged it all to your satisfaction.

8. Add Drop Shadow

Choose Layer> Layer Style> Drop Shadow.

The Layer Style dialog box appears with the Drop Shadow option checked.

Set your desired angle, distance, and size.

Click OK.

Now add a drop shadow to each polygon shape layer.

You can copy drop shadow layer style to another layer by dragging the Drop Shadow layer style to the other layer--while pressing the Alt key.

Add a drop shadow layer style

Add a drop shadow layer style.

While holding down the Alt key, click and then drag the Drop Shadow layer to another polygon layer

While holding down the Alt key, click and then drag the Drop Shadow layer to another polygon layer.

Select the Polygon layer to which you want to insert a photo.

Go to File> Place to open the picture you'd like to insert.

The Place dialog box appears.

Navigate to the folder that contains your image file then select the name of the file you want to open.

Click Place.

You can now edit the picture as follows:

Resize the picture by dragging any corner while holding down the Shift key to keep the picture does not distort.
Move the picture by clicking and hold anywhere inside the image and drag.
Rotate the picture by moving your cursor farther out from any corner until you see two arrows. Click and hold, then drag the picture.
Press Enter key when you are done.

Insert image to your collage template

Insert image to your collage template.

10. Create a Clipping Mask
On the Layers panel, make sure the layers to be clipped are listed consecutively.

Remember, you must stack the image layer above the Polygon layer.

Click the image layer to be clipped, then choose Layer>Create Clipping Mask (or press Alt+Ctrl+G) to create clipping mask.

When layers are put into a clipping mask, the content of the bottommost layer (the Polygon layer), clips the layers above it (the image layer).

Stack the image layer above the Polygon layer

Stack the image layer above the Polygon layer.

Clipping Mask

Clipping Mask.

11. Insert All The Images
Repeat steps 7 through 8 to open and manipulate each picture you'd like to insert.

Insert all the images

Insert all the images.

12. Group All The Polygon Layer
While holding down the Shift key, click on all polygon layer then choose Layer> Group Layers.

while holding down the Shift key, click on all polygon layer

While holding down the Shift key, click on all polygon layer.

Group layer

Group layer.

13. Add a Background Image
If you'd like a background for your Collage, choose File>Place.

Navigate to the folder that contains your background image file then select the name of the file you want to open.

Click Place.

Add a Background Image

Add a Background Image.

14. Save Your Document
Choose File>Save (or Ctrl+S) to save your project file.

The Save As dialog box appears.

Navigate to the folder where you want to store your project file.

Type a name in the File Name text box and leave the default Photoshop (*.PSD;*.PDD) format.

Click Save to store the project file.

Once you have finished, you will probably also want to use File>Save As (Shift+Ctrl+S) to export the image in a more widely used format, such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, etc.

Here is the result:

4 Sided Polygon Photoshop Collage

How to create a Polygon collage in Photoshop (4 Sided Polygon / diamond shapes).