Photoshop For Dummies - help please

[dibbly dobbler]

Gents - I want to combine 3 pics together into a single image in a very simple way - ie next to each other not over the top of each other - to create a 'triptych' but I discovered last night that I am hopeless at this seemingly simple task

Can anybody give me some simple instructions or recommend a good help site please ?

Thanks in advance, DD

PS - I have PSE 8 if that makes any difference.

[4Lmike]

create a new document making sure the width is set to the total width of the 3 pics combined, then open each pic individually and copy+paste into the new document.

ETA to copy the whole pic you might need to make a duplicate copy of the background layer, then just go to Select > All and then copy.

Edited by 4Lmike on Monday 17th January 13:00

[dibbly dobbler]

Thanks Mike - that sounds worryingly easy! I'll give it a go tonight and see if the grey matter is functioning at all

[LongQ]

I recently made a 2 image file (with text and shadows/borders) for someone but it was indeed a pain (Using PSE 9) and in fact I finished it of with the rather similar functionality of Serif Photoplus 11.

Whether right or wrong I don't know but the approach I used was to set the canvas size required to hold all the images (with borders if required) then add each image (pre-set to the required size) on its own layer and position it (plus another layer for the text ...) and worked with that. Using layers meant that if I messed up I didn't mess it all up.

I'm sure there should be an easier way but I suspect that using some of the higher end Adobe products would make it a simpler process.

Anyway - it worked as far as I could tell. I sent the file off for final printing and the chap is happy with the result. He had 2 more copies printed. Haven't seen it myself yet! My home printed tests suggest it should be adequate.

[Simpo Two]

4Lmike said:

create a new document making sure the width is set to the total width of the 3 pics combined, then open each pic individually and copy+paste into the new document.

Yep, or open one image, enlarge the canvas size as required and then copy/paste the other two in.

[LongQ]

Simpo Two said:

4Lmike said:

create a new document making sure the width is set to the total width of the 3 pics combined, then open each pic individually and copy+paste into the new document.

Yep, or open one image, enlarge the canvas size as required and then copy/paste the other two in.

Hmm.

That's the first thing I tried but for some reason I couldn't get any usable control over where the images ended up. A complete nightmare - hence the decision to use layers instead.

Probably be better of doing it in MS Word or at least a DTP package of some sort so long as it has a good quality file output/printer interface. It all depends on the purpose of course and what file format is required at the end of the exercise.

[4Lmike]

LongQ said:

Simpo Two said:

4Lmike said:

create a new document making sure the width is set to the total width of the 3 pics combined, then open each pic individually and copy+paste into the new document.

Yep, or open one image, enlarge the canvas size as required and then copy/paste the other two in.

Hmm.

That's the first thing I tried but for some reason I couldn't get any usable control over where the images ended up. A complete nightmare - hence the decision to use layers instead.

you have to have the appropriate layer selected and then just use the move tool

[Gemm]

If everything else fails, you could always print each images, then align them how you want on the floor and take a picture of them together.

[crmcatee]

/\

Or tape two vertical strips on your lens to start with.

[dibbly dobbler]

- it may yet come to that !

[LongQ]

4Lmike said:

LongQ said:

Simpo Two said:

4Lmike said:

create a new document making sure the width is set to the total width of the 3 pics combined, then open each pic individually and copy+paste into the new document.

Yep, or open one image, enlarge the canvas size as required and then copy/paste the other two in.

Hmm.

That's the first thing I tried but for some reason I couldn't get any usable control over where the images ended up. A complete nightmare - hence the decision to use layers instead.

you have to have the appropriate layer selected and then just use the move tool

Using layers that was not a problem. Copying 2 (in my case) images into the same layer just did not seem to want to play ball when I wanted to move them individually. I'm sure there is some sort of arcane command one could use but I didn't find it or I did and it didn't work. The latter is a possibility. I wanted a slight border and drop shadow effect but in different direction on each image. No matter what I did if I changed the angle on one of them the angle also changed on the other. However when I opened the PSD file in an older version of Serif PhotoPlus (v11) it displayed them exactly as intended with no further changes other than opening the file.

I was almost done by then so did not chase it further but was left wondering of the PSE9 download running on Windows 7 may not be without the odd problem. I let the trial expire. The particular feature I was trying out - the content aware smart clone stuff - didn't help much with the particular image I needed it for and it was, in the end, quicker for me to work with familiar, but not especially cloning oriented, software than try and work out the rest of the PSE controls I would have needed.

[mcflurry]

The "easiest" way IMHO is to download a 'triptych' psd template.
Then simply resize and move the 3 images into place

[dibbly dobbler]

mcflurry said:

The "easiest" way IMHO is to download a 'triptych' psd template.
Then simply resize and move the 3 images into place

Hmm - sounds like a cunning plan!

How/where does one do the downloading bit ? From within PSE ?

[The_Jackal]

This http://www.photoradar.com/techniques/technique/25-...
and this http://www.photoradar.com/techniques/technique/25-...

Or just follow one of the MANY tutorials on Google.

[Major Bloodnok]

The easy way

[Simpo Two]

4Lmike said:

you have to have the appropriate layer selected and then just use the move tool

Yep. Each time you paste in a new image it makes a new layer. Use the Transform menu if you want to change just the layer rather than the whole canvas.

[LongQ]

Major Bloodnok said:

The easy way

Have to say I think Julieanne is very good indeed.

However there are some aspects of that TV session that are, to my mind, a very long way from intuitive - unless you have an in depth knowledge of the Adobe design mind-set.

For 'average Joe' it would seem to me to be much better to ask something like "You tryin' to create a triptych Bud?" and on receipt of a positive response ask "You want borders with that?" rather than expect people to be familiar with the short-cut lexicon that has been created.

If you have the functionality in your software why not flaunt it? (Preferably in a way that the average punter will understand.)

Edited by LongQ on Monday 17th January 22:17

[dibbly dobbler]

Well I've *nearly* done it - got the three pics together but I've tried to put a bit of space between them and what I've ended up with is the crappy blue and white checked squares on the background when I really want it just black. Any ideas ?

Great response btw chaps - thanks all

PS - the pic's looking pretty ordinary but hey-ho it's good practice!

[flat-planedCrank]

dibbly dobbler said:

Well I've *nearly* done it - got the three pics together but I've tried to put a bit of space between them and what I've ended up with is the crappy blue and white checked squares on the background when I really want it just black. Any ideas ?

Great response btw chaps - thanks all

PS - the pic's looking pretty ordinary but hey-ho it's good practice!

The checkers is normally photoshop's way of saying something is transparent

- Create a new layer - button at the bottom of the layers pallet (or Ctrl+Shift+N)

- Fill it white (or whatever colour you want the gaps in-between the pics to be) - Edit menu > Fill - then pick a colour.

- Drag the new layer to the bottom of the stack in the layers pallet

(If you can't drag it down to the bottom then you may have one layer that is named 'background'. If so, double click on this layer to turn it into a normal layer and try dragging your new later to the bottom again)

[dibbly dobbler]

fpc - have a virtual beer!

Thanks a lot all who kindly contributed - the image is not everything I had hoped for but I've learned a lot and will have other attempts


Triptych by dibbly dobbler, on Flickr