Multiple Images On One Canvas

I've received a number of questions on how to put multiple images on a single canvas. This is one of those Photoshop things that is really easy once you know how, and can reduce you to tears if you don't. This article will take you through the process one step at a time.

These steps will work in Photoshop and I believe will also work in Elements.

Get your images ready.

For each image, make your master file in Photoshop and save it as a Photoshop (psd) file. Get all the images to the "final" look before working on the multiple image canvas.

Start by creating a new image that will be your multiple image canvas.

Use File -> New. Size the image for your output. Resolution is important here, as all the images you work with will need to be sized the same. In this example, I'm creating a 13" x 19" print at 300 dpi resolution.

Next, open, flatten, and resize the images

I'm starting by taking each image and clicking Image -> Duplicate, and checking the "duplicate merged layers only" checkbox. For each image, after you do this, close the original. This accomplishes two things: First, you've reduced the memory your working image will take up by flattening it. Second, as you work with the image and resize it, you aren't impacting your original. Do this for each of your originals.

Resize each image

For each image, think of the size you want it to take up on your canvas. I'm making a 13x19 print with a long horizontal image and two vertical images. I'll make the horizontal image take up 9 inches and the vertical images 4 inches wide.

If you need help visualizing, turn on the rulers. On the menu, choose view -> rulers. You can also add guide by draging out from the rulers. The guides will help you position your individual images on the canvas.

To resize, click Image -> Image Size on the menu. When resizing, use the "document size" box in the middle. Set the resolution to be the same as your canvas. In my case, 300. Then set the width in inches. In my example, I've set it to 9 inches wide and let the height adjust automatically. Make sure the "resample image" check box at the bottom is checked.

Repeat this as necessary for the other images you're going to add to the palette.

Move your individual images to the multiple image canvas

Next make sure your layers palette is visible. If it's not select the menu item Window -> Layers to show it.

The image you just resized should only have one layer, but it may not be selected. Click the layer in the layers palette to select it.

Now use the move tool (press "v" on the keyboard), click on the image, drag it to the empty canvas, and drop it. Note that if your original images and your destination canvas are zoomed to different amounts, your image will look like it dramatically shrinks or expands. Don't worry. As long as you've set your image sizes correctly in the resize step, it will all come out OK.

Once you have each image on your multiple image canvas, you can close the individual image files. (Saving them is optional, you should still have your original master file.) You can move the individual images around on the canvas by clicking on the layer for the image in the layer palette, then draging them around using the move tool (the top right icon in the toolbox, or press the "v" key) and the mouse.

Repeat for each of your images.

Get fancy

You can add effects such as drop shadows on each image by selecting the layer in the layers palette and clicking the "style" icon at the bottom of the layers palette. The style icon is the one that looks like "fx". This will pop up a menu and you can select "drop shadow" and play around with the settings.

Here is the final image: