Overlapping Images to form a Collage

Here we see overlapping images which are staggered to form an irregular line. They are all the exact same size, and overlap in a uniform layout. The stroke is used to define the images.


To add even more depth to the collage add a diffused drop shadow (these settings are: size 5, distance 30).


Combining images is tricky. The most common problem is collages which have TOO MUCH GOING ON. One way to minimize this problem is to doutone images, have a common color scheme, or use 3-5 images. The collage below has a duotoned photo in brown, another in blue and one full color photo which contains only yellow and blue. Include a variety of perspectives for visual interest. The close up of the fish, head shot of the divers, and long shot of the students working in a lab, all add to the visual diversity of the collage.

This travel collage by Nancy Biskovich is an excellent example of successfully combining diverse photos. She combined close-ups, long-shots, and mid-range photos. The images are cropped into a variety of shapes. Finally Nancy uses the drop shadow to unify all the images.

To view this file as a Photoshop document access the CD > CIS 58.53B Advanced Class > PSD > photos > overlap.psd