Snagit Learning Center

Snagit 9 Tutorial:

Creative Collage Art

A creative collage made up of several different photographs, screen captures, or other graphics is an impressive and interesting work of art.

This tutorial will teach you how to use Snagit Editor to create a collage graphic using templates and stamps you can download for free from the TechSmith website.

About this Project

• Estimated time to complete this tutorial is 20 minutes including the downloading and installing of the templates and stamps.
• This tutorial does not demonstrate how to take a screen capture. To learn how to do this, see the Snagit online help.

What you Need to Get Started

You will need the following to successfully complete this tutorial.

• Snagit 9.0. If you do not have Snagit 9.0, you can download a copy here.
• The free Collage Template graphics downloaded and unzipped to a folder you specify.
• The free Collage Stamps downloaded and unzipped to a folder you specify in C:\My Documents\Snagit Stamps.

Skill Level: Intermediate

This tutorial is suitable for intermediate users of Snagit. Knowledge of downloading and unzipping a file, using the ribbon tabs, copying and pasting, and saving files within Editor is required.

Let's Get Started: Creating a Collage

The following section takes you through this tutorial step-by-step. To be successful, do not skip any steps.

The Dragon.png template image is used for this tutorial. Up to ten different fill images will be used to create the collage.

Apply Fill Color for Transparency

Before you begin, make sure the line art template you want to use is open in Editor’s. It is important you leave the template image uncropped – the white space around the template is important.

The fill images you want to use for your template should be open in the Tray.

1. In the Draw tab, select Drawing Tools group > Fill button.
2. From the Quick Styles Gallery, choose a color not in the images you will be using in the first fill image. For this tutorial, purple will be used.
3. Click the canvas to flood-fill the sections that will contain the first graphic. Use the Zoom tool when filling in small or tight areas.
   

Cut and Paste Template and Add First Image

1. Press <CTRL + A> to select the entire canvas.
2. In the Draw tab, select Clipboard group > Cut button or press <CTRL + X>.
3. Drag the first image to be used from the Tray onto the canvas.
   Note: If you have a large area to fill in the template and the fill image is small, you will need to drag and drop several times.
   
4. In the Draw tab, select Clipboard group > Paste button. The template is pasted back onto the canvas.
5. Arrange the template so it is over top of the image(s).

Apply Transparency

1. In the Draw tab, select Styles group > Effects button. Make sure Transparent Background is enabled. It will have a check mark next to it if it is. If it is not, click on the option to enable it.
   
2. Your image will look similar to this; the purple will be opaque and the rest of the image is transparent.
   
3. Click on the template image to select it.
4. In the Image tab, select Canvas group > Canvas Color button.
5. From the dropdown, select the color you used to flood-fill the first section. Immediately, the filled are becomes transparent and the rest of the template becomes opaque.

Resize and Flatten the Image

1. Position the fill image(s) so the transparent section(s) of the template are totally filled.
2. When the fill image(s) located correctly, right click on the it and select Flatten from the menu. Do this for each fill image used.
3. Move the template image around until it is positioned correctly on top of the fill images. Do not worry if any “extra” parts of the fill image show around the edges of the white template space.
4. When the template is positioned correctly, right click on the template image and select Flatten from the menu. Your image will look similar to the following:
   

Add the Second Section to the Template

1. In the Image tab, select Canvas group > Canvas Color button. From the dropdown, select the color white.
2. In the Draw tab, select Drawing Tools group > Fill button. Choose a flood-fill color not in the next fill image.
3. Click the canvas to flood-fill the second section(s).
   
4. Press <CTRL + A> to select the entire canvas.
5. In the Draw tab, select Clipboard group > Cut button or press <CTRL + X>.
6. Drag the second fill image to be used from the Tray onto the canvas.
7. In the Draw tab, select Clipboard group > Paste button. The template is pasted back onto the canvas.
8. Position the fill image(s) so the transparent section(s) of the template are totally filled.
9. When the fill image(s) located correctly, right click on the it and select Flatten from the menu. Do this for each fill image used.
10. Move the template image around until it is positioned correctly on top of the fill images. Do not worry if any “extra” parts of the fill image show around the edges of the white template space.
11. When the template is positioned correctly, right click on the template image and select Flatten from the menu. Your image will look similar to the following:

Add the Rest of the Fill Sections & Trim

1. For the remaining sections, repeat the exact directions in the previous section starting with number one.
2. At this time, your image may have some of the fill image showing and lots of white space. To remove the remnants of the fill images, and most of the white space grab the handles along the canvas edges and drag inward. However, don’t remove all of the white space at this time.

Add the Stamp with a Shadow

Stamping over the top of the finished image will give it depth and a polished, professional look. You should have already downloaded and installed the Collage Stamps. If you have not, you will need to do so before this process can be completed.

1. In the Draw tab, select Drawing Tools group > Stamp button.
2. In the Quick Styles Gallery, browse and select the template shape you are using.
3. Click once on the canvas to create the stamp.
4. Move the stamp over the top of the image until the black lines line up correctly.
5. With the stamp selected on the canvas, in the Draw tab, select Drawing Tools group > Stamp button > Styles group > Effects button > Shadow. In the dropdown menu, click the All Sides shadow as shown below.
   
6. In the Draw tab, select Drawing Tools group > Stamp button > Styles group > Effects button > More Shadows. The Drop Shadow dialog box appears.
7. Adjust the Horizontal and Vertical Depth to 3. Also adjust the Opacity and Blur sliders to achieve the desired effect.
8. Click OK.
9. Right click on the stamp and select Flatten from the menu.
10. Optional: Click to add another stamp over the first one to give your 3D image real depth. Right click on the stamp and select Flatten from the menu. Your collage image will now look like this:
    
11. In the Image tab, select Canvas group > Trim button. All the excess white will be removed.
    

Congratulations! You have just learned how to create a collage graphic. Use this same technique for each of the other Collage Templates you downloaded.

Variations

Invert Colors

For an interesting neon effect, apply the Invert Colors effect to your final image.

In the Image tab, select Modify group > Color Effects button > Invert Colors.

Add a Stamp with a Light Color Shadow

In these images, a stamp was applied using various, colored shadows: green, red, blue, and purple.