Multi-image print from Photoshop

[John V.]

Hello,

Is this the way I want to do this?

1) Prepare image(s) including uprez to 720ppi and output sharpen. Save. (as if I were going to print right then)
2) Create new Photoshop doc @desired dimension and 720ppi.
3) "Place" each image within document while constraining proportions.
4) Print

I do not want to invest in any new software right now.

JD

[milt]

Here's one way:
1) Have the destination image and one or more source images open simultaneously in PS.
2) For each source image, select all, copy, then switch to the destination image and paste.  (After each paste, the pasted image will be selected and movable.)

--Milt--

[Rand47]

Hello,

Is this the way I want to do this?

1) Prepare image(s) including uprez to 720ppi and output sharpen. Save. (as if I were going to print right then)
2) Create new Photoshop doc @desired dimension and 720ppi.
3) "Place" each image within document while constraining proportions.
4) Print

I do not want to invest in any new software right now.

JD

JD,

Your approach will work quite well.  While I print from Lightroom, I prepare collage images in PS 6 in the manner you describe (except I let LR do the output sharpening).  Dragging and dropping the images into your new document (at the print size) puts each image in its own layer that can be moved, scaled, rotated, given a drop shadow, etc.   The ppi will/should depend upon the printer you're sending the file to and its optimal use - and also to some degree the native resolution of each image and how far you want to push them in upres.  E.g. in the example below each of the images was a high-res scan to begin with, so 720 ppi for the "base new document" and 720 for each of the images was fine.  I don't get too worried about the "each image" resolution as long as they are all in the same ball park.  In fact, I often find in laying out a collage that I'll scale images a bit for aesthetic reasons - which of course messes with their native ppi a bit.  But since the final combined image is sent to the printer at 720 or 360 (Epson) I've not seen any kind of "visually apparent" problem.
 Here's a recent example of a collage I created for a client, using the technique you describe:



Rand