Updated: May 1, 2011

PosterDog's Collage FAQ

NOTE: You may want to cut these tips and paste them in a word document so you can refer to them as you're working on your collage.

 

How do I build a collage?

Building a collage is very easy. There is a wizard that will show you all of the steps needed to create your own collage. But here are the basic steps:

• Launch the collage maker.
• Choose what material you want to have your collage printed on. You can change this during the order process if you'd like.
• Choose the size and orientation that you want for your collage. Spend a moment thinking about this because once you start building your collage you cannot change the size or orientation without starting all over.
• Choose the background for your collage. You'll have the option of choosing from pre-loaded patterns, gradient colors, and solid colors.
• Choose a standard, pre-formatted layout or create a free-form collage.
• Load the photos/images you would like to use right into the collage maker. You can move your images to the collage all at once, or drag and drop each of your images wherever you want them on the collage.
• Once the images are in the collage you can change their size, move them around and even angle them.

What Materials can I have my collage printed on?

You can have you collage printed on any material we offer. At the time of this update, you can choose between Semi-gloss Photo Paper or Canvas.

How many photos/images can I place in a single collage?

You can place as many photos/images on the collage as you can fit onto the surface.

What is the minimum resolution required for my photos/images to work in a collage?

The minimum requirement is 100 dpi for each photo/image you place on the collage. If the resolution is less than 100 dpi, you will see a yellow warning sign show up on the image. You can try to reduce the size of the image on the collage, or remove it and replace it with an image that has a higher resolution.

How can I change or remove the background after I have already started working on the collage?

You can always change the background by using the background selection tool. All you have to do is select a new background and it will replace the existing one.

How do I bring my photos/images into the collage?

You bring your images into the collage using “drag and drop”. To do this you click and hold the left mouse button on top of the desired image. You then drag the image into the collage. Once you have the image in the desired position, you can stop holding the left mouse button and the image will be dropped. The alternative method is to use the "Transfer Selected Photos to Collage" button in the lower menu.

How can I zoom in to see the collage better?

At the time of this update, zooming in as you're building the collage isn't possible. However, a limited zoom feature is available after you Compile your collage. So if you'd like to zoom in, click the [Compile Collage] button -- don't worry, you'll be able to come back and continue editing. On the next page you can hover over the image of your collage and the collage will expand so you can see things a little better. Then, just click [Back to Collage] and you can continue building/editing your collage.

How can I make photos/images on the collage bigger or smaller?

You can change the size of a photo/image on the collage at any time. Just mouse click on the image you would like to select, then hover with the mouse over any of the four corners. When the hand symbol appears on the screen, you can move the mouse to change the size.

How can I use one of my own photos/images at a background for the collage?

In order have your image as the background, simply place one of the images on the collage and change the size of the image so that it covers the entire background of the collage. You can then place additional images and text on top of the background image. Be aware that because the background image will be printed quite large, you need an image with high enough resolution (over 100dpi) and one where the proportions match those of the collage proportions you have selected. If the resolution of the image is not high enough, the yellow warning signal will let you know.

What is a Standard Layout?

A Standard Layout is a method for organizing your photos/images on the collage in a structured fashion. The collage is broken into tiles and the images you place on the collage will be centered in the various tiles. This is a great way to get started. You can turn the Standard Layout off at anytime which will then give you the full flexibility of moving you images where you want.

How can I change the Standard Layout that is already in use?

You can turn off the Standard Layout by pressing the button in the red area above the collage “A Standard Layout is in use (turn off layout)”. After you have turned the Standard Layout off, you will be free to position the images anywhere on the collage. To change the type of Standard Layout, click the button “Choose a Standard Layout” and select one of the available layouts. Please remember that the number of tiles and therefore images for any given layout is fixed. So if you have more images in your collage than tiles available, extra images will be removed from the collage.

How can I change whether an image sits in-front or behind another image on the collage?

You can change whether an image is shown behind or in-front of other images by clicking on an image with the mouse to select it. Once an image is selected you can use the toolbar on the right-hand-side of the collage where you will find a tool to change the positioning of any image from behind to in-front.

How do I rotate the photos/images on the collage?

To rotate images on the collage, first select the desired image by clicking on it with your mouse and holding down the mouse button. You can then rotate the image. When you have reached the desired rotation, let go of the mouse button and the image rotation will be set. Please be aware that you can only position images within the borders of the collage.

How do I remove photos/images from the collage?

You can remove images from the collage by using the “Delete Button” in the toolbar on the right-hand-side of the collage, or simply by using the delete key on your keyboard. Tip: Even after you remove an image from the collage, it will still remain in the gallery of available images at the bottom of the screen, so you can easily use it in the collage later in the design process.

Do photos/images that are removed from the collage remain in the list of uploaded images I can use in the Collage?

Yes, images that are removed from the collage still remain in the list of uploaded images at the bottom of the screen. You can also remove images from the list of uploaded images, at which point they will no longer be available to you to use in the collage unless you upload them again.

Is there an “undo” button, or something that will let me take a step backward?

Next to the collage build area, there is a circular button with a counter-clockwise arrow. Click this and it will Undo your last action. Alterhantively, in the menu “Additional Options” there is a, [Undo] button you can use. Please note that this functionality is not available for all changes that are made.

Can I have my collage printed on canvas?

Yes. You can have your collage printed on any material we offer. With canvas, remember that the sides of the canvas are mirrored. So if you're planning to use canvas you may want to leave a small border around your canvas and avoid placing text too close to the sides.

Is it possible to have the same collage printed in multiple sizes?

Yes, but there are some limitations. As long as the aspect ratio remains the same, you can have your collage printed at any smaller size. For example, if you choose a 24x32 collage, which is a 4:3 ratio, you can also have it printed at 18x24 or 12x18. To learn more about how to do this, read the TIPS section below.

Can I order more than one collage?

You can order as many prints of the same collage as you would like. You can also order multiple different collages that you have designed in the same order.

Can I save my collage and come back to it later?

Because our collage maker uses FLASH tecnology, there is no way to "save" it and come back to it later. However, if you are able to leave your browser open, you should be able to come back to it and continue where you left off. See TIPS for other ways to address saving options.

Once I'm finished creating my collage, can I save it to my computer?

Yes. When you're finished designing your collage, click on the [Compile Collage] button. On the next page click on the button [Put Collage in the shopping cart]. Once the collage has rendered and you've click [Next], you'll have an option to save your collage to you computer. This button is located at the bottom left of the screen. Click this button and be sure to add .jpg to the name of your collage. Then you can use it for a variety of things including:

• treating it like a poster and adding a border or collor effect
• having PosterDog print it again in the future
• share it with friends
• us it as a background image or screen-saver

TIPS -- Tips and Tricks for using the collage maker

Saving your collage as you work

Currently there's not a simple way to save your collage as you're working on it. However, it is possible to save your collage from time to time. The downside to this solution is that the saved version becomes a single image file, meaning you will no longer have the ability to move the images/text that are on the collage. The upside is it could save you lots of time and aggravation if your computer were to freeze or crash.

Here are the steps to take:

• when you're ready to save, click on the [Compile collage] button. Use the ZOOM feature on the next page to ensure everything looks the way you want it.
• click the [Put Collage in the shopping cart] button. This will take a few moments while the images are rendered into one image file.
• when that's finished, click the [save to my computer] button. The file name defaults to COLLAGE. Be sure to add .jpg to the end of it -- this will help you find it more easily later.
• once you've saved it, click the [Back to Collage] button in the upper left. You'll be taken back to your 'working' collage and will be able to pick up right where you left off.

Reloading a saved collage image

If your computer were to freeze or crash, and you have a saved version of your collage on your computer, here's how you can put it into the collage maker to continue working on it. Remember, the saved version is now one image, so you won't be able to change the background or move the images that are in the picture. However you can add new pictures and text on top of it.

• launch the collage maker and select the same material, size and orientation that you chose for your original collage.
• click [Choose Photos] and locate the saved collage file on your computer.
• select the loaded image and drag it to the top-left corner of the collage maker.
• grab the bottom-right corner of the image and stretch it to the bottom-right corner of the collage maker so the entire collage maker is covered.

Now you can begin working on it again. NOTE: The image may look pixilated on your screen. However the image is of very high quality so rest assured when you compile it, it will come out very nicely.

Creating a template for multiple versions of a collage

If you want to create several collages that share many of the same pictures but have each one contain a unique images and/or text, here's a way to do that.

• Go ahead and build a collage with the shared images leaving some empty space in the collage for the "personalization" you want.
• Then compile the collage and on the next page click the [Put Collage in the shopping cart] button.
• When that's finished, click the [save to my computer] button -- be sure to add .jpg to the file name so you can find it later, or in case your browser crashes on you.
• Once it's saved, click the [Back to Collage] button in the upper left. Now you should be able to add the customization to your collage.
• Repeat the steps above for each version of the collage you want to make.

When you've finished with each collage, and have saved it to you computer (using a different name for each one), click the [To the Shopping Cart] button. A new window/tab should appear showing your collage in the PosterDog shopping cart. Keep that window/tab open. Then go back to the original window, click the [Back to Collage] button and start working on the next one.

Adding a border or special color effects to your collage

As outlined above, when you've finished designing your collage, save it to your computer -- be sure to add .jpg to the file name so you can find it. Then open a new browser window and go to www.posterdog.com. You're going to treat your collage just like a standard image file.

Click the [Pick File] button and select the collage image you just saved to your computer. Next, select the print size you want -- probably the same size as the collage you just made -- and click [Upload].

On the next page -- the preview page -- you'll see your collage show up in the preview window. Click on the Border and/or Effects tab and you will be able to add a colored border and/or special color effects to your collage. When you're done, click [Add to cart] and you should be good to go.

Using a standard template to start and then free-forming your collage

One time saver step that many people like is to use a standard template to populate the collage with photos. This makes it a little easier to see which image is which and keep track of them. Once you've put your images into the collage, turn off the Standard Template and you can now move images wherever you want, angle them, increase/decrease size and more.