Adding multiple images to a canvas

[Alan1734]

I have a canvas of a certain size.  What I am trying to understand is if there is a way, other than by doing it one by one, to put many small pictures on the canvas?

[Chuck Uebele]

You can use load files to layers, if you just want the images on one canvas, or actions and scripts can be created to add files to various areas of an image.

[melissapiccone]

You can do this with actions. The simplest way is to just grab all  your images in Bridge and drag and drop. If they aren't in the same place, you can make a collection In Bridge.

[Alan1734]

Do you know if there is an online tutorial or set of instructions somewhere on how to do this? I am no PS expert by any means! Thanks!

[JJMack · Accepted solution]

Photo Collage Toolkit

Photoshop scripting is powerful and I believe this package demonstrates this. Here is a video showing a 5 image collage PSD template  being populated with images:

The package includes four simple rules to follow when making Photo Collage Template PSD files so they will be compatible with my Photoshop scripts.

1. Size the photo collage templates for the print size you want - width, height and print DPI resolution.
2. Photo collage templates must have a Photoshop background layer. The contents of this layer can be anything.
3. Photo collage templates must have alpha channels named "Image 1", "Image 2", ... "Image n".
4. Photo collage templates layers above the background layers must provide transparent areas to let the images that will be placed below them show through.

There are fifteen scripts in this package they provide the following functions:

1. HelpPhotoCollageToolkit.jsx - Online Help
2. TestCollageTemplate.jsx - Used to test a Photo Collage Template while you are making it with Photoshop.
3. CollageTemplateBuilder.jsx - Can build Templates compatible with this toolkit's scripts.
4. LayerToAlphaChan.jsx - Used to convert a Prototype Image Layer stack into a template document.
5. InteractivePopulateCollage.jsx - Used to interactively populate Any Photo Collage template. Offers most user control inserting pictures and text.
6. ReplaceCollageImage.jsx - use to replace a populated collage image Smart Object layer with an other image correctly resized and positioned.
7. ChangeTextSize.jsx - This script can be used to change Image stamps text size when the size used by the populating did not work well.
8. PopulateCollageTemplate.jsx - Used to Automatically populate a Photo Collage template and leave the populated copy open in Photoshop.
9. BatchOneImageCollage.jsx - Used to Automatically Batch Populate Collage templates that only have one image inserted. The Collage or Image may be stamped with text.
10. BatchMultiImageCollage.jsx - Used to Automatically Batch Populate Any Photo Collage template with images in a source image folder. Easier to use than the interactive script. Saved collages can be tweaked.
11. PasteImageRoll.jsx - Paste Images into a document to be print on roll paper.
12. BatchPicturePackage.jsx - Used to Automatically Batch Populate Any Photo Collage template with an image in a source image folder.  Images Rotates for best fit.
13. BatchPicturePackageNoRotate.jsx - Used to Automatically Batch Populate Any Photo Collage template with an image in a source image folder.
14. PopulatePicturePackage.jsx - Used to Automatically populate a Photo Collage template Fill with the same single image and leave the populated copy open in Photoshop.
15. PCTpreferences.jsx - Edit This File to Customize Collage Populating scripts default setting and add your own Layer styles.

Documentation and Examples

[JJMack]

http://www.mouseprints.net/old/dpr/PasteImageRoll.jsx

Paste Image Roll script and Picture Package support documentation