Digital Collage Art in Affinity Photo

In this tutorial we will create digital collage art in Affinity Photo. When creating a collage, the main goal is to successfully combine elements together to create an image.

Before you start, go to the following links to download the font and images used in this tutorial.

• Monbijoux Clownpiece Font
• Car
• Sunflower
• Sky
• Balloons
• Beach
• Ice Cream
• Woman on Donut
• Bird 1
• Bird 2
• Wood Texture

Now, let’s create our digital collage art!

Tips

Here are a few tips for creating digital collage art:

• Repeat colors. For example, if you create a color for your background, use that color on the subject of your work too.
• Images should have a common theme. Or, make sure that the elements of the pictures you use match the scene or picture you want to create.
• Add Textures. By doing this, you add interest and depth to your collages. This can include changing the color of images. In addition, you can also add shadows or outlines to images.
• Mix photos with vector illustrations.

Magdiel Lopez IG

Magdiel Lopez Tutorial

Step 1

First, go to File > New. Select Web. Next, select the Social Media Portrait Post option. This document size is 1080 px by 1350 px. (This size allows you to be able to share your work on social media.) After that, click Create.

Step 2

Second, go to File > Open. Select the car image you downloaded. The image will open in another tab. In the new tab, grab the Selection Brush tool from the Tools Panel.

Step 3

In the Context Toolbar, make sure you’re in Add Mode and that Snap to Edges is selected. Take the brush and select the car and the major part of the hill. Also, select some of the road.

Note: If you make a mistake in selecting something, switch to Subtract Mode. Then, go over the selected area to remove the selection.

Step 4

Once you select the area, go to the Context Toolbar, and hit Refine. Set the Output to New Layer.

Step 5

Next, select the new layer and press CTRL + C to copy the layer. Or, right-click and select Copy. Then, go back to the tab with our document and press CTRL + V to paste (or right-click and select Paste).

Step 6

After that, go to File > Open and select the image with the balloons.

Step 7

Go to the Tools Panel and select the Selection Brush tool. In the Context Toolbar, make sure the Add Mode is selected and that Snap to Edges is checked. Then, take the brush and select the balloons.

Step 8

Once you select the balloons, go to the Context Toolbar and click Refine.

Step 9

Copy (CTRL + C) the new layer. Then, go to the document and past (CTRL + V) the balloons.

Step 10

Next, grab the Pen Tool from the Tools Panel. Draw a line from one of the balloons to the car to create a balloon string. Do this three more times to make a total of four balloon strings. Set the Stroke color to EBFFA0. Then, set the Width of the stroke to 1 pt.

Step 11

Select all the balloon strings. Then, press CTRL + G (or right-click on the selected strings and click Group) to group the strings together.

Step 12

Now, go to File > Open and select the sky image (with the chairs in it).

Step 13

Grab the Rectangular Marquee Tool from the Tools Panel. Draw a rectangle around the sky area. Once you’ve selected the sky, go to the Context Toolbar and click Refine. Set the Output to New Layer.

Step 14

With the new layer selected, press CTRL + C (or right-click on it and select Copy) to copy it.

Step 15

Then, go back to our document and press CTRL + V to paste the sky image.

Step 16

Next, go to File > Open and select the sunflower image.

Step 17

Go to the Tools Panel and grab the Selection Brush Tool. Set it to the Add Mode and check Snap to Edges in the Context Toolbar.

Step 18

Now, take the brush and select the sunflower. Once you’ve selected the flower, go to the Context Toolbar and select Refine. Then, set the Output to New Layer.

Step 19

Copy the new layer. Then, go to the document and past the sunflower onto the document. In the Layers Panel, drag the sunflower image beneath the car image and above the sky image.

Step 20

Go to the Tools Panel and grab the Ellipse Tool. Draw an ellipse in the center of the sunflower (hold CTRL + Shift while doing this).

Step 21

Next, grab the Gradient Tool from the Tools Panel. Drag the line from the top of the ellipse to the bottom. Click the bottom color spot. Go to the Swatches Panel and set this to the following Fill Color #589D7C.

Step 22

Now, click the top color spot and set it to the following Fill Color #FF6B00.

Step 23

After that, go to File > Open. Next, select the beach image. Grab the Move tool and drag a guide down. Then, place the guide so that it aligns with the right side of the horizon line of the beach image.

Step 24

Then, grab the Perspective tool from the Tools Panel. This tool allows you to adjust the perspective of an image. Take the top left side of the image. Drag this side of the image down until the horizon of the beach lines up with your guide line.

Step 25

Once you’ve aligned the horizon, hit Apply in the Perspective dialog box. Then, take the Move tool and drag the guide back up to the Ruler area.

Step 26

Now, grab the Rectangular Marquee tool from the Tools Panel. Draw a rectangle around the bottom half of the image (include the water and the sand in the selection).

Step 27

Go to the Context toolbar and select Refine. Set the Output to New Layer.

Step 28

Then, copy the beach image of the new layer. Then, go to the document and paste it. With the beach image selected, go to the Toolbar and select Move to Back to place the beach beneath all the other images.

Step 29

Now, go to File > Open and select the image of the bird that’s looking over the water. Then, go to the Tools Panel and grab the Selection Brush tool.

Step 30

Make sure that you’re in the Add Mode and that Snap to Edges is select in the Context Toolbar. Then, take the brush and select the bird.

Step 31

After selecting the bird, hit Refine in the Context Toolbar. Set the Output to New Layer.

Step 32

Now, copy the bird image from the new layer. Then, go to the document and paste the bird. Place the bird near the bottom left of the document.

Step 33

Next, let’s add the ice cream image to our digital collage art. Go to File > Open and select the ice cream. Then, go to the Tools Panel and select the Selection Brush Tool.

Step 34

Take the brush and select the ice cream. Make sure you don’t include any of the man’s hand. Once you’ve selected the ice cream, go to the Context Toolbar and click Refine. Then, set the Output to New Layer.

Step 35

After that, copy the ice cream and paste it onto the document. Place the ice cream in front of the bird and resize the ice cream.

Step 36

Now, go to File > Open and select the image of the woman on the donut. Go to the Tools Panel and grab the Selection Brush tool.

Step 37

Take the brush and select all of the woman and the donut. Once you select both of them, go to the Context Toolbar and hit Refine. Then, set the Output to New Layer.

Step 38

Then, copy the woman and paste her onto the document. Resize the woman and place her in the water.

Step 39

Next, go to the Tools Panel and select the Rectangle Tool from the Shapes tool in the Tools Panel. Draw a rectangle that’s 1032 px by 1306 px. In the Context Toolbar, get rid of the Fill. Then, set the stroke’s Width to 5 pt. Then, give the stroke the following color #934E85.

Step 40

With the rectangle still selected, press CTRL + J (or right click on it and select Duplicate) to duplicate the rectangle.

Step 41

Set the size of the duplicated rectangle to 967 px by 1224 px. Then, set the Stroke color of the rectangle to #FFE901.

Step 42

In the Layers Panel, select the balloon pixel layer and drag it above the two rectangles. This will place the balloons on top of the rectangles to make them more visible in our scene.

Step 43

Now, go to the Tools Panel and select the Artistic Text tool. Type the word Summer. Next, press CTRL + J to duplicate the text layer. Hold Shift and drag the duplicated text down. Double click on it, and then type the word Time.

Step 44

Select both text. Go to the Font Family and select the Clownpiece font you downloaded. Then, set the Font Size to about 131 pt.

Step 45

With both pieces of text selected, right-click on them and select Convert to Curves. Then, select the T and the I (Double click to select the first letter, and hold Shift to select the other one). Place them on the left side of the sunflower.

Step 46

After that, select the M and the E of the word Time and place them on the right side of the sunflower.

Note: Use the following colors for the letters in Summertime. #449F8E, #E57341, #934E85, #FFE901, #FFFFFF.

Step 47

Now, go to File > Open and select the other bird image. Grab the Selection Brush tool from the Tools Panel.

Step 48

Take the brush and select the bird. Make sure Add is selected and Snap to Edges is checked.

Step 49

Once you’ve selected the bird, copy the bird, and paste it onto the document. Place the bird between the words. In the Layers Panel, make sure this bird is at the very top of the list. In the image, we want the bird’s outer wing to come outside of the rectangles.

Step 50

After that, go to File > Place. Select the wood texture image. Hold Shift and drag the wood image across the entire document.

Step 51

Go to the Layers Panel. Set the Opacity to 30%. Then, set the Blend Mode to Overlay.

Step 52

Now, let’s adjust the color of the overall image of our digital collage art. Go to the Layers Panel. Next, select the Adjustments icon. Then, select White Balance. Set the White Balance to 15% and the Tint to 8%.

Congratulations! You’ve created a digital collage art in Affinity Photo. For more Affinity Photo tutorials, check out this tutorial on how to create a watercolor effect.