Adobe Illustrator - How to Create a Photo Collage - Step by Step

Create a picture collage with Illustrator 2021 Step 1 - create a new project - this example - 1920 x 1080 pixels (youtube thumbnail size) Step 2 - Create a rectangle to fill the canvas Step 3 - Select the fill colour for this rectangle - I have chosen light green Step 4 - Select Object — Path — Split Into Grid (if you can’t do it - make sure you are selected on the fill layer). Select 4 Rows and 4 Columns Step 5 - Click on the Rows - Make sure gutter is set to about 25px. Click on Columns - Select the same 25 px gutter. Step 6 - Click on Layers - Layer 1 - and click on the triangle / chevron - you will see new shapes (paths). That’s what we’re going for. Step 7 - Deselect any layer by clicking V for the selection tool and pressing left click off canvas. Step 8 - Select the shapes you want to use for the photo collage. I have selected the four middle shapes. Note that I would select other ones and make this a bit fancier, but I’m interested in teaching the technique. Step 9 - You will see what shapes you have selected by noticing the “blue dots” beside the layers you’ve selected. Hit Command - G or Control G - to group them. You can also go to “object — Group” Step 10 - Before we drop an image of my extremely handsome dog Kingston over the shape - we need to make a compound path. Go to Object — Compound Path — Make. You will see a compound path under your layers. Step 11 - Make sure you have selected “compound path” - isn’t selected by default. Click on the “Draw Inside” icon on the left. Step 12 - Click on “File — Place — Select the photo you want to use. Step 13 - You can draw out the image - note you can adjust the size and scale both now and after you place it (if you change your mind).