Hi. This is Marty from Blue Lightning TV.
I'm going to show you how create stunning photo mosaic portraits.
Open a sharp, well-lit photo of someone that you'd like to use for this project.
I downloaded this one from Shutterstock.
The first step is to organize all of your photos that you'll use to create the mosaic
pattern by placing them all into a folder.
After you've placed all of your photos in a folder, we'll create the image that you'll
use to create your mosaic pattern.
To do this, go to File, Automate and "Contact Sheet II".
The Contact Sheet window may look a different than mine if you're using an earlier version
of Photoshop, however, the functions are the same.
Use "Folder", click "Choose" and locate the folder in which you've place your photos.
Choose "inches" and make sure "Flatten All Layers" is unchecked.
You'll see why later.
The Width is 12 and the Height is 8.
This determines the aspect ratio or shape all of the photos will have.
The Resolution is 150 pixels per inch.
The Mode is "RGB Color" and 8-bits per Channel.
I'll place the thumbnails "across first".
The number of rows and columns in your pattern should be the same.
For example, I'll be using 10 rows and 10 columns, which totals 100 photos.
10 times 10.
If you're using 5 rows and 5 columns, you'll want to place 25 photos into your folder.
5 times 5.
As we discussed, if you have a different amount of photos in your folder, make sure it's divisible
by the same number and type that number in your Columns and Rows.
"Use Auto-Spacing" is unchecked.
The Vertical and Horizontal are both 0 inches.
I’ll check “Rotate for Best Fit”, which will rotate vertical photos 90 degrees onto their sides.
If you prefer not to have any photos rotated, don’t check it.
Photoshop is now automatically positioning each photo from your folder onto its own layer
and own layer mask.
The reason we didn't choose to flatten the layers is so we can fill photos inside their
respective layer masks.
To do this, first, make sure your Move Tool is active.
If it isn't, press "v" on your keyboard.
Then, check "Auto-Select".
By clicking a specific photo on your mosaic, Photoshop's "Auto Select" automatically selects
the layer you clicked and makes it active.
Click the chain-link icon to unlink the layer and the layer mask.
Doing this allows us to resize and reposition the photo inside the layer mask without having
the layer mask move at all.
To resize the photo, open your Transform Tool by pressing Ctrl or Cmd + T.
Go to a corner and when you see a diagonal, double-arrow,
press and hold Alt or Option + Shift as you drag it out.
Notice, your photo is confined inside its layer mask.
To slide the photo in any direction 1 pixel at a time, use the arrow keys on your keyboard.
Then, press Enter or Return.
Continue these steps for each photo until your entire mosaic is done.
You may notice a thin white border along one of the edges.
To remove it, open your Rectangular Marquee Tool and drag a selection over your document
to just before the border.
Then, go to Image and "Crop".
To deselect it, press Ctrl or Cmd + D. Next, we'll save our mosaic as a pattern.
Go to Edit and "Define Pattern".
Name it whatever you'd like and click OK or press Enter or Return.
Open your subject.
Click the Adjustment Layer icon and click "Pattern".
Your mosaic will appear.
I'll reduce its size to 40%, but keep in mind, you can adjust its size at any time.
Change its Blend Mode to Overlay.
If you'd like to make the pattern more visible in the darkest and lightest areas of your
subject, first make your subject into a Smart Object, so it can be modified non-destructively.
Make your subject active and and click the icon at the upper, right of the Layers panel.
Click "Convert to Smart Object".
Go to Image, Adjustments and "Shadows/Highlights".
Tick "Show More Options".
Shadow's/Highlights is one of the most frequently unused, yet powerful filter in Photoshop.
Since each photo has its own characteristics, experiment with all the settings to get the
best combination of shadows, highlights and adjustments.
I'd like to see my pattern smaller, so I'll double-click the Pattern Fill layer and type a smaller amount.
You can also make the Shadows/Highlight filter less intense by reducing its opacity.
To do this, double-click this icon, which opens the "Filter blending options" window.
Then, decrease its opacity.
In addition, you can also change its Blend Mode and toggle through them one-by-one by
clicking "Dissolve" and pressing the Down arrow on your keyboard each time to see the
next blend mode applied.
This is Marty from Blue Lightning TV.
Thanks for watching!