Turn an Image into a Mosaic in Photoshop
In this tutorial, we will learn how to create a mosaic photo with Photoshop. A photo mosaic is a photo, usually a portrait photo, that is composed of many smaller photos.
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:11 Create a new document
00:34 Create Guide
01:32 Insert image
01:46 Draw selection
02:49 Define mosaic pattern
03:10 Open main image
03:26 Create a new layer
03:36 Fill Layer with mosaic
03:49 Desaturate
1. Prepare lots of photos for the mosaic pattern.
Please prepare or download photos to use as mosaic patterns, at least 10 different photos.
2. Create a New Document for the Mosaic Pattern.
Open then create a new document by selecting the File-New command (Ctrl+N).
3. Create a Vertical Guide.
Create a guide by selecting the View-New Guide menu. Select the Vertical radio button and enter Position 12.5%. Click OK button.
Repeat this step by selecting the View-New Guide menu until 7 vertical guides are formed. For Position, you fill in after 12.5%, namely, 25%, 37.5%, 50%, 62.5%, 75% and finally 87.5%.
4. Create a Horizontal Guide.
Select the View-New Guide menu. Click the Horizontal radio button and enter the Position starting from 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, 50%, 62.5%, 75% and finally 87.5%.
5. Insert First Photo.
Select the File-Place command... Please browse to the location of your photo, click on the photo then click the Place button.
Then, while pressing the Shift keyboard key, adjust the position of the photo in the first guide box by clicking on the photo then dragging the photo to the leftmost position of the document or in the top left guide box. Press the enter button when finished arranging the photos.
6. Make a selection according to the guide line.
Select the View-Snap command then continue with the View-Snap to-Guides command.
Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) selection tool. Make a selection in the first box of guides by clicking on the top left corner then dragging to the bottom right.
The next step is to create a new layer by selecting the Layer-New-Layer command via copy or Ctrl+J
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all the guide boxes are filled with photos.
8. Define Mosaic Pattern.
Select the Edit-Define Pattern command... In the Name column, enter the name of the pattern we want, for example, Mosaic. Click OK button.
9. Open the photo you want to create a mosaic effect.
Now open the main photo that you want to make a mosaic. Select the File-Open command (Ctrl+O).
Select the Layer-New-Layer... command (Shift+Ctrl+N)
10. Fill Layer 1 with a Mosaic Pattern.
Click Layer 1 to make sure it is the active layer then select the Edit-Fill... or Shift+F5 menu.
In the Use drop down menu, select Pattern. In Custom Pattern, select the mosaic pattern that we previously created then click the OK button.
11. Desaturate Layer 1, Change the Blend Mode and Set the Opacity.
Click Layer 1 to make sure it is the active layer. Then we change Layer 1 to black and white by selecting the Image-Adjustments-Desaturate or Shift+Ctrl+U command.
Change Layer 1's blend mode from Normal to Overlay. Set Layer 1's opacity if necessary.