PhotoEffect: How to Make a Grid Photo Collage In GIMP

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a Grid photo collage in GIMP. We will use guides to help us positioning images precisely, File> Open As Layers command to insert images and the Rectangle select to draw selections.

If you liked my tutorials, please subscribe to my YouTube channel - JTSGraph. Watch the video for detailed instructions and use the written steps for quick reference.

You can browse free GIMP Collage Templates here.

Steps to make a grid collage in GIMP:

1. Create new image

Use File>New to open the Create a new image dialog. Here you can set the Width and Height of the new image. Enter a value for the initial width with 1350 px and height with 1350 px manually or through the up and down arrows, then click OK.

2. Show the Grid

Now we need to place a lot of small images in our new image precisely. We'll use Grid, a flexible type of positioning aid. Grid are horizontal and vertical lines we can temporarily display on an image while we are working on it. Enable displaying Grid by going to View>Show Grid.

Now configure the Grid by going to Image>Configure Grid... The Configure Grid dialog box appears. In the Configure Grid dialog box, choose the color of the grid lines, the spacing, and offsets.

Snapping is a useful feature in GIMP that allows us to align images with the Grid. Choose View>Snap to Grid to enable snapping that will help you to align any images or shapes you want.

3. Insert image into grid

Use File> Open As Layers command in the top menu to open the image you'd like to insert.

Click on the image, then click Open.

For this GIMP Collage tutorial, I'll use images that I downloaded from Pixabay.

4. Adjust image

You can now edit the image as follows:

Use Tools>Transform Tools>Scale command to resize the image. Click anywhere inside the image. In the Scale dialog box, click the chain to keep the image does not distort. Enter new values for the image's width and height manually or through the up and down arrows. Press Scale button when you are done.
Use Tools>Transform Tools>Move command to move the image. Click and hold anywhere inside the image and drag.

Resize the image using the Scale tool.

5. Create selection then duplicate layer

Use Tools>Selection Tools>Rectangle Select command.

To create a selection, drag your mouse over part of the image, go to Edit> Copy command, go to Edit>Paste command and then use Layer>To New Layer.

Now you can delete the original image's layer.

6. Add Stroke/Borders

I will choose foreground color with white color. Use Tools>Default Colors to reset the color to default.

Then use Tools>Swap Colors.

Right-click on your new layer/pasted layer then go to Alpha to Selection.

With the selection still active, use Edit>Stroke Selection.

A Stroke selection pop-up window appears. Click “Stroke line” radio button and then click “Solid color” radio button. I will set the Line width with 30 px. Finally, click the Stroke button.

Use Select>None to clear selection.

7. Insert all images

Repeat step 3 through 6 to open and manipulate each picture you'd like to insert. Use Image>Guides>Remove All guides to remove guides.

8. Save document

Use File>Save command in the top menu and name your document. Click OK when you are done. Once you have finished, you will probably also want to export the image in a more widely used format, such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, etc, using File>Export As.

There you have it! How to make a grid photo collage in GIMP.