January 19, 2017

How to Make a Triangle Photoshop Collage

In this tutorial, we are going to learn how to create a triangle photo collage in Photoshop.

We'll be using Guides, Polygon tool and Clipping Mask that comes with Photoshop.

Guides help us position polygon shapes precisely, the Polygon tool to draw triangle shapes, and Clipping Mask to clips the image layer into the triangle layer.

Once you have arranged it to your satisfaction, you can play around with other Photoshop's tools to add your own artistic effects. 

Let's get started!
Triangle Photoshop Collage (Free Template)
Final result.

Download This Triangle Photo Collage Template

Download the Triangle Photoshop Collage template here or find others free Photoshop Collage Templates here.


If you liked my tutorials, please subscribe to my YouTube channel - JTSGraph.

1. Create a new Document
Choose File> New (or Ctrl+N).

In the pop-up window, type a name in the Name field and enter the following information:

Width 3000 pixels, Height 2000 pixels, Resolution 300 Pixels/Inch, Color Mode RGB color, and Background contents Transparent or White.

Click OK.

2. Create Guides
Guides help you position any object (shapes or images) precisely.

It is pretty easy to make guides in Photoshop.

Create a vertical guide. Choose View> New Guide.

In the dialog box, select Vertical orientation, enter 50% position and click OK.

Now create a horizontal guide.

Choose View>New Guide.

In the dialog box, select Horizontal  orientation, enter 50% position and click OK.

If you didn't see the guidelines, then choose View> Show> Guides.

If you want to lock all guides, choose View>Lock Guides.

This way you can't move them by accident.
create vertical guides 50%.
Create a vertical guides 50%.

create horizontal guides 50%.
Create a horizontal guides 50%.

3. Choose Polygon Tool
Select the Polygon Tool from the Tools panel (or press U).

Press Shift+U to cycle through the six available shape tools until the one you want is active.

In the Options Bar, make sure Shape is chosen from the menu then choose shape color.

To choose the color of the shape, click the color swatch in the options bar, and then choose a color available.

You can also choose a color from the Color Picker.

Lastly, fill the stroke size and set the number of sides in Sides field with 3.
The Polygon tool. Press Shift+U to cycle through the six available shape tools until the one you want is active.
The Polygon tool. Press Shift+U to cycle through the six available shape tools until the one you want is active. 


Click the color swatch in the options bar, and then choose a color available.
Click the color swatch in the options bar, and then choose a color available.


You can also choose a color from the Color Picker.
You can also choose a color from the Color Picker.

Option bar for Polygon tool.
Option bar for Polygon tool.

4. Draw Triangle Shape
To draw a Triangle shape, click inside your document and drag away from the starting point.

When you release your mouse button, Photoshop completes the shape and fills it with your chosen color.

Now duplicate the Triangle shape by going to Layer> Duplicate Layer, or else by pressing Ctrl+J.

Then resize and reposition your duplicate shape layer using Edit> Free Transform Path.

You can edit the shape as follows:
  • Resize the Triangle shape by dragging any corner while holding down the Shift key to keep the shape does not distort.
  • Move the Triangle shape by clicking and hold anywhere inside the shape and drag.
  • Rotate the Triangle shape by moving your cursor farther out from any corner until you see two arrows. Click and hold, then drag the shape.
  • Press Enter key when you are done.
Duplicate the Triangle shape layer as many as you want and then arranged it all to your satisfaction.

When you are done, hide/remove guides by going to View>Show>Guides.
To draw a Triangle shape, click inside your document and drag away from the starting point.
To draw a Triangle shape, click inside your document and drag away from the starting point.

Draw another triangle or just duplicate the triangle layer then resize and reposition your duplicate shape layer using Edit> Free Transform Path.
Draw another triangle or just duplicate the triangle layer then resize and reposition your duplicate shape layer using Edit> Free Transform Path.

5. Insert Picture
For this Photoshop Collage tutorial, I'll use these images that I downloaded from Pixabay.
Stock images: 2938, 1835643, 1149144, 1567903, 1758181, 945497, 1903023, 768610

Select the Triangle layer to which you want to insert a picture.

Go to File> Place to open the picture you'd like to insert.

Navigate to the folder that contains your image file then select the name of the file you want to open.

If your file does not appear, try to view all files by selecting All Formats from the Files of type list.

Click the Place button.

You can now edit the picture as follows:
  • Resize the picture by dragging any corner while holding down the Shift key to keep the picture does not distort.
  • Move the picture by clicking and hold anywhere inside the image and drag.
  • Rotate the picture by moving your cursor farther out from any corner until you see two arrows. Click and hold, then drag the picture.
  • Press Enter key when you are done.
    Insert image.
    Insert image.

    6. Create Clipping Mask
    On the Layers panel, make sure the layers to be clipped are listed consecutively.

    Remember, you must stack the image layer above the Triangle layer.

    Click the image layer to be clipped, then choose Layer>Create Clipping Mask (or press Alt+Ctrl+G).

    When layers are put into a clipping mask, the content of the bottommost layer (the Triangle layer), clips the layers above it (the image layer).
    Stack the image layer above the Triangle layer.
    Stack the image layer above the Triangle layer.


    Clipping Mask.
    Clipping Mask.

    7. Insert Other Picture
    Repeat steps 5 through 6 to open and manipulate each picture you'd like to insert.
    Insert all photos.
    Insert all photos.

    8. Group All The Triangle Layer
    While pressing the Shift key, click on all the triangle layer then choose Layer> Group Layers.
    while holding down the Shift key, click on all triangle layer.
    While holding down the Shift key, click on all triangle layer.

    Group layer.
    Group layer.

    9. Add Background Color
    Click the Background layer. Choose Edit>Fill, choose a color and then click OK.
    add color to the background.
    Add color to the background.

    10. Save Your Document
    Choose File>Save (or just press Ctrl+S) to save your project file.

    The Save As dialog box appears.

    Navigate to the folder where you want to store your project file.

    Type a name in the File Name text box and leave the default Photoshop (*.PSD;*.PDD) format.

    Click Save to store the project file.

    Once you have finished, you will probably also want to use File>Save As (Shift+Ctrl+S) to export the image in a more widely used format, such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, etc.

    Here is the result:

    2 comments: