August 05, 2018

Turn a Photo to a Collage of Hexagons in Photoshop

In this Photoshop Collage tutorial, We are going to learn how to turn a photo into a collage of Hexagons.

We'll be using the Polygon Tool to draw the hexagonal shapes, Clipping Mask to clips the image into the hexagon shape and Free Transform that comes with Photoshop.

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!
How to Turn a Photo into a Collage of Hexagons in Photoshop (Free Template)
Final result.

Download This Template

Download Photoshop Collage of Hexagons template here or find others free Photoshop Collage Templates here.


Video: Turn a Photo to a Collage of Hexagons in Photoshop.

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1. Create a new Document
Choose File> New (or just press 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.

Click OK.

2. Create a Grid
Our first step is creating a grid to assist us in laying out rectangle shapes precisely.

To add a grid, choose View>Show>Grid

Open up the grid preferences, choose Edit> Preferences> Guides, Grid & Slices.

This will open a preference dialog box.

Choose the color you want for the grid lines. I will set the “Gridline every” option to be 10 pixels and “Subdivisions” to be 1.

Choose View>Snap and then choose View>Snap to Grid, to enabling snaping that will help you to align any object (including shape) you want.
Show Grid.
Show Grid.

Set the “Gridline every” option to be 10 pixels and “Subdivisions” to be 1.
Set the “Gridline every” option to be 10 pixels and “Subdivisions” to be 1.

3. Choose the Polygon Tool
Select the Polygon Tool from the Tools panel, or else just 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 6.
the Polygon tool.
The Polygon tool.


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.


Set the Sides field with 6.
Set the Sides field with 6.

4. Draw Polygon Shape
To draw a Polygon 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 polygon shape by choosing Layer> Duplicate Layer, or else by pressing Ctrl+J.

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

You can edit the shape as follows:
  • Resize the polygon shape by dragging any corner while holding down the Shift key to keep the polygon shape does not distort.
  • Move the polygon shape by clicking and hold anywhere inside the polygon shape and drag.
  • Rotate the polygon shape by moving your cursor farther out from any corner until you see two arrows. Click and hold, then drag the polygon shape.
  • Press Enter key when you are done.
Duplicate the polygon 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>Grid.
Draw a polygon shape in the document.
Draw a polygon shape in the document.

Duplicate the polygon shape as many as you want and then arranged it all to your satisfaction.
Duplicate the polygon shape as many as you want and then arranged it all to your satisfaction.

5. Insert Image
Stock image used in this Photoshop Collage tutorialteddy-bear-1718118.

To insert your image into the hexagons collage, you must stack the image layer above the Polygon layer.

Select the Polygon layer to which you want to insert an image.

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

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

Stack the base layer—in this case, the Polygon, below the layer to be clipped—in this case, the images' layer.

Choose Layer> Create clipping mask.

Now the content of the base layer clips the layer above it.
Clipping Mask.
Clipping Mask.

7. Duplicate Image's Layer
Select the image's layer then choose Layer>Duplicate Layer.

Drag this duplicate layer just above the other hexagon/polygon layer.

Choose Layer> Create clipping mask.

Repeat these steps for all other hexagon layers.
Duplicate image's layer.
Duplicate image's layer.

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

Group layer.
Group layer.

9. Save Your Document
Choose File>Save or else 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:

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