Collage Studio

Collage Studio arranges several elements (photos, a frame, text, a QR code, even AI results) on one layered canvas. Use it for photo strips, two- or four-box frames, "original + AI" prints and any custom print layout.

5:13

Video tutorial · 5:13 How to Make Photo Collages & Strips

Chapters (17)

1. 0:00Intro
2. 0:16What you'll make
3. 0:34Open Collage Studio & canvas 2:3
4. 0:51The frame is the top layer
5. 1:11Overlay vs frame
6. 1:33Original photo in the top slot
7. 1:50Duplicate → AI Online
8. 2:02Template Gallery: Cloud → Superhero
9. 2:19One photo, two looks
10. 2:38Process, result & save
11. 2:59Photo strip with Layer Result
12. 3:35Print & cut into two strips
13. 3:50Strip by cloning: one 2×6 strip
14. 4:12Output clone: Tile right
15. 4:29Clone result
16. 4:41At an event
17. 4:53Three things to remember

Also in: Bahasa Indonesia · 中文

How a collage is built

A collage works like a stack of transparent sheets. The top row of the layer list is the front of the picture.

• Your frame design is a PNG with transparent holes. It goes in an Image File layer at the top of the list, covering the whole canvas.
• The photo layers sit below the frame, each one sized to a hole. Whatever is underneath shows through the holes.
• Each photo layer with its own input becomes one shot at the booth. Four photo layers = four shots, automatically. There is no separate "number of shots" setting.

Open Collage Studio

Open Studio › Collage. A new collage already has an empty canvas (2:3 Portrait) with one Plain Photo layer.

• Left: Template (Open, Save, Notes), Canvas, Overlay, QR Overlay, Camera Filter, Event, Options.
• Middle: the canvas. Each layer shows its name, position and size; drag it or its handles directly.
• Right: Edit / View tabs, the layer list (#, NAME, TYPE) with its toolbar, and the settings of the selected layer.

Set up the canvas first

1. In Canvas, pick an Aspect Ratio (1:1, 2:3, 3:4, 9:16, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9), or Custom Size and type Width and Height in pixels.
2. Pick the base Color of the canvas.

Changes apply immediately. A 4×6 inch print is 2:3 Portrait; a single 2×6 strip is Custom Size 600 × 1800.

Work with layers

The toolbar under the layer list has: Add layer (+), Delete layer, Clone layer (duplicate), Move to top, Move up, Move down, Move to bottom and Solo. You can also drag rows to reorder them.

• + (Add layer) adds a new Image File layer at the top of the list and selects it.
• Solo shows only the selected layer on the canvas while you work.
• Edit is for arranging; View shows the finished result after Process.

Two kinds of "hide"

Layer types

Layer settings

A layer with a fixed shape (a photo with a set aspect ratio, or a QR code) keeps its shape: typing the width also changes the height.

Where a photo layer gets its photo

Plain Photo, Faceswap and Studio Template layers have a Source Image section with Input Image:

Chain layers with Layer Result

1. Make sure you have a starting layer: a Plain Photo, Faceswap or Studio Template with Independent input (or an Image File).
2. Add a layer and set Type to Layer Result.
3. In Content, pick the source in Layer. Layers that would create a loop are hidden from the list automatically.
4. Optional: click Match source shape to copy the source layer's aspect ratio (a one-time action).
5. Check Chain Status under Geometry: it shows what this layer uses and which layers use it.

Worked example: a 4-photo strip

A classic 2×6 strip with four photos, printed twice on one 4×6 sheet. You need a strip frame PNG (600 × 1800 or the same 1:3 shape) with four transparent holes.

1. Open Collage Studio. In Canvas, choose Custom Size and enter Width 600 and Height 1800.
2. Click + to add a layer. Keep Type = Image File, name it Frame, click Select Image and pick your strip PNG.
3. Set the frame's Geometry to X 0, Y 0, W 100, H 100 so it covers the whole canvas. Keep it the top row.
4. Select the existing Plain Photo layer, name it Photo 1, and drag or type its geometry so it fills the first hole (for example X 5, W 90, H 20; Y to match the hole). Choose Size Mode Crop.
5. Use Clone layer three times to make Photo 2, Photo 3 and Photo 4, and move each copy down into the next hole by changing Y.
6. Leave Input Image = Independent on all four, so each box is a separate shot.
7. Make sure the frame is still above the four photos in the list (use Move to top if needed).
8. Open Options › Output clone, turn on Enable output clone and set Tile right to 1. The output becomes 1200 × 1800: two identical strips side by side on a 4×6.
9. Press Process (F5). The Collage Studio Input window asks for four photos, one card per layer. Use Select Image for each, then Run Template.
10. Check the result in View, then Save.

More layouts

Two strips with Layer Result

Instead of Output clone, you can design both strips on a 2:3 canvas: three (or four) Plain Photo layers on the left strip, and the same number of Layer Result layers on the right strip, each pointing to the matching left photo. Process asks only for the left photos; the right strip mirrors them. Print one 4×6 and cut down the middle.

Original photo + AI version

1. Frame PNG with two holes in the top Image File layer.
2. A Plain Photo layer named Original in one hole.
3. Clone it into the other hole, set Type to Studio Template and Studio Type to AI Online (or AI Offline).
4. Click Open › From Gallery (tabs Local and Cloud) or Browse File..., choose a template and click Select Template. The layer box locks to the template's shape.
5. Set Input Image to From another layer Input and pick Original. The guest takes one photo and gets both looks.
6. Turn on Include as result if guests should also get the AI photo on its own.

Setting up AI Online itself (account, key, models) is covered in AI Online Studio.

Before/after or 2×2 grid

Use the same recipe on a square or landscape canvas and place the boxes side by side. If one box should show the result of another, use Layer Result or From another layer Result instead of Independent.

Options

Overlay, QR Overlay and Camera Filter work the same as in Photo Studio.

Process and save

1. Press Process (F5). If there are Independent layers, the Collage Studio Input window asks for one photo per layer (Open Image, Camera, Clipboard, gallery or recent), then click Run Template.
2. The result opens in the View tab. Share exports, prints or shows a QR code.
3. Under Event, add a Caption and a Cover image.
4. Click Save. Collage templates are saved as .qsc. From an event, use Save & Return.

Use it at an event

Add the .qsc to your event with Templates › Open File (see Templates). At the booth, the camera takes one shot per Independent layer, each with its own crop guide, fills the layout, and prints it with the QR code. In Easy Mode, the Strip / Collage card makes simple strips; Collage Studio gives you full control.

Tips

• Design the frame PNG at the exact canvas size (for example 1200 × 1800 for 4×6 at 300 dpi) so the holes line up.
• Give layers clear names (Frame, Photo 1, Photo 2…); the Process window and Chain Status use them.
• Use px in Geometry to type exact pixel positions taken from your design software.
• Keep the number of shots reasonable: every Independent layer is one more pose for the guest.

Common problems

Next steps