Shape Collage 2.1 -Photographic collages

Creating a collage of pictures can be quite fun if you have a good tool. Many programs like Picasa, which, except for a very attractive photo management and numerous other features, offers the option of making collages in this area is not really shines. However, it is quite understandable view that if all the programs that can be the making collages specialty.

Unfortunately, a large number of specialized software intended for making collages is not free, but they always can find some interesting titles, of which, at least at the moment, the most popular Shape collage. Already at first glance pleasantly surprised; installation takes barely five hundred kilobytes, and we must admit that despite what is small, has very good range of features.

Vincent Cheung is the programmer responsible for this project (it is written in Java for those who are just to ask), and it appears that his experience was gained working for Microsoft, and Google, well-served. Lucky for us. Shape collage is a very intuitive interface and more or less all the options available in the same window, it will do some feature to pass through the tabs located on the right side of the window.
Use it easily, it is enough in the spaces drag the image of which plan to create a collage or mosaic, choose the type of collage, on request, which set another little thing and click on the button that will be generated collage. Can not be simpler. However, Shape collage is far refinement than at first glance can do.

For example, you do not want to drag the image into a window, it is possible to choose the menu option to add all files in a directory (along with subdirectories), or only those you select, so you more responsible. Pictures will be displayed as miniatures, and there are no specific features for image processing options except that they rotate left or right.

But that's not so crucial. What is important is that the Shape collage allows to define reality many different patterns according to which images should be complex in order to form a collage. Apart from a few predefined, in which the pictures form a rectangle, heart shape and round, it is possible to enter text.

Of course, it is possible to choose any type of characters and their size, but in addition to standard fonts, and allows insertion of symbols. That really opens the door to a large number of shapes that can form pictures and collages may seem quite interesting. Besides entering text, shape collage offers another nice option - draw your own pattern. However, for more complex forms you will need to be a little more skilled at drawing the mouse, but things can look really effective. The size of the collage, in most cases is best left to the assessment of the Shape Collage, but it is possible to define a few parameters and if you collage first fails (which could be the case, especially if you are trying to make images to form a complex shape), one has to play with fine tuning the available parameters.

All images in the collage will be reduced, they will be added white edge, and will have shade. Of course, and on these parameters can be affected by changing the color of the edge, and its size, but also set the appearance of the background on which the mosaic will be generated. It is, however, can be transparent, it is possible to use a photo or just specify the color. It is suitable to you and Shape collage offers preview and collages, and making of images in the default format is animated, but only during the generation or collage preview.

Collages can be recorded only in three formats in which many of JPEG and PNG, and pleasantly surprised with the possibility of recording a Collage in famous Photoshop PSD format. Unfortunately, it is not possible to adjust the parameters into a collage, except for export in JPEG format in which it is possible to determine the level of compression.

Damage, but not crucial, although we would gladly see the possibility of determining resolution (Screen or press), and would not be bad either save Collage in PDF. We lack the ability to print and the printer, but it is possible to order the print through an Internet service Shutterfly. All in all, Shape collage is pretty effective tool for the automatic generation of Collage, which has pretty well worked out definition of samples, and free. Worth it to try.

DOWNLOAD: http://www.box.net/shared/fr6g39vm7u 328KB