Learn iPad Week: Compile incredible collages in Noteshelf

iPad Tutorial - Photo Collages - featured

Noteshelf is a truly multi-functional app – as well as giving you the opportunity to create multiple notebooks with hand-drawn notes, it also allows you to import photos for annotation and manipulation. On top of that, this great little app will allow you to export your work as an image or PDF document in a number of different ways. Why not make the most of Noteshelf’s photo integration and create a photo collage of your latest holiday or trip – it’s easy to do and you’ve got total control over how your final collage looks. Photo collages are a great creative project for a rainy day but can equally be built in a flash on the go. Either way, they’re one of the best ways to display your photos without simply opting for a slideshow. Once you’ve created your masterpiece, you can send it to the cloud via Dropbox or Evernote, transfer it your Mac via iTunes or email it. Creating a good collage works through trial and error, but with Noteshelf’s undo function it’s always easy to go back if you make a mistake. With apps like these there’s a myriad of options to choose from with a creative project like this, but we’ll show you what works when it comes to creating a captivating photo collage. So, fire up the app and follow these nine simple steps to get started.

Step 1: Open a book

Fire up the app and tap the plus icon in the top- right corner of the bookshelf to create a new notebook. Notebooks store individual notes, which is great for grouping together larger projects.

Step 2: Name and style it

Choose a paper and cover type from the menu – there’s everything from plain to ruled and squared to musical staves. Give your notebook an appropriate name by tapping the title at the top.

Step 3: Add a photo

Tap the photo icon in the note’s top menu to select a photo from your iPad. Once you’ve found your first photo, tap it to add it into your note to resize, move and rotate it.

Step 4: Rinse and repeat

Add as many photos as you like into your collage, but bear in mind that too many will take away from the detail of some of your best snaps. Rotate additional photos to make them stand out.

Step 5: Pick a pen

Tapping the pen icon in the menu for a little longer than usual will bring up its colour and size options. Try to select colours that will contrast well with photos and really stand out.

Step 6: Labelling up

You can write and draw on top of your photos if you like, so labelling who’s in them is a great way to add some detail to your collages. Just tap undo if you’re unhappy with it.

Step 7: Add an emoticon

Tap the star icon in the menu to select and add emoticons to your collage. It’s a good idea to use these sparingly – while they can add to your art, too many can make them look a bit childish.

Step 8: Export it

Once you’re happy with your collage, tap the binoculars icon in the menu to view all the notes in the notebook. Tap the Export button, select the pages you want to send and tap Export again.

Step 9: Mail it out

If you choose to export your document via email, Noteshelf will automatically bring up a new Mail window with your collage attached as either an image or PDF file depending on your choice.

This tutorial is part of our Learn iPad Week series; for more articles just like this, visit the Learn iPad Week tag. At the end of the week, we’ll be giving away a prize to one lucky person who gets in touch with a question or problem related to the iPad. To get involved, simply tweet your question, plus the hashtag #LearniPadWeek, to @iCreateMagazine or post on our Facebook wall.