How to combine images into one scene
Using multiple printables, sometimes called digital stamps, to make one scene
For those uninitiated into cardmaking: for many years, black and white downloadable, printable images have been created and sold by artists to be used by crafters. Most of the time it’s a figure, a flower, a main image of some kind, the crafter prints it at the scale they wish, then they add color/design/scenes on their own.
Many years of videos on my channel have shown how to add trees, hillsides, buildings, towns, and more to images that are either printed digitally or stamped. I’ve offered many of these printable images for years….but one thing I haven’t done is create any scenes to go with them. I’ve left the drawing up to the crafter.
Part of that is because many people just shrug and say “I just can’t draw.” Which I’ve been trying to combat by making scene elements pretty simple! But I also have not included scenes because that’d mean teaching people how to put a scene image and a focal image together, to print on one piece of paper. I use fancy shmancy graphics software to do that myself….but I just had a little idea about using Google Docs to merge images. And it worked!
Below the video are the written instructions for those who prefer that - but the video shows you how! Plus some coloring in marker and pencil, of course. (If you prefer to watch on YouTube directly, click here):
Supplies may be affiliate links - supporting my work with a percentage paid to me at no cost to you: Colored with Olo markers using the Olo Hex Chart to pick them. Neenah Solar White paper, a white Copic Acrea Paint Marker (BLICK/ AMZ) and Copic Multiliner: (BLICK/ AMZ /JACKSONS and a few Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (BLICK/AMZ)
New Holiday Printables available
I’ll be creating some elves - and some scenes to pair them with….first in line are Twiglet and the Reindeer Trio! You can see all the holiday collection here.
Instructions for combining digital images
Other word processing documents can often do something similar - but the menu items can be called different things. Poke around in a test document to see how it works! But here are the instructions using Google Docs.
Open Google Docs.
Create a new document using the giant “+” button.
In the top left, give your document a title; it will autosave for you.
Place the cursor in the document.
Select the image icon from the icon menu across the top, and navigate to wherever you saved the background image you want to use. The background doesn’t have to be transparent (a PNG).
Click on “Image Options” to open the drawer (righthand menu). You have to have an image selected for that option to appear in the top menu.
Size the image using the up/down arrows or typing in the size you desire. (Note: if using another word processor, beware of sizing by dragging the corner boxes around, that might make the image skinnier or fatter if it’s not locked.)
Place the cursor somewhere after the image, and click return, so the cursor wioll be below the image.
Add the foreground image using the same process as #5. If you want the background around it to be white, it has to be a PNG. (If you’re using any of my printables, I haven’t always remembered to include a PNG; just ask and I’ll create one for you.)
Click on “Image Options” then open the tab called “Text Wrapping.” Then select “In Front of Text.” If you had text in the document the image would now float over it and can be dragged around on top of it - but in this case it makes that image moveable on top of the background image too. If the image has a white block around it, that’s because it’s not set up for a transparent background.
Move the foreground image on top of the background as desired, and size it to the right scale.
Print and color! The doc will be autosaved for you so you can re-print it anytime.
Want more reindeer? In the second half of the post for paid subscribers, lots of reindeer fun….including the story of my childhood World Book Encyclopedia experience that kept me from totally trusting ol’ Santa.