Craft surreal images using digital photomontage.

Modern collages follow in the footsteps of Dadaism.

German Dadaists in the mid- to late 1910s, like Hannah Höch, John Heartfield, Raoul Hausmann, and Kurt Schwitters, used photomontage as a way to make images that channeled their anti-fascist beliefs. Similar were the artists in the Russian constructivist movement, such as Alexander Rodchenko and Gustav Klutsis, who incorporated typography and graphic design in their angular collages. During the same era, Man Ray and Salvador Dali were associated with cubism and the surrealist painting movement; they created dream-like photomontages that played with perspective and the human form. Photomontage then became a facet of pop art into the seventies and eighties, adopted by British conceptual artists like John Stezaker and David Hockney, who explored patterns, repetition, and the recycling of commercial images. Look up work by these artists for inspiration.

Using Adobe Photoshop to make a digital collage.

“As a beginner, don’t be afraid to just play around in Photoshop,” says Antonio. “Try every tool in the program to familiarize yourself with each one. Have fun with it.” Tools in Photoshop like Selection, the Pen tool, and Layers can help you combine photos into stunning works of art.

Use Selections and Layer Masks to cut out objects.

Remove people or objects from images using Selections and Layer Masks. After you make an automatic Selection, you may need to refine your selection manually before applying a Layer Mask. “Save after every big change you make and never combine layers,” warns Antonio. You may need each individual layer present in your working file later. Jokhadze echoes this point. “Never delete a working file,” she says. “Never.”

“Double-check your work too,” adds Antonio. “Make sure all your layers are on and visible when you export your file.” Understanding the basics of Layers can help.

Use the Pen tool for manual tracing.

Select and edit precise paths with the Pen tool to outline items in an image that you want to select and cut out. This process can be helped by using a physical digital stylus and working on Photoshop on the iPad. “My favorite tool is a stylus that I hated at first,” says Jokhadze. “It may seem challenging, but it can do a lot for you.”

Find images to work with on Adobe Stock.

Imagine that you want to add a photo of the Eiffel Tower to a collage, but you’ve never been to Paris. “A lot of times, you don’t have the perfect images to use,” says Antonio. “That’s where Adobe Stock comes in. It’s a great resource.” You can search Adobe Stock for high-quality photos and graphics from right within the Photoshop app.

Tips for making a great photomontage.

The most important consideration when getting started is exploration of this medium, because it’s so full of possibilities. “The main thing for beginners is to test your abilities in different styles,” says Jokhadze. Here are some other helpful tips.

Keep it as real as possible.

Using high-quality photos makes a huge difference. Antonio recommends images that have a 300 DPI resolution when you can get them. And, when possible, import photos as RAW files to give you extra room to edit or enhance your photos before starting your collage.

Create the look of consistent lighting.

Adjust the exposure or use Lighting Effects to help match the sources of light in the different images you are combining. Manipulating the white balance in each photo can also help keep colors and temperature consistent, making for a more realistic composite.

Be adventurous, but have a plan.

With photomontage, there’s truly nothing you can’t depict, so don’t hold yourself back. “Be creative, be adventurous when it comes to creating your own world,” says Antonio. “But make a plan for what you want to create ahead of time so you don’t get distracted and you can focus on your goal.”