Hi there!
Welcome to CreativePix
This space is dedicated to photographic techniques like collage, compositing, double exposure, and any creative approach that sparks imagination with a playful twist, of course.
Every piece showcased here is entirely crafted by me, using my own photos and carefully selected images from the web as a creative foundation.
Pixels are sacred. AI belongs elsewhere.
This page is especially for beginners eager to explore this art form, and for anyone curious about the world of digital creation.
1- PHOTOCOLLAGE
Photocollage is an artistic technique that involves assembling multiple photos or fragments of photos on a single surface, either manually or digitally, to create a visual composition.
The goal can be aesthetic or narrative, and the images may be juxtaposed, layered, or freely cut and arranged.
It’s not a technique I currently use, but it certainly has its place in the creative landscape.
2- PHOTOMONTAGE
Photomontage is an artistic technique that involves combining several photographic elements into a single image to create a new visual reality.
It can be used to tell a story, evoke emotion, or simply explore aesthetic possibilities. The process may involve layering, blending, or transforming images to achieve a cohesive and imaginative result.
This is a good method for getting started and familiarising yourself with photo editing software.
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Other Montage Techniques
3D Version
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3D montage of two souvenir photos featuring a Pierrot in Venice in 2023. The process is fairly simple but requires solid skills in cut-out techniques, which are essential for most creations of this kind.
PERSPECTIVES
With Multiple Photos
Here is another montage designed as an art gallery to showcase your photos around a theme of your choice.
In this example, I used an easy method by reusing existing frames from another photo.
This simple technique allows you to use the perspective tool available in most photo editing software , even free ones like GIMP.
This tool will make your work much easier and help you achieve precision in this style of montage.
If you’re working with round frames, you can use the object selection tool if your software supports it, or simply the ellipse tool.
With a Single Photo
Here too, I used one of my photos with existing frames, for which I had to select all the elements to integrate the image (a panorama of Rome from the rooftop of Castel Sant'Angelo – 2023).
The method may seem more tedious, but it has the great advantage of avoiding mismatches in the image alignment. Take this opportunity to get familiar with the pen tool, a very precise feature available in most photo editing software.
You can also use shape tools, though visibility on your images will be more limited.
Make sure the height of your photo is sufficient to cover the frames.
It’s up to you to choose what works best for your project.
3- PHOTO EDITING
Photo editing involves working on an existing image to alter its appearance, content, or overall mood.
Unlike photomontage, which aims to tell a story, or double exposure, which creates complex visual effects, editing focuses on correcting, refining, or enhancing a photo.
It can be used, for example, to remove distracting elements (like hands, feet, or unwanted objects), replace an unappealing background, or adjust color, lighting, and sharpness for a more balanced result.
Retouching can be subtle or more advanced, depending on your intent, without necessarily turning the image into a graphic creation.
As illustrated above, I was able to easily remove the fence using the inpainting brush tool (Affinity) while preserving the background. This was possible because the fence was located behind the subject, with a blurred background that enhanced depth and showed little color variation. As a result, the original photo is preserved as much as possible.
However, this method is not suitable for all types of editing.
For more complex retouching, you’ll need to consider other techniques such as cut-outs, cloning, layers, and masks, depending on the features available in your software.
A good understanding of these tools allows you to effectively adapt your method to each situation.
4- DOUBLE EXPOSURE
It’s an artistic technique that involves layering two images so they blend into one another. It allows for the creation of poetic, abstract, or symbolic visual effects by playing with transparency and contrast. For example, a portrait can be merged with a landscape to express an emotion or an idea.
Double exposure is very popular among both professional and amateur photographers, as well as illustrators and graphic designers.
It is widely used in movie posters and television series artwork.
I experimented with this technique in the first creation shown here.
Personally, I use AFFINITY, but many other software programs allow for this kind of creation.
To get familiar with the technique, you’ll find a number of free tutorials online, though most of them are in English.
Double exposure requires a bit more practice and a good command of the software, especially when it comes to managing layers. However, it remains accessible with a little patience and curiosity.
Another example above with a photo of a wolf I took in a wildlife park.
The goal was to highlight its gaze.
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5- PHOTO MANIPULATION
It’s the act of modifying a photo to change its appearance, content, or meaning. This can include retouching (light, colors, sharpness), adding or removing elements, distortions, or special effects.
Photo manipulation can be subtle or radical, depending on the intent: to enhance, correct, transform, or create an entirely new image.
It’s part of a creative, sometimes technical process that goes beyond simply presenting original photos.
Here is an example above of a more complex photo manipulation process.
As you’ve understood, subject cut-out is essential.
Method: select your subject and place it on a transparent (colorless) document in your software, which you’ll have created beforehand. Then save it in PSD format only, which allows you to make further edits later if needed.
You’ll easily find tutorials on this topic online.
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