Creating a template in Photoshop is super easy once you learn the steps. There are many sites out there that you can join with downloadable templates, but I like creating my own. With my own, I can make them whatever I want them to be. Follow these simple steps and you’re on your way to much creativity!

First in Photoshop, you want to go to File and New – a box will open. If you want to save it, you can rename it at the top where it says ‘Name’. Choose the size you want it to be. Mine is a 10 x 10 square.

Choose the Resolution and background contents. I like mine to be at a resolution of 400 and white as the background.

Click Ok.

Select the Shape tool. I start with the Rectangle, but you can use any shape. When you are creating the shape, you can see the measurements near where the mouse is moving. That will tell you the dimensions you are creating. You can change what the background of the shape is filled with. I use black. You can also change the weight of the border or have no border at all. I generally choose no border.

Once you’ve created your first shape, you can make as many as you like in as many different shapes as you like.

I like to keep a little bit of the white background showing to keep some space between each picture, but you can have them touching or even leave some white space for words.

If you make a mistake and don’t get them the exact size you want, you can use the Transform tool to get the little handles and adjust it.

I now have five layers on mine. I also like to reorder the layers so I know easily which is which. When you create a new layer, they stack from the bottom to the top.

The difference on this one would be the heart shape. It has to be on top so that the picture will be on top. (if you have overlapping layers, whatever you want on top has to be on top of that layer in the layers menu.

Next you want to save this file as a psd. That will be the default since you have not flattened your image. Choose the name. I’m choosing to name mine Square. Then choose the location you want it to be on your computer. Say ‘okay’ on the next window that opens and your file is saved for you to use over and over. And now select your photos you want to have in each shape.

Click on the Layer you want your first picture to be in, then go to File and then Place Embedded. Select the folder you want your pictures to come from. Select your picture and select Place. The picture is now on your PS desktop with the transform handles. Holding down the shift key, resize your image so that it is just slightly bigger than the shape you’re putting it in. (You can resize it again once its there and/or move it around within the shape. Click the checkmark at the top menu to get rid of the handles.

With your mouse placed over the picture in the Layers menu, click option (a downward pointing arrow will appear) and click the picture layer with your mouse. Your picture will now be inside the shape. (If you change your mind on which layer you want your picture to be in you can always just drag the picture to above another layer.

In my picture, I decided I wanted a border around the heart so that it would stand out from the other photos and because it matches. So I just went to that layer in the layers menu and clicked on the shape. Then in the menu at the top of the PS desktop I changed the stroke color by clicking on Stroke and just next to that I adjusted the size until I felt like it matched the spaces between my photos.

Then you want to flatten your layers and SAVE AS … if you choose SAVE, it will save it as the PSD file and will override your template. You’ll likely want this to be a jpg.

You now have a beautiful photo to do whatever you want with! 🙂

I hope this was helpful. Please leave a comment if you have questions or just something you want to say.

If you’d like a copy of the PSD file that I created, please comment below and I would love to give it to you! 🙂

Thank you!