Welcome
ArcSoft Collage Creator Interactive Help

About ArcSoft Collage Creator Interactive Help

Many of the images included in this help file contain links to detailed descriptions of the elements shown.  Simply click on an area of the image to learn more about that particular feature.

ArcSoft Collage Creator Interactive Help is divided into the following seven sections:

Select a topic:

1.  Add Pieces - Add photos, clip art and text to your collage.

2.  Edit Pieces - Crop, enhance and apply unique edge effects to your photos.

3.  Make Pieces - Create doodles and words from letter cutouts with ArcSoft DoodleMaker and ArcSoft Letterboard.

4.  Save Collage - Save your collage as a work-in-progress or standard image file.

5.  Print Collage - Define the resolution of your collage, then print it on a custom page layout.

6.  Main Workspace - The program's main area that features many editing and viewing tools.

7.  Working with Albums - Albums let you visually organize your media for easy access.

Click the "home" link at the top of any page to return to this page.


Add Pieces (Images)

There are three ways for you to add compatible image files (e.g., JPG, BMP, TIF) to your collage:

From File - Lets you add collage pieces from images stored in folders on your system.  At the top of the Images tab, select the “From File” view mode.  From the thumbnail area below, double-click or drag and drop a thumbnail onto the workspace.

From Album - Lets you add collage pieces from images you've arranged into albums.  At the top of the Images tab, select the “From Album” view mode.  From the thumbnail area below, double-click or drag and drop a thumbnail onto the workspace.  Learn more about albums.

From Windows Explorer - Lets you drag and drop a compatible file directly onto the workspace from Windows Explorer.


Edit Pieces (Crop)

To crop a photo using one of the pre-designed crop shapes, select the photo in the main workspace and then click on the desired crop shape in the album.

To adjust the position of the crop shape, click and drag the crop shape on the photo.

To adjust the size of the crop shape, click and drag the corner handles of the crop shape on the photo.

To keep the crop effect, click "Apply."  Otherwise, click "Restore."

To crop a photo by hand, select the photo in the main workspace and then click the "Freehand Crop" button.


Make Pieces

The Make Pieces area includes two creative options so you can give your collage an artistic edge.

ArcSoft DoodleMaker - Works like a digital sketchpad.  Draw cartoon mustaches to apply to a face, or design your own colorful clip art.

ArcSoft Letterboard - Design unique word form from letters that appear to be clipped from magazine pages.

Click on any area of the screen to learn more about that particular feature:


Save Collage

ArcSoft Collage Creator lets you save your collage in a variety of ways.

Save as Current Project - Saves/overwrites the current project.

Save as New Project - Enables you to save the current project as a newly titled project.

Save as Image File - Enables you to save your collage as a flattened image (JPG, BMP, TIF, etc.).

Click on any area of the screen to learn more about that particular feature:


Print Collage

ArcSoft Collage Creator lets you print your collage in a variety of ways.  You may set the page orientation and layout in addition to the resolution (output size) and number of copies.

Click on any area of the screen to learn more about that particular feature:


Main Workspace

The main workspace features many controls for viewing and arranging your collage.

Moving a piece

Highlight a piece by clicking it.  Click and hold, then drag to move the piece around the page.  To move multiple pieces at once, hold down the SHIFT key while clicking each piece.

Resizing a piece

Highlight a piece by clicking it.  Drag any of the corner handles to resize the piece.

Rotating a piece

Highlight a piece by clicking it.  To rotate the piece, click and drag the bar extending from the top (the rotate anchor).  The piece will automatically "snap" into place when it nears each 90-degree increment.

Right-click options

There are several options available when you right-click a piece on your collage.

Click on any area within the main workspace below to learn more about that particular feature:


Working with Albums

ArcSoft Collage Creator's convenient album feature enables you to visually organize your media files into album collections for easy access.

When you "add" a file to an album, a small thumbnail image appears in the album.  Each thumbnail image acts as a link or "shortcut" to its source file.  In other words, albums don't actually contain files, but provide direct access to them.  It's similar to the way shortcuts on your desktop work.

Learn about the ArcSoft Collage Creator Clip Art album.

More about albums:

•	Deleting an album thumbnail does not automatically delete the file associated with it; it simply deletes the thumbnail link.  You may, however, delete both the link and original source file by specifying the action in the pop-up dialog message that appears when you choose to "delete" the thumbnail.

•	Albums can contain thousands of thumbnails (links).

•	Albums can contain a wide variety of unrelated media files or a collection of related files (wedding photos, birthday photos, etc.).

Click on any area to learn more about that particular feature:


From File
Add Pieces (Images - From File)

Click this button to access images located in a folder on your system.  Click the "Browse" button to change the active folder.

Click on any area of the Images tab to learn more about that particular feature:


From Album
Add Pieces (Images - From Album)

Click this button to view your albums and access images represented by thumbnails.  Choose the active album from the pull-down.

Click on any area of the Images tab to learn more about that particular feature:


Album Pull-Down
Working with Albums (Album Pull-Down)

This pull-down contains your complete directory of albums.

To create a new album, select "[New]."

Note: The "[New]" option is not available in the clip art section of the program.  Also, you cannot modify the installed clip art album content.

About Albums

The powerful album feature is ideal for cataloging and quick retrieval of images.  Learn more about albums.


Add
Working with Albums (Add)

Opens a dialog that enables you to add files to your album.

Navigate to the directory containing the file(s) you want to add to the album, highlight the file(s), then click Open.

About Albums

The powerful album feature is ideal for cataloging and quick retrieval of images.  Learn more about albums.


Acquire
Working with Albums (Acquire)

This command enables you to import still images from various compatible devices.

To import an image, select the source and follow the instructions provided by the device manufacturer.  When done, a thumbnail will be added to the active album.

About Albums

The powerful album feature is ideal for cataloging and quick retrieval of images.  Learn more about albums.


Large Thumbnail View
Working with Albums (Large Thumbnail View)

Large Thumbnail view displays eight album thumbnails at one time:


Small Thumbnail View
Working with Albums (Small Thumbnail View)

Small Thumbnail view displays 18 album thumbnails at one time:


List View
Working with Albums (List View)

List View displays 10 small album thumbnails as well as their corresponding file names:


Thumbnail Area
Working with Albums (Thumbnail Area)

This area displays thumbnails of files within the active folder or album.

Thumbnails can be displayed three different ways:

Large View - This option displays eight large album thumbnails at one time.

Small View - This option displays 18 small album thumbnails at one time.

List View - This option displays 10 small album thumbnails as well as their corresponding file names.

Album thumbnails have the following right-click options:

Cut - Removes selected thumbnails from the album and copies the associated file to the "album clipboard" (memory).

Copy - Copies selected files to the "album clipboard" (memory).

Paste - Adds selected files from the "album clipboard" (memory) into the current album.

Delete - Removes the selected thumbnails from the album and gives you to the option to delete the associated files.

Properties - Displays file information, including file name, location, size and unique file format details.  (This right-click option is available in both album view (From Album) and folder view (From File).

About Albums

The powerful album feature is ideal for cataloging and quick retrieval of images.  Learn more about albums.


Add Pieces (Text)

Add colorful captions, titles and buzz words to your collage.

Add your text in the text box, then set the font, size, style (bold and italics), alignment and color.  Your text will appear in the main workspace; click "Apply" to finalize it as a piece on your collage.  You can click and drag your text to position it wherever you like.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Click on any area of the Text tab to learn more about that particular feature:


Font
Add Pieces (Text - Font)

From this pull-down, you can select the font you want to use for your text.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.


Text Size
Add Pieces (Text - Text Size)

From this pull-down, you can select the size you want for your text.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.


Bold and Italic
Add Pieces (Text - Style [Bold and Italic])

Click these buttons to make your text appear in bold and italic form.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.


Text Alignment
Add Pieces (Text - Text Alignment)

Click one of these buttons to choose the alignment for your multi-lined text.  Choices include: Left, Center and Right.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.


Text Color
Add Pieces (Text - Text Color)

Click this button to select the color you want for your text.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.


Text Entry Box
Add Pieces (Text - Text Entry Box)

Enter your text in this box.  The text will appear in the center of your collage where you may click and drag it to any position.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.


Apply Text
Add Pieces (Text - Apply Text)

Click this button to set your text as a piece in your project.  If you do not want to apply the text to the project, simply click the delete button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.


Shadow Preview and Position
Add Pieces (Text - Shadow Preview and Position)

With the shadow checkbox checked, a drop shadow is added to the active text.  The box containing the “A” shows you how the shadow will appear.  To adjust the position of the shadow in relation to the text, simply click and drag the shadow (in the box) and drop it in the desired location.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.


Shadow Blur and Opacity
Add Pieces (Text - Shadow Blur and Opacity)

These sliders are used to adjust the visual properties of the active text shadow.

Note: Once text has been applied to your collage, it is no longer editable.  The font, color, alignment, size, style and drop shadow are fixed.  You can delete the text at any time by selecting it on the collage and clicking the "Delete" button (trash can) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.


Edit Pieces (Effects)

To preview a photo effect, select your photo on the main workspace and then click on the desired effect thumbnail.  To keep the effect, click "Apply."  Otherwise, click "Restore."


Edit Pieces (Enhance)

To enhance pieces of your collage, simply click on a piece to select it, then choose an enhancement option.

Brightness/Contrast - Adjust the sliders to change overall brightness or lighting.

Hue/Saturation - Adjust the sliders to change the overall color tone.

Look at the image below.  The top two images are examples of changes made to the photo's brightness and contrast.  The bottom two images are examples of changes made to the photo's hue and saturation.


Freehand Cropping
Edit Pieces (Crop - Freehand Crop)

For the authentic "cut out" look, click the "Freehand Crop" button just below the crop album.  When you do so, the "Freehand Crop" window will appear.  Take a look at the window as well as the descriptions of the various tools:

Tools in the "Freehand Crop" window include:

With this scissor tool selected, click and/or drag around the area of the photo you want cropped.  To close the crop shape, double-click your mouse or click directly on the starting point (small square).  Everything enclosed within the crop shape will be kept.  Everything outside the crop shape will be discarded (it appears faint in the preview).

Add area to a crop shape with this tool.

Subtract area from a crop shape with this tool.

Apply a soft edge to your crop by checking the "Soft Blur" box.  Adjust the amount of blur by dragging the slider..

Click this button to remove the current crop shape and start over.

Click "OK" to execute the crop and return to the main screen.  Click "Cancel" to return to the main screen without cropping the photo.


Letterboard
Make Pieces (ArcSoft Letterboard)

In the tradition of real-life collage making, ArcSoft Letterboard offers a unique way to create words from letters that appear to be clipped from magazines.

The ArcSoft Letterboard album contains a great variety of letters and characters that you can use to assemble words.  To skip to a specific section of the album, click the corresponding letter or character on the left side of the album.  You can also hit the letter on your keyboard to jump to a specific section of the album, or use the scrollbar to navigate through the album.

To assemble a word, double-click or drag letters from the album to the workspace on the right.  Letters can be repositioned simply by clicking and dragging them to the place you want.

You may use the corner squares to resize any letter.  Click and drag the rotate anchor to adjust the letter's orientation.

Take a look at ArcSoft Letterboard and some additional options below:

Letters newly added to the workspace overlap older ones if they occupy the same space.  However, you can use these buttons "raise" or "lower" each letter in relation to other letters to create the desired overlap effect.

Click this button to remove the selected letter.

When you're satisfied with your letters or words, click "OK."  Otherwise, click "Cancel."


DoodleMaker
Make Pieces (ArcSoft DoodleMaker)

Whether you want to draw a mustache on a friend, give your dog a bone or just add handwritten text to your collage, ArcSoft DoodleMaker is just the tool you need.

Take a look at DoodleMaker and it's various tools:

To doodle (draw), select the Pencil tool, then click and drag on the doodle pad.

To erase a specific area of your doodle, click the Eraser tool, then click and drag over the area you want erased.

To change the size of the Pencil or Eraser tool, adjust the Tool Size slider.

Click "Undo" to reverse the last action made.  Click "Redo" to reapply an action that was reversed by an Undo command.  You can effectively use these buttons to "step forward or backward in time" to compare the various stages of your doodle.

To quickly erase everything on the doodle pad, drag the Slide-Erase tool (below the doodle pad) across the screen.

Clicking the colored boxes enables you to choose new colors for both the Pencil tool and the doodle pad paper.

If you want your doodle to appear without the background, select "As a transparent object" from the Apply Doodle options and click "OK."

If you want your doodle to appear with the background, select "With color background" from the Apply Doodle options and click "OK."

Once you click "OK," your doodle will be added as a new piece to your collage.  To quit DoodleMaker without applying a doodle, click "Cancel."


Save as Current Project
Save Collage (Save as Current Project)

This save option overwrites the last saved version of the project.  If you choose this option when you're working with a new project, it functions as the Save as New Project option.

By saving your collage in the project format, you're able to modify your collage (and all of its individual pieces) at a later date.  This option creates a Collage Creator project file (CCF) along with a folder containing all of the individual pieces.

If you want to save your collage as a standard image file, choose the Save as Image File option.

When you're ready to save, click "Save."


Save as New Project
Save Collage (Save as New Project)

This save option creates a new project file for your collage.  By assigning a new file name to a collage already saved, you can create multiple versions of the same collage project.

To overwrite an existing project with the new changes you've made, choose the Save as Current Project option instead.

If you want to save your collage as a standard image file, choose the Save as Image File option.

When you're ready to save, click "Save."


Save as Image File
Save Collage (Save as Image File)

By saving your collage as a standard image file, all the pieces on your collage combine into a single "flattened" image.  You can then email the file to friends, upload it to the Web, and print or edit it with other imaging applications.  Since the available save formats are standard, you can make images that will open on virtually any computer system.

File formats include: JPG, BMP, TIF, and more.  When saving, you can give the file a name, select the file type, and choose the save location.

If you'd like to save your collage as a "project" that can be opened at a later date, choose either the Save as Current Project or Save as New Project option.

When you're ready to save, click "Save."


Save
Save Collage (Save Button)

Click this button after you've selected your save option.  Your work will then be saved.


Paper Orientation
Print Collage (Paper Orientation)

Print your collage horizontally or vertically on the page.  Toggle between both options and preview the results by looking at the Print Preview.


Printer Setup
Print Collage (Printer Setup)

View and edit your print settings by clicking this button.  You can also select a different printer.


Page Layout
Print Collage (Page Layout)

To create a collage poster with your own printer, select a multiple-page option from this area.  With just two clicks, you can print your collages across multiple sheets of paper, then mount them together on posterboard!


Print Preview
Print Collage (Print Preview)

This area shows how your collage will appear on the page layout you've selected.


Copies
Print Collage (Copies)

Set the number of copies to be printed.


Output Size
Print Collage (Output Size)

The width, height and output (DPI) are listed.  To resize your collage on the paper, move the slider in the appropriate direction.


Print Button
Print Collage (Print Button)

When you're ready, click this button to print your collage.


View Buttons
Main Workspace (View Buttons)

These buttons are used to change the current display of your collage within the preview area.

 - Displays the current view setting.

 - Magnifies/reduces your collage.  Zoom in to make fine-tune adjustments.  Zoom out to get an "overall impression" of how it looks.

 - Gives you the largest possible full view of your collage.  Instead of a percentage, the zoom factor will indicate "Best Fit."


Arrange Buttons
Main Workspace (Arrange Buttons)

These buttons are used to arrange the layered order of your collage pieces in the preview area.  Each time you add a new piece (photo, clip art, doodle, etc.), it is placed at the top of the collage.  This means it overlaps all other pieces.

With these buttons, you can move pieces up and down within the layers, revealing and concealing different areas of overlapping pieces.

 - Moves the selected piece up one layer.  By pressing this button continuously, you can move the selected piece to the very top of the collage.  It will then overlap all other pieces.

 - Moves the selected piece down one layer.  By pressing this button continuously, you can move the selected piece to the very bottom of the collage.  It will appear beneath all other pieces.

 - Opens the Layers Palette which shows each piece (layer) in relation to the others contained in the project.

The Layers Palette -

Drag and drop the layer thumbnail up or down to move the piece forward or backward within the collage project (moving it forward means it will overlap other pieces; moving it backward means it will appear beneath other pieces).  Click the eyeball icon to hide the corresponding layer.  Click the thumbnail again to show the layer.  Remove the active layer from the project by clicking the delete button (trash can) located in the bottom right corner.  You can move the Layers Palette anywhere on the screen by dragging the top blue bar.


Start Over
Main Workspace (Start Over)

Click this button to clear your workspace and begin a new project.  You'll be prompted to save your current project.


Delete
Main Workspace (Delete Pieces)

This button, located in the lower corner of the main workspace, removes the currently selected piece(s) from your collage.  To select multiple pieces, hold the SHIFT key while clicking each piece.


Right-Click Options
Main Workspace (Right-Click Options)

The following options are available when right-clicking a collage piece in the main workspace:

Cut - Removes the selected piece from the project and places it into the "project clipboard" (memory).

Copy - Copies the selected piece to the "project clipboard" (memory).

Paste - Adds the selected piece from the "project clipboard" (memory) into the project.

Delete - Removes the selected piece from the project.

Zoom In - Magnifies your collage so you can make fine-tune adjustments.

Zoom Out- Reduces the appearance of your collage so you may get an "overall impression."

Best Fit - Fills the preview area with your collage.

Rotate 90 CW- Rotates the selected piece 90 degrees clockwise.

Flip Horizontal - Creates a mirror image of the selected piece over the horizontal axis.

Flip Vertical - Creates a mirror image of the selected piece over the vertical axis.

Set Background - Enables you adjust the size of the collage workspace and change the color of the collage background.


Delete (Album Thumbnails)
Working with Albums (Delete Album Thumbnails)

Click this button to delete the selected album items.  You have the option of deleting the thumbnail only, or deleting the thumbnail AND the original source file as well.  If you delete the source file, it will be permanently removed from your system.


Menu Bar
Main Menu

The main menu contains the following commands:

Project:

New - Lets you start a new project.  Prompts you to save the open Collage Creator project.

Open - Lets you browse your system to locate and open previously saved Collage Creator projects.

Open Recent - Displays a list of the most recently accessed Collage Creator project files; click to open.

Save - Saves your current Collage Creator project, overwriting the existing project file (if any).

Save As - Lets you save the open Collage Creator project as a standard image file or a newly titled Collage Creator Project file.

Exit - Closes ArcSoft Collage Creator.

Edit:

Cut - Removes the selected piece from the project and places it into the "project clipboard" (memory).

Copy - Copies the selected piece to the "project clipboard" (memory).

Paste - Adds the selected piece from the "project clipboard" (memory) into the project.

Delete - Removes the selected piece from the project.

Rotate 90 CW- Rotates the selected piece 90 degrees clockwise.

Flip Horizontal - Creates a mirror image of the selected piece over the horizontal axis.

Flip Vertical - Creates a mirror image of the selected piece over the vertical axis.

Set Background Color - Allows you to choose another color for the background of your collage project.

Page Setup - Allows you to change the size and orientation of the project page.

View:

Zoom In - Magnifies your collage so you can make fine-tune adjustments.

Zoom Out- Reduces the appearance of your collage so you may get an "overall impression."

Best Fit - Fills the preview area with your collage.

Full Screen - Fills the computer display with your collage.

Help:

ArcSoft Collage Creator Help - Opens this Help file.

Visit www.arcsoft.com - Takes you to the ArcSoft.com Web site.

About ArcSoft Collage Creator - Displays information about the program.


Project Name

Your project name is listed here.


Control Buttons

 - Opens ArcSoft Collage Creator Interactive Help.

 - Minimizes the program.

 - Closes the program.


Collage Preview
Main Workspace (Preview Area)

The bulk of the main workspace displays your collage.  You can move, rotate and resize any graphic or text added to your collage.


Add Pieces (Clip Art)

ArcSoft Collage Creator includes a collection of over 100 clip art images for you to use in your collages.

From the pull-down, select a clip art album.

To add clip art to your collage, simply double-click or drag and drop a clip art thumbnail onto the workspace.

You may add your own clip art files to your own albums.  Learn more about albums.


Add Pieces

The first step in creating a great-looking collage is to select and arrange your photos, clip art, text and other key elements.  The Add Pieces section lets you do this primarily through three different tabs:

Images - Drag and drop personal photos and other graphic files to your collage workspace.

Text - Add colorful captions, titles and buzz words to your collage.

Clip Art - Drag and drop pre-designed clip art illustrations to your collage.

Click on any area of the screen to learn more about that particular feature:


Edit Pieces

In the Edit Pieces section, three different tabs let you crop your pictures into different shapes, apply interesting edge effects, and make simple enhancements to images that seem overly dark or exposed.

Crop - Apply a creative edge to your photos, or use the Freehand Crop tool to make custom scissor-like crop effects.

Effects - Apply artistic borders or frames to your images.

Enhance - Make color adjustments to your collage images.

Click on any area of the screen to learn more about that particular feature:


Edit Pieces (Enhance - Enhancements)

Choose your enhancement option, then use the sliders to adjust the values.  Use the Brightness/Contrast option if your photo is too dark or too light.  Use the Hue/Saturation option to alter the colors of your photo.

Click this button to reset the sliders to their centered, neutral positions.

When you're finished, click "Apply" to keep the enhancement.  Otherwise, click "Restore."


Main Workspace (Moving a Piece)

In the main workspace, highlight a piece by clicking it.  Click and hold, then drag to move the piece around the page.  To move multiple pieces at once, hold down the SHIFT key while clicking each piece.


Main Workspace (Resizing a Piece)

In the main workspace, highlight a piece by clicking it.  Drag any of the corner handles to resize the piece.


Main Workspace (Rotating a Piece)

In the main workspace, highlight a piece by clicking it.  To rotate the piece, click and drag the bar extending from the top (the rotate anchor).  The piece will automatically "snap" into place when it nears each 90-degree increment.


Add Pieces (From Windows Explorer)
Add Pieces (Images - From Windows Explorer)

You can add collage pieces directly to the workspace by dragging and dropping compatible files from Windows Explorer.


Add Pieces (Images - File Location)
Add Pieces (Images - Active Folder)

This area displays the location of the active folder.  Thumbnails of the files within the folder will be displayed.  Choose a new location by clicking the "Browse" button.


Browse Button
Add Pieces (Images - Browse Button)

Click this button to select a location (folder) for viewing.  After you select the location, thumbnails of the files within the folder will be displayed.