Collection Guide
Creating a Collection is an artistic endeavor that takes a bit of planning. This guide provides tips to streamline the process. Technical specifications and instructions are available when you Add a Collection.
Step 1: Gather Photos
A QArtCode is made of many photos (100+). That's a feature, not a bug. While some photos are large enough to be seen at a distance, many require coming closer. The closer you look, the more you see. The fun is in perusing all those photos and seeing what you find. You will probably want 30+ primary photos that will show up prominently and 70+ secondary ones. That may seem like a large number... but how many photos are on your phone?
With that in mind, start thinking about which kind of photos you want to include: pictures of the kids, wedding photos, vacation photos, pets, favorite foods, etc. Some categories may be central to your collection but only provide a fraction of the photos you need. Once you have some photos in mind, you can start adding them.
Step 2: Corner Patterns
Start with the three corner patterns. Their interiors are the most prominent images in the final QArtCode. Select these images strategically; for example, give each child their own corner. Then, work on the borders. You can either fill them with multiple photos or use a single photo with its center cropped out. The multiple-photo approach is ideal for creating a meaningful cluster, like a child surrounded by their favorite toys. Below, Darth Vader is surrounded by other iconic movie images. The single-photo approach places more emphasis on the central image. Below, the cute bear is surrounded by a matching background. For a single-image border, photos without a central subject—like a forest, a crowded stadium, or a pattern of Legos—work best.
For a multiple-photos border, you can choose whether to place 2, 3, or 4 photos per side (Darth Vader above has 3 photos per side, 12 in total). While the interior image is cropped to be square, the border photos will be cropped to be wide or tall; gather equal amounts of wide and tall images that complement the interior image.
Picking those 3 images and their respective borders can be challenging. If you are stuck, publish "as is" and revisit later.
Step 3: Big Pieces
Pick 20 to 40 photos that you want to feature. If possible, they will be displayed at a larger size. When you upload them, you can choose how they will be cropped to best match the image. For instance, Kermit below looks good with a square crop and a 3×2 crop but the 2×1 crop cuts off his head in an awkward manner. These big pieces are given priority and are placed as large as possible. For instance, a photo marked as square might be placed as 3×3 cells. A photo marked as 2×1 might be placed as 4×2 cells. Photos are given priority by their order. If a big piece cannot be placed at a large size, it will still be included at a smaller size (a square image will still show up as a 1×1 if it cannot be placed as 3×3 or 2×2).
The Big Pieces section is particularly appropriate for images that are very wide (4×1, 3×1) or very tall (1×3, 1×4). These more extreme aspect ratios work well for panoramas, tall buildings, etc.
Step 4: Smaller Pieces
For the secondary photos, the process is similar but you only have the choice of cropping them to be square (1×1) or double (either a 2×1 landscape or 1×2 portrait based on the aspect ratio of the photo). The interface makes it easy to preview / select cropping and add / delete pieces. Add a bunch of photos and keep the ones that look good at those aspect ratios.
Step 5: Publish / Polish Your Collection
You can publish your collection at any point, even if some sections are not completely filled; you only need at least one square piece. Once published, use it to make a QArtCode. You might find small issues, like a single piece that would work better as a double, or that you have room for more big pieces. You can edit your collection to address these issues. Once you are satisfied, you can proceed with a purchase.