Create an image with effect Puzzle

In this article we will see how to make a nice photo montage using the function automation actions with our editing program Photoshop CS4.
Specifically we will see how to create a jigsaw puzzle, starting from any image. In my case I used a screenshot of the homepage centre-equestre-lepuy.com. Here's the result I got:

Do not worry, this tutorial is much easier than you can imagine ...
As we know, in fact, Photoshop CS comes to meet us, poor graphics and offered the support of some interesting methods of preparation among which the Shares. The Shares are nothing more than "transactions recorded" that we can call at any time to fornt, in a simple and automated, to any need (such as, for example, resizing a large number of images and apply a watermark to the rescue with our copyright ).

Thanks to the actions, in fact, our impact will be really simple puzzle.
Not fraintendetemei, wanting to make everything you can "manually" by creating selections of rectangles and circles and then shaping each piece ... but it would be too time-consuming operation and, above all, useless because there is a faster way to have a high quality.

Download the action from PanosFx.com site by clicking here (at the bottom you can choose which version to download, depending on whether you use Photoshop CS or Photoshop Elements). Once the download is complete open the file within which you can find, among others, the following file:

 



 PFx_PUZZLE-EFFECTS_Free.atn

 

double click to install the action.

Start Photoshop and go to the search (in the Actions panel) that you just downloaded:

The first step is to choose the image to be cropped.
Immediately after there will be a warning that informs us about the terms of use of the Free license, which can only be used for domestic purposes. If we use this action for commercial purposes have to buy the commercial version for about $ 13 (with the commercial license we will have a greater ability to customize the final result could choose, for example, the number of pieces and shapes to be applied).

The next message tells us that actions are optimized for an image horizontally (landscape) and therefore, if a vertical image, it is advised to turn first to apply the action:

The next step we are informed that you can change the style of the levels (the pieces of the puzzle are divided into many layers as are the pieces) so as to recreate the effect of overlap of the various pieces and even rotate them. The result pane is the following levels:

Now the work of the action is finished, do not we just have to modify at will the inclination of the pieces and move them where you want to recreate the effect Puzzle according to our tastes.