Pictures can be used to make simple art. One way to do this is through a collage. Photographs may already be artworks themselves, but gluing them together to form a patchwork of a different image gives them a different spin. In fact, it may even change the stories they tell into a new one. Gluing pictures together by hand, however, can be tedious and time consuming. And such is often the reason why people do not make collages. But with modern softwares, it is a whole easier now. Today, digital collages are no longer hard to make.

As a traditional visual art, a collage can be an assemblage of pictures pasted together to make another image, story, or an abstraction. It can also be a collection of pictures glued and painted on canvas. Aside from pictures, it can also be made from an assortment of many things and then arranged to form another thing. Basically, it is a combination of various things.

As a digital art on the other hand, it can only be comprised of images for obvious reasons. Several pictures may be put together--some cut, others skewed, and some others saturated or grayed--on screen and transformed into a new art. Then it can be published online or printed and framed to be given as a gift.

As implied, both traditional and modern methods have their fair share of advantages and disadvantages. The former for example, limits a person to whatever traits are available in his or her materials but presents the advantage of a wide array of items that can be used to make a collage. The later on the other hand makes use of pictures only but with the aid of an editing software, one can manipulate the materials' size, color, mood, or lighting.

But what highlights the distinction between the two methods is the latter's speed. Of course, the modern method will always be faster, even if one is going to work with tons of pictures. With softwares being sold online for a small fee or for free, anyone can make a collage with just a click or few clicks of a mouse.

Moreover, one rarely makes mistakes in the computer world which he or she cannot erase. A digitized photo montage can be done, undone, and redone in seconds. More importantly, one can even make several versions of the work and compare them to see which one is fit for printing or posting.

With the use of digital collages, one can transform pillow cases, mugs, or t-shirts into personalized gift items. One can even use them in his or her mixed media masterpiece. The promise of a digitized picture montage is almost endless. And if circumstance permits, one can even make a personalized wallpaper made of photos for his or her home.

Digital collages are never hard to make. Sure, using a photo-editing software may need getting used to, even take some time, but once you know how to use it, you become boundless. You can personalize your gifts in a dash or add your very own touch to you coffee mugs and tumblers. But more than that, you can make memories last creatively.