Triptych Creation for Canvas Prints

A ten second tutorial and Photoshop action by Paul Jaruszewski

A simple technique to preview various panel sizes and then create the panels with extensions for printing on canvas.

The Triptych: Which panel size presents your image best?

Tryptics are a collection of three panels of a single image or related images mounted in a group.

Creation of a triptych is easy enough. Crop your image three times and you are done! How and where to crop is a decision that can be made easier by using a Photoshop action that can take your image and display it with several crop ratio options. The ratio that I mention is the ratio of the widths of the three panels. i.e., if all panels are the same size, the ratio is 1 : 1 : 1. Simple enough - a 1 : 2 : 1 has a center panel that is twice as wide as the end panels. This action will allow you to preview your iamges easily and make the ratio easy to pick.

Once you have decided on the ratios that favor your image, you can use photoshop to create the panels easily enough, or if you are planning on printing on canvas with a gallery wrap, this action can prepare the panels for you!

Starting is easy enough. Install the action referenced at the bottom of this page ( install the gallery wrap actions also if you plan on printing on canvas )

Once your actions are setup in Photoshop, select the image you wish to use to create your triptych. Run the preview action in the tryptic action set. The action reduces the image size because the previews are intended to be viewed on a monitor, via email or web display and the routine runs very fast. If you wish to select the simulated wall color, place that color in the forground color box. You will find the results of the preview stored in the history states. Click through the previews, flatten and save to disk or place a simulated wall on the background of the preview if desired to show a client. Once you have decided which ratio looks best, crop yourself and print. If you wish to print on canvas and desire a 2 inch mirror wrap you are in luck because this set of actions will do that for you also. Those options are located in the triptych set just below the preview button.

Example of the potential image for use in triptych.

This is the "before" image for the triptych action example. Yosemite valley wall shot from tunnel view location.

Example of "preview" function of action.

The image usually will select itself. In this case either the first or the fourth set. ( Personally, I like the first set for this image )

What to do next?

To be honest I find picking the ratios the hardest part. Once done you can use Photoshop to crop and print, but if you are going to print on canvas, use a 2 inch gallery wrap and like the mirror wrap action I have, then you are in GREAT shape. Simply reload the final image ( full size, set to the appropriate DPI for printing ) and run the action that matches your desired ratios. The final three panels are then ready to print and will be found in the history states window.

These routines are free for all to use. Please share this with anyone who may be interested by pointing them to this website, not sending the action directly. By sending a link to this page I am able to update the actions and disseminate the most current version. These actions were created as a result of friends asking for help or suggestions in handling the printing of large images in canvas. If you have special needs for a custom routine, please don’t hesitate to email me at kd6lor1@cox.net. If the project is interesting I may take it on for my usual fee... Nothing...

Download location has been updated click here to visit new page!

Have fun! - Paul