DIY Photo Banner Tutorial

Learn how to create this fun DIY Photo Banner ... it's a simple project that's perfect for displaying your fave pics!

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My husband's 40th birthday was couple weeks ago, and we had a party to celebrate. It was pretty casual, so I kept the decor simple.

Joel is sentimental and loves looking at old photos. I decided to gather some of my favorite pics and hang them on a fun garland. It turned out so cute!

Today, I'm sharing this DIY photo banner tutorial so you can make your own!

This Picture Banner could not be easier to make, and it's the perfect addition to any party (anniversaries, birthdays, bridal showers, etc.)! I hung mine behind the food table, and it made a great backdrop.

DIY Photo Banner

The hardest part of this project is deciding which photos to hang. The banner is completely customizable, so you can hang as many or as few photos as you like.

I asked Joel to pick out his favorites, and then I narrowed down the selection to 12 photos. It was hard! Joel has a big personality, and there were a lot of fun photos to choose from.

The photos I chose ranged from baby pics to more recent snaps. Some were in great condition and others were faded and worn.

Of course, you could just string up your photos and be done, but I wanted the pics to have a uniform look and size. Follow my DIY Picture Banner tutorial below to find out how I did it!

Photo Banner Supplies

Here's what you'll need:

scanner
printer
card stock
scissors
twine
mini clothespins

How to Make a Photo Banner

Note: Like I mentioned above, I wanted all the photographs to be the same size and have a uniform look. If you don't care about that, you can skip the next few steps.

Start by scanning any photos that you don't have digital copies of. Store the photos in a folder on your computer's desktop so they're easy to find later.

Next, go to the PicMonkey website. (This is my favorite website for editing and formatting photos, but any photo editing program will work.)

On the top of the page, you'll see four options: Edit, Touch Up, Design, and Collage. Choose "Collage", and then click "Computer". A pop up box will open, and you will be able to select the photos you want to use. Select 4 photos and then click open.

A new window will open. You'll see your photos in the left column and a white work area to the right.

On the far left side of the screen, choose the second option from the top that looks like a grid. Then, click on "Square Deal" and choose the square divided into four sections (see below).

Click the lock below the white work area, then change the numbers to the left of the lock to 2318 x 3000 (see below).

This will set up your document to print on 8.5 x 11-inch paper.

Next, use your mouse to grab a photo from the left column.

Drag the photo into one of the empty rectangles in the white work area. Repeat this process with the remaining photos.

To adjust the spacing between the photos, click on the paint palette image in the far left column, then use the slider under "Spacing" to add more or less space between your photos.

I set my spacing at 20, which was perfect for a narrow border.

At this point, you can edit your photos if you wish.

Simply hover over one of the photos with your mouse and click "Edit".

An "Edit Image" box will open with two options:

Use the sliders and buttons under "Basic" to increase the size of your photos, rotate them, or adjust the exposure.
Click "Effects" to add various filters to your photos. You may also select "Open Image in Editor". This will take you to a new window where you can adjust everything from sharpness to photo colors. You can also edit any blemishes in the photos. Here's a PicMonkey tutorial to get you started.

I only made basic edits to my photos, adjusting the size so they would fit in their frames better.

After your photos are edited, you'll need to save the file to your computer.

Above your work area, click "Save". A new screen will open with a couple options:

File name: name your new file here so you can find it easily later. The box to the right of the file name field should say ".jpg".
Quality: this adjusts the size and quality of your image. I selected "Pierce".

After you've made your selections, click "Save to My Computer" at the bottom of the column. A pop up will open, allowing you to save the file to your computer.

After you've saved the file, open it and print it on card stock.

Cut out the photos, leaving a white border around them (or not). Repeat this process with your remaining photos.

Tip: You don't have to start the collage from scratch each time. In the left column by your photos, just click "Open Photos" to import more pics. Then drag the new photos over the first photos you used to replace them in the grid.

The last step is simply to attach the twine to your wall and use the mini clothespins to hang the photos.

If you don't have an existing nail to hang the twine from, I recommend using Command hooks. They're easy to apply and remove, and they won't damage your walls.

Did that seem like a lot of steps? I promise that it's much easier to do than it is to explain!

It only took me a few minutes to create this banner, and I love how the photos are all the same size and have a similar image quality. It helped to create a united look.