Image collages are a popular tool for visualizing a collection of images, allowing users to display multiple images in a single composition. However, most existing methods for generating image collages are limited to simple shapes, such as rectangles or circles, which restrict their use in artistic and creative settings. Additionally, methods that can generate irregularly-shaped image collages often result in image overlapping and excessive blank space, rendering them ineffective for information communication.
In this paper, the authors introduce a novel algorithm called Shape-Aware Slicing that addresses the challenge of creating image collages of arbitrary shapes in an informative and visually pleasing manner. The algorithm partitions the input shape into cells using the medial axis and binary slicing tree. This approach takes into account human perception and shape structure to generate visually pleasing partitions.
Furthermore, the authors optimize the layout of the collage by analyzing the input images to maximize the total salient regions. By doing so, they ensure that important features in the images are prominently displayed in the collage. The proposed algorithm is then evaluated through extensive experiments, comparing the results against previous work and existing commercial tools.
The evaluations demonstrate that the proposed algorithm efficiently arranges image collections on irregular shapes and generates visually superior results compared to previous work and existing commercial tools. This advancement opens up new possibilities for artists and designers who want to create image collages that break free from traditional rectangular or circular layouts.
By allowing for arbitrary shapes and optimizing the arrangement based on salient regions, this algorithm enables users to create visually compelling image collages that effectively communicate information. Future research could explore further optimizations or extensions of the algorithm, such as incorporating user preferences or incorporating machine learning techniques to automatically select the most salient regions.