# Phone case collage ideas

**Short answer:** the easiest way to make a collage for a clear phone case is to build it on a printed insert cut to your phone’s size: print a background, then glue photos, tickets or paper scraps on top, or combine several photos into one picture first and print that. Keep important parts away from the camera window.

By Matt Warcholinski · Updated 19 October 2026 · 5 min read

A phone-shaped paper insert with a photo-strip layout of four small square frames containing simple illustrations of a heart, a sun, a mountain and a cup

Illustration: a photo-strip collage insert.

**Key takeaways**

- Two routes: print one combined picture, or glue real items onto a printed base.
- A phone insert is about 2.1 times taller than it is wide, so tall layouts work best.
- A photo placed between the case and the phone needs no glue, so it is easy to swap (Casely says the same).
- Keep faces and key details out of the camera corner.

On this page

1. [10 collage ideas](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/phone-case-collage-ideas#10-collage-ideas)
2. [Four layouts to copy](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/phone-case-collage-ideas#four-layouts-to-copy)
3. [Two ways to make it](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/phone-case-collage-ideas#two-ways-to-make-it)
4. [What size should the picture be?](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/phone-case-collage-ideas#what-size-should-the-picture-be)
5. [What other guides suggest](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/phone-case-collage-ideas#what-other-guides-suggest)
6. [Tips for a collage that works](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/phone-case-collage-ideas#tips-for-a-collage-that-works)
7. [Questions](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/phone-case-collage-ideas#questions)
8. [Sources](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/phone-case-collage-ideas#sources)

## 10 collage ideas

1. **Photo grid.** Four to nine small photos in a tidy grid. Works for a trip, a year or a friend group.
2. **Photo-booth strip.** Three or four stacked photos in black and white, down one side.
3. **Polaroid scatter.** Photos with white borders at slight angles on a plain colour.
4. **Ticket scrapbook.** Real tickets, receipts and wristbands on a printed paper-texture background.
5. **Mood board.** Colours, textures and cut-out words around one favourite picture.
6. **Magazine cut-outs.** Words and pictures cut from magazines and glued onto a plain insert.
7. **Travel map.** A [vintage map](https://phonecaseinserts.com/ideas/aesthetic) printed as the background, with small photos from each place.
8. **Photocards.** Many photocards are about 55 × 85 mm (one guide’s figure; sizes vary), so one should fit on most phone inserts with room for a coloured background. Measure your own card first.
9. **Pressed flowers and photos.** A [cottagecore](https://phonecaseinserts.com/ideas/cottagecore) background with a dry, flat flower beside a photo.
10. **Pet or kid gallery.** One big photo with three small ones below, all in the same colour tone.

## Four layouts to copy

Think of the insert as a tall rectangle with a camera corner. These four layouts leave the camera corner clear and use the long shape of the phone.

Diagram: four collage layouts on a 71.5 × 149.6 mm insert. The dashed square is the camera cutout.

## Two ways to make it

### Route A: print one combined picture

1. **Get the size.** Open the [insert maker](https://phonecaseinserts.com/create) and choose your phone, or look up the size on the [size table](https://phonecaseinserts.com/phone-case-insert-size).
2. **Combine your photos** into a single tall picture in any photo or collage app. Aim for the shape of your insert: about 1 wide to 2.1 high.
3. **Upload it** in the [photo insert maker](https://phonecaseinserts.com/photo-phone-case-insert), check that nothing important sits under the camera window, and download the PDF.
4. **Print at 100%** on photo paper. [How to print at true size](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/print-phone-case-insert-at-100-percent).

### Route B: glue real items onto a printed base

1. Print a plain or patterned [design](https://phonecaseinserts.com/ideas) as the base.
2. Arrange photos, tickets or paper scraps on it. Use a glue stick, not wet glue, so the paper does not wrinkle.
3. Cut the outline and the [camera window](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/how-to-cut-the-camera-hole), then test it in the case.

## What size should the picture be?

A bigger print needs more pixels: multiply the size in inches by the dots per inch. At 300 dpi the result is sharp; 200 dpi is acceptable for a collage viewed at arm’s length.

| Insert (71.5 × 149.6 mm) | Pixels |
| --- | --- |
| Sharp print, 300 dpi | about 845 × 1,770 |
| Good enough, 200 dpi | about 565 × 1,180 |
| Width of each photo in a two-column grid (300 dpi) | about 400 pixels |

Other phones differ slightly; the maker shows the exact size. A 12-megapixel phone photo is far larger than any of these once it is cropped.

Small framed pictures, a ticket stub, a glue stick and scissors around a dark phone shape

Illustration: materials for a glued collage.

## What other guides suggest

Case-Mate’s guide to decorating a clear case says smaller vertical photo prints work best because they match the phone’s shape, suggests cropping a photo to size and printing it cheaply, and lists maps and art prints as alternatives to photos (use public-domain art or your own to avoid copyright problems). ([Case-Mate](https://case-mate.com/blogs/case-mate-blog/how-to-decorate-a-clear-phone-case).) Casely adds that you do not need glue for a photo between the case and the phone, which makes it easy to change. ([Casely](https://www.getcasely.com/blogs/a/how-to-decorate-clear-phone-case).)

## Tips for a collage that works

- Keep faces and key details out of the camera corner. The maker shows the camera window while you place a photo.
- Use one colour theme or one filter on every photo. Mixed styles look messy at phone size.
- Keep glued items thin and flat. Anything thick makes the case bulge.
- Make a second copy of the base print. If a glued collage goes wrong, you can start again.
- Use photos you took or have permission to use.

## Questions

Can I put several photos on one insert in the maker?

The maker places one picture per insert today. For a grid, combine the photos into one image first, then upload it. The maker has no built-in collage tool yet.

What size should a collage picture be?

Make it taller than wide, about 1 : 2.1 in shape, and at least about 845 × 1,770 pixels for a sharp print at 300 dpi.

Will glued items damage my phone?

Not if they stay flat and dry. Do not stick anything directly to the phone; keep it all on the paper insert.

Can I use a real photocard?

Yes. Many photocards are about 55 × 85 mm (one guide’s figure; sizes vary), so measure yours. Keep it below the camera area.

Which paper is best for a photo collage?

Photo paper for printed collages. See [the paper guide](https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/best-paper-for-phone-case-inserts).

**What this guide does not cover**We have not tested every layout. Pixel sizes are calculated from the insert size and dpi, not measured on a printer. The maker has no built-in collage tool.

## Sources

1. [Case-Mate: How to decorate a clear phone case](https://case-mate.com/blogs/case-mate-blog/how-to-decorate-a-clear-phone-case) (photographs, maps, art, pressed flowers).
2. [Casely: How to decorate a clear phone case](https://www.getcasely.com/blogs/a/how-to-decorate-clear-phone-case) (photos need no glue).
3. [Kittl: DIY photocards](https://www.kittl.com/blogs/diy-k-pop-photocards/) (standard photocard size).

## More guides

### How to make a phone case insert

Five steps from template to finished insert.

### How to print a phone case insert at 100%

The print settings that keep the insert true size.

### Best paper for phone case inserts

Plain, photo or card: what fits and what looks best.

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Source: https://phonecaseinserts.com/diy/phone-case-collage-ideas
Agent index: https://phonecaseinserts.com/llms.txt