How to Create a Contact Sheet in CS4, CS5, and probably CS6 Through Adobe Bridge—With Thanks to
Michael Fry, Digital Art Instructor at West Loop Campus, Fall 2010
Throughout the semester you are asked to create Contact Sheets to document your Image
Resource Library (IRL). A Contact Sheet shows thumbnail pictures of the files in your IRL. By creating a
Contact Sheet, you will not have to print full-sized proofs of all your files-only when requested. Follow
the directions below after watching the demonstration.







Open Adobe Bridge.
Select the Essentials Workspace in the Drop Down menu on the upper right.
In the left column under Favorites,
o Select the Desktop or the USB Drive where you moved IRL Folders of images to be made into
Contact Sheets—Drawings, Scans, Scanograms, Photos??.
o Under Contents Tab, select a folder and view the images in that folder.
o Preview column shows enlarged version of selections. Choose up to 16 images.
To decide how the images will appear on the Contact Sheet, Go to the Workspace Tab. Select Output.
o Under Output, choose PDF.
o Beside Template, choose Custom.
o Under Document, in Page Preset, choose US Paper OR Custom
o US Paper is auto Letter size-8.5 x 11” (For Custom, open Size TAB. Type 8” wide x 10” tall.)
 Select Vertical/Portrait
 Select 150 ppi Quality
 Select White as background color
 You are finished in this drop down. Minimize Document.
o Go to Layout-Select Image Placement – horizontally or vertically
 Select 4 columns across and 4 rows down
 No Use Auto-spacing
 No Rotate for Best Fit
 No Repeat 1 photo per page
 Minimize Layout drop down.
o Go to Overlay and Select Text
 Check Filename and Extension. You want those.
 Font: Arial Regular
 Size: 9 Pt
 Black type
 No page numbers needed if you don’t want them.
 Minimize Overlays drop down menu.
o Go to Header Drop Down Menu
 Add Header-select Right, Center, or Left from drop down
 In Text, type the title of your contact sheet (drawings, photos, etc.)
 Font: Arial Regular
Size: 11 or 12 Point
Color: Black
 Distance: default
 Divider: none
 Minimize header drop down menu.
o Footer: None
o Playback: Check Open in Full Screen
 Close Playback drop down menu.
o Click on View PDF After Save
o Select Images—
 click mouse on 1st & last image while holding Shift key-all in between will be selected OR
 Click mouse on 1st image and random images while holding down CTRL key
Refresh Preview (View PDF under Playback) in Upper Right to see how Contact Sheet looks.
When satisfied with the Contact Sheet, Scroll to bottom right to click on Save button.
o Give it a Title.
o Designate where it will be saved (Desktop and USB)
o Save it with a recognizable title.
Print the Contact Sheet. You can create several contact sheets and then print them. They may be
printed on campus or at home. However, they must be printed. They may be printed 2 sided at home.
Another option that works on some older versions of PhotoShop is the following:
1. In PhotoShop, select the drop down File menu.
2. Scroll down the menu to the Automate function.
3. Click on Automate.
4. Scroll down the menu to the Contact Sheet 2 function.
5. Click on Contact Sheet.
6. To select a file, click on Browse.
7. Find the folder you want to print.
8. Go to the Page Set up. Select 4 across and 4 down. (see demo)
9. For Resolution, select 150 ppi.
10. Near the bottom of the menu, select the size of the font for the titles, 10-12
point. You may also select the font style.
11. Select the sort option and wait while the pages load.
12. Print one copy of each page.
13. If you want to save the document, save it with the project with which it goes. Each page must be saved
separately.
14. If you don’t want to save the Contact Sheet, simply close it.
15. Insert contact sheets with the correct project in the Portfolio.