How to Make a Hockney Joiner: Step-by-Step (Phone, Tablet, iPad or Computer)

By Balkose Studio · Updated 31 August 2026 · 7 min read

A Hockney joiner is a single picture built from many overlapping photographs of one scene. The overlaps and small shifts between frames are kept on purpose — that fragmented, shifting look is the whole point. Here's how to make one from start to finish.

What you need

Just two things:

• Any device with a modern browser — a phone, an Android tablet, an iPad, a laptop or a desktop computer all work. Scatter runs in the browser, so there's nothing to install.
• Several photos of one scene. You can shoot them now, or use photos already in your gallery.

1. Shoot overlapping frames

Pick one scene — a face, a room, a street, a landscape — and photograph it as many separate shots, moving the camera a little between each. Pan left to right, tilt up and down, and step in close for the important details. Aim for generous overlap between neighbouring frames; you want more than you think you'll need.

Any camera works — Hockney used a Polaroid, but a phone is perfect. If you're using photos you already have, a burst or a set taken around the same moment works well too.

2. Open Scatter and add your photos

Go to scatterphoto.com in your browser. There's no download and no account.

• On a computer (laptop/desktop): drag your photos straight onto the canvas, or use the add button to pick them.
• On a phone, tablet or iPad: tap to add, then choose photos from your camera roll (or take one on the spot).

Tip: you can add a few photos, start arranging, and keep adding more as you go.

3. Overlap and arrange

This is where the joiner comes to life. Move, scale and rotate each photo so the edges overlap and don't line up perfectly. Let a doorway or horizon break slightly between tiles — those mismatches are the effect.

• On a computer: click to select, drag to move, use the handles to resize and rotate.
• On a touchscreen (phone/tablet/iPad): drag with one finger, pinch to scale, and twist to rotate. On iPad, an Apple Pencil makes fine placement even easier.

Work from a few anchor frames outward, and don't be too tidy — small rotations keep it hand-made. You can also crop, slice or mirror individual photos to fit.

4. Add text (optional)

Want a title, a date or a caption? Add a styled text layer, pick a font, colour and preset, and position it anywhere on the canvas. It's optional, but a small caption can make a joiner feel finished.

5. Export and share

When you're happy, export a high-resolution PNG:

• On a computer: it downloads to your Downloads folder, ready to print or post.
• On a phone, tablet or iPad: the share sheet opens so you can save it to your photos or send it straight to a chat or social app.

Scatter is free with a small watermark; a one-time $19 Pro (no subscription) removes the watermark and unlocks full-resolution export on every device you own.

Phone vs. tablet vs. computer — which is best?

All of them work; it depends on what you're doing:

• Phone — fastest for shooting and sharing on the go. Great for quick joiners.
• Tablet / iPad — a bigger touch canvas, more room to arrange many photos, and Apple Pencil precision on iPad.
• Laptop / desktop — the most screen space and the finest control with a mouse or trackpad, ideal for dense joiners with lots of overlapping frames.

Because Scatter runs in the browser and saves projects on-device, you can start on one and keep the habit wherever you are.

Frequently asked questions