Originally Posted by
pcfoo 
Photoshop is not the ideal tool for this kind of graphics (try downloading Illustrator CS2 from adobe.com - it is free), but it is doable anyways.
Whenever you select an image, a shape or w/e in Adobe PS and AI, you will see a little "reticle", roughly in the geometric center of the rectangle that inscribes it.
This "reticle" is the pivot point, the center around which rotation transformation/edits will happen.
Quick example (I used shapes, but it will be the same with rasterized stuff also).
- Create your background (a black circle, with the name "background" in my attached image.
- Place the shapes/bitmaps you want to arrange. I drew a simple oval shape, duplicated it 6 times and gave them different, punchy colors to make it clear.
- Draw a couple of guides to help you be consistent.
- Select each shape/layer, find the pivot and left-click drag and drop it on the desired center of rotation around which your circular array will happen
- Holding down shift snaps it to 15 deg increments (default, can be changed). You can do random spacing, snap to defaults, or do some math dividing the 360 deg in a full circle with the number of elements you want to form a complete circle, then input the rotation numerically.
- When satisfied with the position of the 1st, click the tick button to confirm, select the next layer and keep going
- Think you can push it further now
1500th rant post...woo hoo
