Free Contact Sheet & Thumbnail Grid Maker

What is the Contact Sheet & Thumbnail Grid Maker?

The Thumbnail Grid Maker is a focused canvas tool that takes any number of uploaded images, arranges them into a uniform grid at your chosen column count and thumbnail size, optionally labels each thumbnail with its filename and adds a sheet title, then exports the whole sheet as a single high-resolution PNG. Everything runs in your browser using the HTML5 Canvas API — your photos never leave your device.

Key features

• Unlimited image uploads (limited only by browser memory)
• Adjustable column count from 2 to 8
• Thumbnail size from 120 to 500 pixels
• Independent gap and padding controls
• Optional sheet title in the top-left
• Per-thumbnail filename labels with auto-truncation
• Custom background colour and label colour
• Live preview that scales to fit the viewport
• Single-file PNG export at exact full resolution
• 100% client-side — your photos never leave your browser

How it works

Each uploaded image is decoded in the browser into an in-memory HTMLImageElement and added to the grid list in upload order. The canvas dimensions are calculated from the column count, thumbnail size, gap, padding and number of images: canvas width = padding × 2 + columns × thumbnail + (columns − 1) × gap; canvas height = padding × 2 + (rows × cell height) + (rows − 1) × gap, where cell height includes the optional label area. Each thumbnail position is calculated from its index (column = index modulo columns; row = floor(index / columns)). Inside each cell, the source image is cover-fit (scaled to fill the cell, with overflow clipped) so portrait and landscape sources share the same uniform grid. A subtle 1px border is drawn to define each cell visually. When filename labels are enabled, each label is typeset directly below its thumbnail in DM Sans, auto-truncated with an ellipsis if it exceeds the thumbnail width. The optional sheet title is typeset in Space Grotesk Bold in the top-left. Export renders the canvas at full resolution (not the scaled-down preview) and serialises to a single PNG via toBlob(). The resulting file is one printable sheet — no PDF, no zip, no multi-file output.

Why use this tool

Most contact-sheet generators are either bundled inside Adobe Lightroom, require a paid subscription, or upload your photos to a third-party server. PikDraw is none of those: every image stays in your browser, every column / size / gap / padding option is free, every export is unwatermarked, and there's no signup or daily limit. The tool is intentionally focused — no creative-suite bloat, just the one job done well.

Common use cases

• Photographer proof sheets for client review
• Wedding, event and portrait shoot archival contact sheets
• Designer moodboards and reference grids
• Screenshot indexes for documentation and tutorials
• Icon-set and illustration-pack previews
• Product-shot grids for e-commerce shoot reviews
• Document-page thumbnail indexes
• Project handoff cover sheets summarising deliverables visually

How to use this tool

1. Upload your images — Drop in any number of photos at once — the tool accepts every common image format (JPG, PNG, WEBP, GIF, BMP). Each image is decoded in your browser and added to the grid in upload order. Reordering by re-uploading is the fastest workflow for a custom sequence.
2. Choose a column count — Pick between 2 and 8 columns. Photographers traditionally use 4 or 5 columns for proof sheets; editorial layouts work well at 3; full-bleed wall prints suit 2. The row count is calculated automatically based on the number of images and the chosen column count.
3. Tune thumbnail size — The thumbnail-size slider runs from 120 to 500 pixels — at 300 each photo prints crisply on letter / A4 paper, at 500 you get a high-impact wall sheet. Larger thumbnails increase the export file size; the live size readout updates instantly.
4. Set gap and padding — The gap slider controls the space between thumbnails (0–60 px). The padding slider controls the white space at the edges (0–120 px). Gallery sheets look best with generous padding; proof sheets pack tight.
5. Style the labels and title — Add a sheet title (shoot date, client name, project) and toggle filename labels per thumbnail. Tune label colour and size to match your brand. Filenames are auto-truncated with an ellipsis if they overflow the thumbnail width.
6. Export a single PNG — Hit Download PNG. The whole sheet renders at full resolution into a single PNG file — perfect for printing, archival, email proofing, or pasting into a project deck.

Who should use this

Photographers building client proof sheets, designers assembling moodboards from screenshot libraries, archivists creating visual indexes for shoots and projects, documentation maintainers building screenshot grids for tutorials, e-commerce sellers reviewing batch product shoots, and anyone who needs many images on a single printable or screen-shareable sheet.

How to get started

Upload a folder of images, set the column count to 4, leave the defaults, and hit Download PNG. The first export usually takes a second or two depending on image count and thumbnail size.

Best practices

• Name source files in shoot order before upload — the grid follows upload order exactly
• Use 4 columns at 300 px thumbnails for an A4 / letter proof sheet
• Use 2 columns at 500 px thumbnails for a high-impact gallery wall sheet
• Add a sheet title with the shoot date or client name for archival clarity
• Use a dark background with white labels for gallery sheets, white background with charcoal labels for proof sheets
• Split very large shoots (500+ images) into multiple sheets by day or scene for readability

Pro tips

• Name your source files in shoot order before uploading — the grid follows upload order exactly.
• Use 4 columns at 300 px thumbnails for a one-page A4 / letter proof sheet.
• Use 2 columns at 500 px thumbnails for a high-impact gallery wall sheet.
• Keep gaps small (8–12 px) for proof sheets and large (24–40 px) for gallery sheets.
• Use a dark background with white labels for a moody gallery look; white with charcoal labels for a clean proof sheet.

Expert insights

Limitations to be aware of

• No drag-to-reorder inside the tool — re-upload in the desired order, or prefix filenames with sort numbers
• Uniform grid only — no masonry or varied-aspect layout (those use the Collage Maker instead)
• Single PNG export — for a multi-page PDF proof book, export each page separately and merge with the PDF Merger
• Filename labels are auto-truncated with an ellipsis when they overflow the thumbnail width

Frequently asked questions

What is a contact sheet?

A contact sheet (also called a thumbnail grid or proof sheet) is a single image that shows many photos laid out in a grid — usually with filenames or index numbers underneath. Photographers use them as proofs for clients, archivists use them as visual indexes, and designers use them as moodboards. PikDraw's Thumbnail Grid Maker builds one from any number of source images in your browser.

How many images can I add to a sheet?

There's no hard limit — the practical limit is your browser's memory. Hundreds of images at 300 px thumbnails usually render without issue on a modern laptop. If you're working with thousands, split into multiple sheets (e.g. one per day or per shoot) for readability and faster rendering.

Can I reorder the images?

Yes — the grid renders in upload order, so the simplest reorder workflow is to re-upload in the order you want. For more granular reordering, name your source files with leading numbers (01-name.jpg, 02-name.jpg) so they sort correctly before upload.

What size is the exported sheet?

The export size scales with column count, thumbnail size, gap and padding. A 4-column sheet of 12 images at 300 px thumbnails with 20 px gap and 40 px padding exports at roughly 1380 × 1140 px. The size readout below the preview shows you the exact dimensions before you export.

Does this work for non-photo uses?

Yes — the Thumbnail Grid Maker works equally well for screenshot indexes, icon-set previews, product-shot grids, document-page previews and any other case where you want many images visible at once on a single page.

Will the labels be readable on small thumbnails?

Filenames are auto-truncated with an ellipsis so they always fit within the thumbnail width. For very small thumbnails (under 180 px), consider turning labels off entirely and relying on the visual grid alone.

Does PikDraw upload my photos anywhere?

No. Every image stays in your browser — the file is decoded into an in-memory HTMLImageElement and drawn onto the canvas. Nothing is uploaded to a server, there's no signup, no watermark, and no daily limit.

Can I print the exported sheet?

Yes — export as PNG and print at 100% or fit-to-page from your usual print dialog. For a one-page A4 proof sheet, 4 columns at 300 px thumbnails usually fits perfectly. For an A3 sheet, bump to 5 columns at 350 px.