Image processing method and apparatus, and storage medium

An image processing method for generating a mosaic image by combining a plurality of material images in a mosaic pattern, comprising:

• a division step, of dividing a original image into a plurality of areas;
• a calculation step, of calculating an average pixel value of each of the plurality of areas divided in said division step;
• a storage step, of storing the plurality of material images together;
• a material image generation step, of generating another material image on the basis of each of the plurality of stored material images;
• a selection step, of comparing the average pixel value calculated in said calculation step with the average pixel value of each of the plurality of another material images generated in said material image generation step and stored in memory means, and selecting a material image for each area, having an average pixel value which is closest to that of each of the plurality of areas;
• and
• a mosaic image generation step, of generating a mosaic image in which the another material images selected in said selection step are substituted for the plurality of areas.

A computer-readable storage medium, which stores a program for implementing an image processing method for generating a mosaic image by combining a plurality of material images in a mosaic pattern, said program comprising:

• code for a division step, of dividing an original image into a plurality of areas;
• code for a calculation step, of calculating an average pixel value of each of the plurality of areas divided in said division step;
• code for a storage step, of storing the plurality of material images together;
• code for a material image generation step, of generating another material image on the basis of each of the plurality of stored material images;
• code for a selection step, of comparing the average pixel value calculated in said calculation step with the average pixel value of each of the plurality of another material images generated in said material image generation step and stored in memory means and selecting a material image for each area, having an average pixel value which is closest to that of each of the plurality of areas;
• and
• code for a mosaic image generation step, of generating a mosaic image in which the plurality of another material images selected in said selection step are substituted for the plurality of areas.