[Tex/LaTex] How to make grid of pictures span across entire page

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I am writing a paper that has a template which runs text down two columns. I have a 2×3 (2 wide, 3 tall) grid of images that currently are contained in one column. I'd like to make it a 3×2 grid that spans across both column while also making the images bigger.

My current code is:

\begin{figure}[ht]
\centering
\subfigure[Total/Avg]{
  \label{fig:Total_scatter}
  \includegraphics[width=0.49\columnwidth]{images/Total_scatter}
}%
\subfigure[Num/Avg]{
  \label{fig:Num_scatter}
  \includegraphics[width=0.49\columnwidth]{images/Num_scatter}
}
\subfigure[Raw/Avg]{
  \label{fig:Raw_scatter}
  \includegraphics[width=0.49\columnwidth]{images/Raw_scatter}
}%
\subfigure[Num/Raw]{
  \label{fig:Num_Raw_scatter}
  \includegraphics[width=0.49\columnwidth]{images/Num_Raw_scatter}
}
\subfigure[Total/Raw]{
  \label{fig:Total_Raw_scatter}
  \includegraphics[width=0.49\columnwidth]{images/Total_Raw_scatter}
}%
\subfigure[Num/Total]{
  \label{fig:Num_Total_scatter}
  \includegraphics[width=0.49\columnwidth]{images/Num_Total_scatter}
}%
\caption{Scatter plots of 6 pics.}%
\label{fig:Scatter}
\end{figure}

I'm unsure where the size of the image is, or is it put to scale to conform to the space given (and thus dynamically change as space is available/

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT

The below two answers got me almost there, except that the text I have in the neighboring column is not wrapping around the expanded figures now. And I apologize for not listing the class file – I'm new to Tex and taking over a document. I'm using the sig-alternate.cls file found here: acm.org/sigs/publications/proceedings-templates

Best Answer

You mention working with a two-column setup, and that whereas you currently have the entire figure environment take up the width of one column, you'd really like to have it occupy the width of the entire text block, i.e., both columns. For that, you need to switch to the figure* environment. A starred float environment always has to show up at the top of a page; hence, omit the [ht] location specifier.

Furthermore, because you want three subfigures per (now much wider) row, you should switch the width of each subfigure from 0.49\columnwidth to something like 0.31\textwidth. And, use \hspace*{\fill} to push the subfigures out to the margins, i.e., to make them take up the entire textblock. Finally, use comment symbols (%) at various line ends within each subfigure to avoid introducing spurious spaces.

The following image shows the effect of implementing these suggestions:

enter image description here

\documentclass[twocolumn]{article}
\usepackage[demo]{graphicx} % omit 'demo' option in real document
\usepackage{subfigure}
\usepackage{lipsum} % for filler text
\begin{document}
\lipsum[1-3] % start with some filler text

\begin{figure*}%
%% first three subfigures
\subfigure[Total/Avg]{%
  \label{fig:Total_scatter}%
  \includegraphics[width=0.31\textwidth]{images/Total_scatter}%
}%
\hspace*{\fill}
\subfigure[Num/Avg]{
  \label{fig:Num_scatter}%
  \includegraphics[width=0.31\textwidth]{images/Num_scatter}%
}%
\hspace*{\fill}
\subfigure[Raw/Avg]{
  \label{fig:Raw_scatter}%
  \includegraphics[width=0.31\textwidth]{images/Raw_scatter}%
}

%% second group of subfigures
\subfigure[Num/Raw]{%
  \label{fig:Num_Raw_scatter}%
  \includegraphics[width=0.31\textwidth]{images/Num_Raw_scatter}%
}%
\hspace*{\fill}
\subfigure[Total/Raw]{
  \label{fig:Total_Raw_scatter}%
  \includegraphics[width=0.31\textwidth]{images/Total_Raw_scatter}%
}%
\hspace*{\fill}
\subfigure[Num/Total]{
  \label{fig:Num_Total_scatter}%
  \includegraphics[width=0.31\textwidth]{images/Num_Total_scatter}%
}
\caption{Scatter plots of 6 pics.}\label{fig:Scatter}
\end{figure*}

\lipsum[4-10] % more filler text
\end{document}
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