Getting Started Digital Scrapping
Getting started digital scrapping can be a scary thing, but it's really not, it's very simple with lots of things that can make it seem harder, but you have to start off with baby steps and then move into more complicated things, once you get a handle of the program you are using.
First off, you will need a program to use, such as Adobe Photoshop Elements (download a trial at adobe.com)
Then, it would be helpful to have a kit to use (check out the freebie section below)
Download the trial and a free kit.
To download a kit, I've included a few screen shots, at the shabby princess.com, hers work a little different, so you click on the kit you want to download.
If you get a box like in the first image, just right click in that area and you'll see the download file.
So you should see this next.
Click download.
Then you'll see this.
Click Save
Where it says pictures, you can make another folder if you like, I keep all of my downloads in my Digi Scrapping Supplies folder until I move them.
Click Save and your download will start.
Once you've done that you're almost ready to go. If you check you're my pictures folder, you should see
You're going to want to right click on it and go to Extract All
Next you'll see this
Then Click Extract, when it's done you'll see something like this.
Double Click on the folder and then you'll see your kit.
This is all of the goodies that you'll start scrapbooking your first page with.
Creating Your First Page.
You'll go to programs and to Adobe Photoshop Elements. This screen will appear.
Select Edit.
You'll see this screen.
Go to File-New-Blank File
Then You'll see this
Under name you'll want to name it something, I put First Scrapbook Page for starters.
Then you'll want to change the width and height. I put 12x12 (inches) because that's what I scrap in and most kits are sized for that type page.
Resolution should be 300 and Color Mode should be RGB Color.
Click Ok.
Then you'll see this.
That white box is your page. Lets get started now.
Go to File-Open
Double click on your folder that has the kit in it. Here it's the Happy Go Lucky in the top left corner.
You might have to double click twice, because once inside, there might be another folder.
Then select your paper, I'm going to use the nice cream one.
Click on it and click Open
This is what you'll get once you click open. Now, I did grab the paper at the top in the gray area with my left click on the mouse and moved it to the right a little so I could see. Now you just click on the paper in the layers area to the right of the screen with the left click, hold it down and drag it to the white paper.
Now you can click the x on the paper that's not labeled first scrapbook page.
I'm going to go over another quick way to open papers, elements and photos. Instead of going to file, open everytime, just keep your pictures folder up at the same time. Click in pictures, grab the picture or file you want and just drag it into the program.
See how my pictures and elements are side by side? It makes it so much easier.
Now I've grabbed a picture to put in my layout. First thing I want to do is crop it. On the left hand side of the screen there is a tool palette, in the second column, 5 down is the crop tool.
See the red circle around it?
So, using your left click, select the crop too, then go in your picture, start on the left side and drag a box to the right, depending on how you want to crop it.
Click the crop button again and then you'll have this.
Notice the difference.
Now we'll want to resize the image so it'll fit on the paper.
Go to Image-Resize-Image Size
Once you click on the Image Size you'll get this window
Click in the box that says resample image, constrain proportions, scale styles, make sure all 3 boxes are checked.
Now you can adjust the pixel size.
An 4x6 is 1200 pixels (width) x 1800 (height) pixels. So, lets go in that range.
I made the height at 1800 pixels, all you need to do is pick one or the other, height or width, depending on what you choose it'll adjust it for you.
Then Click Ok.
Can you see how much smaller the pictures is than before.
Now you need to click on the arrow in the upper left corner so we can move the picture to your paper.
See where I drew the red box. That's the arrow you'll need.
And you just click in the layers like we did before with the paper and drag it over.
Notice how your paper now has 2 layers? That's how we start adding to your scrapbook page. We can drag these up or down, from side to side using that arrow key or clicking in the layers box.
Now I'm going to go get a flower from my kit, remember either go to file-open and find your file or just go to my pictures and drag the file over.
Now, drag it over or resize it if its too big. Lets see.
Looks perfect, you will have to resize sometimes.
And we just keep following the steps I listed above to add more things to your page.
Now, if there is something below your picture and you want it on top, just click on it in your layers and drag it up.
After you drag it.
See the difference?
Ok, so now you know how to get started on a page. Lets learn how to add text or words.
The "T" is what you click to get the text, click it and then click in your page where you want the words to be. The part on the page I circled is where my text will be and up top is the font type, and size of the text.
We have text, but we need to change the color
Select your text, click in the big color box on the left.
You'll see the select background color box. Click in it until you get the color you want and then click ok.
Click in your page and you'll get something like this.
Now, lets learn how to put some shadows on here to make it look more realistic.
On the right hand side you'll see effects and next to it you'll see a drop down menu, go to Drop Shadows.
Be sure you select one of your photos or elements to work with as in the photo below.
You'll see under effects I've also circled your drop shadows. Double Click on one and see if you like it.
I circled the one I used.
Do you notice the difference? Drop shadows are one of those tricky things that take a lot of time and practice. I've included some links to some awesome tutorial sites and I'm sure you can find more about drop shadows at these sites.
And finally lets save our page.
First you go to file- save as, then you'll get a screen like this.
Be sure you go to pictures, then you can save a layered file or a flattened file, (PSD or JPEG).
Unless you plan on going back to work on that page, I'd just save it as a JPEG. Or you can save a copy of each. If you want one of each first just hit save when your screen looks like this.
Then go back to file-save as
Use the drop down menu and select JPEG and click save.
And now you've scrapped your first page. Congratulations, you'll be hooked in no time.
Great Digital Scrapping Blogs
http://www.simplescrapper.com/
http://southernmamamisplaced.typepad.com/ (my blog, some links on it)
Tutorials to help you along
http://mistycatodesigns.blogspot.com/2007/05/index-of-tutorials.html
http://www.theshabbyshoppe.com/tutorials/software_tutorials.asp
http://www.scrapbit.com/tutorials/
http://www.scrapbit.com/2007/11/16/starting-digital-scrapbooking-in-pse/ (video showing you how to do a layout)
Great Freebie Sites
http://www.peppermintcreative.com/index.php?main_page=downloads
http://ikeagoddess.blogspot.com/
Some of My favorite Shopping Sites
http://sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/home.php
http://www.theshabbyshoppe.com/Scripts/homepage.asp
http://www.shabbypickledesigns.com/boutique/home.php
http://www.oscraps.com/shop/home.php
http://www.the-lilypad.com/store/home.php
http://www.peppermintcreative.com/index.php
http://www.somethingbluestudios.com/ (magnets)
Digital Scrapping Communities (not associated with stores)
Fonts
http://kevinandamanda.com/fonts/fontsforpeas/ (free)
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/fonts/
http://sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=7 (get a font of your handwriting)
Printing Sites
www.shutterfly.com (tons of things to do, great for sharing books online, most expensive)
www.artscow.com (cheap, ok quality, lots of free book offers, smaller book sizes, in Hong Kong)
www.viovio.com (cheap, great quality, not super simple to use, but worth it once you figure it out)
www.mpix.com (great for prints, pretty pricey)
http://www.scrapbookpictures.com/ (never used them, but I've heard good things about their prices)
Other things you can do with Digital Scrapping
Calendars
Hybrid Stuff
Coffee Mugs, (inserts)
Desktop backgrounds
Cookbooks
T-Shirts
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