HOW TO: what is all this? where do I begin?

This tutorial is for anyone who has wanted to try digital scrapbooking, but just doesn't know where to begin, or even what it is. It can definitely be overwhelming at first. I created this in honor of my friends who have so sweetly supported me from the beginning, and now want to give this whole digi-scrapping thing a try =). (Hi ladies!)

Before we begin, we need to address the general idea of digital scrapbooking. It's just like traditional scrapbooking, only everything is in the computer. There is nothing tangible until you actually print it out, just like you would a photo. Most people save up their layouts and print them all together in a photo book from a source like Shutterfly or My Publisher. When you purchase a digital kit, it comes with various papers and elements (frames, stickers, clips, etc.) just like a traditional scrapbooking kit would. You then have to use a program like photoshop to manipulate the things in the kit. In traditional scrapbooking, you would be cutting paper, gluing bits and pieces on your page, and journaling by hand. With digital scrapbooking this is all done in the computer. (No mess! I LOVE it!!!) If you purchase a quick page, the work is all done for you. All you need to do is add your photo. If you purchase a template, the layout is done for you, however you get to choose which papers and elements you want to use.

Now that you have a basic understanding of how this works, you will need a photo manipulation program like Photoshop Elements, or Photoshop CS. I use Photoshop CS2 when creating my layouts. Second, you need to realize that there is a lot to learn about Photoshop (I honestly don't think one person can learn it all), but if you take it a step at a time, you will be surprised at how quickly you can improve. You also need to be patient with yourself and just keep trying. With each layout you will learn something new, and before you know it, you'll be a pro.

With that being said, the first step in any layout is opening a new document. Go to File and click on New. This is what should pop up on your screen. You can adjust the size, depending on the kind of layout you wish to work with. I like to create layouts that are 12" x 12". You can also choose 8" x 10" or any other standard photo size. The resolution must be set to 300 dpi. This will ensure the proper quality when the page is printed. Keep all of the other settings the same as the image below.


Next, we want to save our document. Go to File, then click on Save. Rename your document and save it as a .psd file.


Now go to File, click on Open, and open up the file for the paper that you wish to use on the background. Now, make sure your 'move tool' is activated. You can either click on the arrowhead at the top, right corner of your tool palette, or you can press 'shift' + 'v'. Once this tool is activated, click on the paper and drag it into your layout. You can continue using the move tool to position your paper on your layout.


Now, go to File and click on Open once more. Select the photo that you want to use for your layout. Again, using the 'move tool' click on the photo and drag it onto your layout.


At this point, I think it would be good to discuss 'layers' and 'resizing'. When you create a document in photoshop, you are basically creating a bunch of layers and putting them on top of one another to create a final layout. If your 'layer' palette is not open, go to the menu bar at the top, click on 'window', then click on 'layers'. A box should pop up on your screen. This box keeps track of all the layers in your document, and allows you to rearrange them as needed. In my layout below, you can see I have the background layer on the bottom, followed by my paper (layer 1), ending with my photo (layer 2) on top. You can only manipulate the layer that is active. For example, below you can see that Layer 2 is highlighted (active). I can only work with Layer 2 at this point. If I needed to adjust the paper, I would have to activate (click on) layer 1 first, since that is my paper layer. If I were to click on Layer 1 in the Layers box, and drag it above Layer 2, I would no longer be able to see my photo because the paper would be on top of it. Everything that you add to your layout becomes a new layer.

Now on to resizing. Let's say you want to resize the photo that you dragged onto your layout to make it smaller. First make sure the layer with your photo is active, in the case of our sample, Layer 2. Go to the Edit tab, and click on "free transform". Or you can just push 'ctrl' + 't'. This is the shortcut. Photoshop has a shortcut for everything, but ask me if I know even 5...hahaha. Once you do this, little squares should appear at the corners and sides of your photo. If you click and pull on one of the squares, you can resize your image. Now, if you don't want to distort your image, hold down the 'shift' key while you pull on the square. Doing this will keep your image proportional.

I think I should also mention the 'history' palette at this point. This will become your best friend. To open this palette, go to the 'window' tab and click on 'history'. The history palette keeps track of every move you make when creating your layout. If you don't like something that you've done, you can go to your 'history' palette, and click on a previous step in your work.


Now we will frame our picture. Go to the 'File' tab and click on 'Open'. Find the file for a frame that you want to use and open it. Again, using the 'move tool', click on the frame and drag it onto your layout.


Now play around with resizing your frame and your picture until you get both to the size that you want them. Don't worry about the part of the photo that goes beyond the frame. Just pay attention to the image inside the frame. Remember, to resize, activate the layer you want to work with, and press 'ctrl'+'t'. Hold down the 'shift' key and drag one of the squares on the corner to resize your image.


Now we are going to get rid of the part of the photo that we don't need. There are a variety of 'correct' ways to do this, but I am going to show you a quick and easy method that works. I don't want to overwhelm you too much with this first tutorial =). We are basically going to erase the part of the photo that we don't need. To do this, first make sure the photo layer is activated. Then go to your tool palette and click on the eraser tool. At the top of your screen, you should see the word 'Brush' with a picture and a drop down arrow next to it. Click on the arrow and select one of the round brushes. Then adjust the 'master diameter'. In the sample, I set it to 200 px. Set the hardness to 100%. Once you drag your mouse over your layout, you will be able to see how large your brush is. You can always continuing adjusting it until you get a size that will allow you to comfortably erase the extra part of your photo. Once you have your brush, click and drag it over your photo to erase. Erase away any part of the photo that you don't want to show.


Lastly, we will add some text. Go to your tool palette and click on the text tool (the capital T). Now we need to open your character palette. This is the box that allows you to adjust your text (font, font size, kerning, etc.). To open this palette, go to the 'Window' tab and click on 'Character'. A small box should pop up. Select the font you want to use, and the size you need. Don't worry, this can always be re-adjusted after you type. Click your mouse on the part of your layout that you want the text to appear. Type your title, or some journaling. Now, if you need to adjust your text, click on the 'move tool' once again and make sure the text layer is activated. Now you can go to your character palette and make adjustments. You can also use your 'move tool' to move the text to where you want it to be.


Ok, so those are the bare bones basics to creating a layout. Below are some of the basic tools that I use often when I work. I will give you a brief description of each. The key to improving your scrapping is to not be afraid to explore. Unlike traditional scrapbooking, everything (as long as it's saved) can be undone. So try, try, and try again! Happy Scrapping!

1. move tool
2. paint brush tool
3. eraser tool
4. text tool
5. eyedropper tool (when you use this and click your mouse on an object, your paint tray will fill up with the color of the object you clicked on.
6. cropping tool
7. font
8. font size
9. spacing between lines
10. spacing between characters
11. width of characters
12. height of characters

Getting hooked on Digital scrapbooking. These basics sure is helping me a lot in creating my layouts.