Digital Scrapbook Layouts-How To Create Them

Digital Scrapbooking is scrapbooking with the use of a computer and a graphics program such as Paint Shop, to create scrapbookpages. You can also combine the two, by using the pc to create your basic scrapbookpages, then print them, and then further decorating them in the traditional scrapbook manner. Whichever way appeals to you.
When you do all of your scrapbooking 100% digitally, you save a lot of space in buying and storing materials. All you need is a working pc with Paint Shop to get started. And, if you want to print your scrapbook pages, you will need a good quality printer and acid-free paper.
However, you may want to save your pages to a CD. You might even want to have your completed scrapbook pages bound into a permanent book. Which also is a great idea for a birthday, Christmas or wedding gift! You can ofcourse start with digital kits, which are widely available. All you have to do is insert the photos and be done with it. But why not create your own layouts? This isn't so hard to do.
First you decide on the size of the card or sheet that you want to make. In Paint Shop you want to start with a new image with a size of 680 pixels width by 1000 pixels height. That will exactly fit on a A4-size sheet of paper. You need to alter this size if you are using a different size of paper!
You can use a color as background or, use whatever image you have stored on your computer. You may want to play around with this for a bit; using different kinds of images, changing the size of it, etc. Because it works with everything, I have compiled a lot of backgrounds that I can use in whatever design I am making.
Like mentioned before, you need to play around with this for a while, because not everything is suitable for use as background image, and some need to be resized so they fit better on your page.
We now have created a new sheet and included our background and you may want to save this to your computer for future use. Use these sheets to either insert your photos digitally, or use the backgrounds as such, print them and then paste photos and other embellishments on to it.
Composite Sheets as I create them, are sheets that have picture frames, as well as other decor, already inserted. Again, you will need Paint Shop to digitally insert your photos into the frames. Or going the traditional route; cut out the frame and then paste it over your photograph. Whatever you like, it is up to you! When you first save all digital files, you can print as many copies as you want. Make sure you also make a copy of your photo before you begin. Then it won't matter if you don't get it right the first time; you can always make another copy and start over!
You have a frame on your pc that you like for inserting pictures. Open this frame, then copy and paste it on the background sheet you have created before. You can use it once, or twice or as many times as there is space. You can also decide to resize it; larger or smaller, depending on the size of your photos. You can, if the frame allows, rotate it and paste it in another way on the sheet. Or use different frames on the same sheet. Just play around with this to get the feel of it.
You now have a sheet with a background and one or more frames pasted on it. Now we're going to insert the photos. You do this with each photo in all the frames on your sheet. You want to check that your photo is suitable for the frame(s) you have chosen; they sometimes will need resizing to make them fit better, or you need to cut out a portion of a photo for insertion in a frame.
You are almost done, because now we are going to decorate the sheet. For this you can print it out and then use real embellishments,or do it all digital. Now you can use the sheets with frames for whatever theme you like, be it holiday photos, baby photos, wedding photos etc.
Do you want to learn more about digital scrapbooking? Then get my FREE ebook: Digital Scrapbooking - How to Start Using Paint Shop at: http://info.creativitycorner.eu/CC0801.htm
Jeanny Stevens has taken her hobby to the next level at Creativity Corner. Get lots of ideas, tips, tricks and products for digital scrapbooking at: http://www.creativitycorner.eu/index.htm
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