Scrapbooking......a newbie

[bluepatthecat]

Hi everyone.

Since i have joined the village i have been intrigued by the amazing scrapbooking, and to be honest i fancy a go!. So here`s a few questions for you to ponder over.

1. where on earth do you all get your superb ideas.

2.where do you start, i would rather have a go using all my own work instead of downloading templates, is this too ambitious.

3. is there a tutorial somewhere that i can follow that advises me from blank canvas to finished item.

4. And finally what do you all do with your finished masterpieces, do you print them out to make a more tradional scrapbook.

I know i sound a little confused but i think that it`s such a great way of showcasing images that maybe wouldnt stand on there own...lol..lol..of which i have many believe me.

Many thanks for putting up with such a barrage of questions.

Dave

[Abby]

Hi everyone.

Since i have joined the village i have been intrigued by the amazing scrapbooking, and to be honest i fancy a go!. So here`s a few questions for you to ponder over.

1. where on earth do you all get your superb ideas.

2.where do you start, i would rather have a go using all my own work instead of downloading templates, is this too ambitious.

3. is there a tutorial somewhere that i can follow that advises me from blank canvas to finished item.

4. And finally what do you all do with your finished masterpieces, do you print them out to make a more tradional scrapbook.

I know i sound a little confused but i think that it`s such a great way of showcasing images that maybe wouldnt stand on there own...lol..lol..of which i have many believe me.

Many thanks for putting up with such a barrage of questions.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Glad you asked! Can't get answers if you don't ask questions, right?

Where to get ideas:
There are tons of places to view others' scrapbook pages. Many scrapbook sites have forums and galleries (similar to the gallery here) where you can see other people's work. Many also have tutorials available to teach you how to make the various things you need. Just search on scrapbooking and we'll see you in a month or two when you finish checking out the sites :)

Where do you start:
Online you'll find bazillions of sites with Photoshop tutorials (many of them work in Elements also) that tell you how to create background paper, how to make embellishments, how to create a scrapbook page and on and on.

Blank to finished page:
One site that has a free downloadable "getting started" book is Scrap Girls. They also have a free kit that includes papers, embellishments and stuff. These could be helpful to you as you could see what you're goal is and maybe give you ideas on how to achieve that goal. For instance saving a file as a png file leaves you with a transparent background so when you place that file in another file it doesn't bring a background with it.

What to do with finished project:
I print mine and put them in scrapbooks. You can also frame them and hang them if that suits you. You could make a slideshow and run it on your computer or burn it to a DVD and show it on your TV. I'm sure there are other ideas too.

Good luck to you and be sure and write again if you need more ideas!

[photoshopsusieq]

Hi Dave and welcome to the forum,

There's tons of information available on digital scrapbooking. To add to Abby's response, you might also check out some of the gazillion templates available on the Internet. They're a great jumping off point for beginners and, well, sometimes we old digi-scrappers like them too!

Templates have the basic design started and then you just keep adding to it. A little or a lot... it's up to you. I post a new FREE Layered Sketch Template every Tuesday. This week's is available in this thread (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35217).

[Wendy]

Hi Dave ...

... and welcome to the Village :)

I guess that a lot depends on how experienced you are using Elements ... but you won't find things too difficult to follow ..

Wendy

[cats4jan]

Just jump in...

Almost all scrapbook stuff is based on 12x12 - 300 resolution -
so start with a new canvas (control N) with these parameters:
12x12 - 300 resolution - transparent background - RGB

Then open a few photos and fix them up - crop them to various sizes - and drag/drop them or copy/paste them on your new canvas.

Move them around - resize them - see how they work with each other

Then open a new layer and color it with the paint bucket - make it your bottom layer - and you have a background

There you have it - the beginnings of a page.

Where you go from there is a million different directions

The background needs some texture - the photos needs some styles or frames or bevels -

And then you need some text.

My first "scrapbook pages" (I didn't actually know about digi-scrapping then) were collages of photos - cropped with a small feathering - with text on a white background

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p103/cats4jan/150-Collage-7.jpg

My second foray into digi-scrapping was:

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p103/cats4jan/150-Our-Last-Photo-Shoot.jpg

Not very inventive or artistic - but a start

Good luck with your new addiction

[Abby]

I found this page which I think you'd find helpful. It contains lots of information and will help you create your first page. Please let us see what you come up with!

Creating Your First Digital Scrapbook Page (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/university/tutorials/pse_firstlayout_ag/pse_firstlayout_ag.shtml)

[vawitt]

Great little site, Abby, thanks for sharing!

~Val in chilly IL

[cats4jan]

Abby - that's the best beginner's tutorial I've seen. Thanks for the link.

[cats4jan]

Your question about what one did with the pages - I think the answer varies from person to person.

Sometimes, I do nothing more than posting my page on a scrapbook website because sometimes I work on challenges - creating something I really don't care to print.

In the past, I hadn't printed much - but lately, I've started to print my favorite pages - at home - in 8x8
(In 8x8 because my printer won't do wide format - and I do prefer 8x8 to 12x12)

Some people create entire scrapbooks of an event and upload them to a site like Viovio/Shutterfly etc., and have books printed of their pages.

[Abby]

Glad you like that site and tutorial. Frankly, I just stumbled across it after I left the response to this question.

Another way to learn how to digitally scrapbook is to look for classes in your area. I took three adult school classes in PSE--two dealt with photo manipulation and one dealt with srapbooking. While there weren't a lot of guys in the scrapbook class there were some. I realize not every community offers this but it's worth looking into. And if your community doesn't there's an opportunity for you to learn it and teach the class!

[nkeevers]

I think everyone has just about answered all your questions. I only started scrapping about 6-8 months ago and it gets pretty addictive! I just jumped right in.

A lot of the sites have classes, beginner postings so you can get creative criticism and they all help you a lot. You can check their galleries out to see what everyone is creating and even scraplift something and try it out yourself.

I post mine a lot, some I print and frame, and have done an album for my parents. It depends on what you want to do.

Check out that tutorial and give it a whirl! We all started at the beginning too! If you have any questions or you get stuck, let us know.

[bluepatthecat]

Hi everyone.

Many thanks for the response that i recieved, i guess that i just need to get going and see what i come up with.

So standbye, i have one slowly simmering , and will be eager for your comments once it has boiled.

Thanks again everyone.

Dave

[lindylou50]

I started to digi-scrap a couple of years ago after seeing it on a scrapbooking and card-making site, there are lots of sites and tutorials available and honestly if I can do it anyone can, I had no knowledge of using a PC other than a glorified typewriter!!! I started with pse2 and am now working with pse5 I love it

[Grandemomo]

Where do you start? With a good graphics program! Then you collect freebies, and when you get as hooked as I am, you start buying kits, LOL!

I have a list as long as my arm for freebies! Many storefront sites are out there, and even more blogs are done by scrappers. I started using Google Reader to keep track of the updates on all my favorite scrapping sites. Freebies are important for those of us on a budget, and believe me, being on Social Security means you have a small budget! I'm into my 4th year of making scrappbooks. I do one for each year for my grandson, and he turns 4 this year. When I first started, my graphics program was..... tada, Word! Yep. I was a computer newbie and didn't know about graphics programs. I have cut my teeth and "grown up" with Microsoft's graphics programs, finishing with Image Pro, but it is no longer going to be around after next year. I now have PSE 5, and I am s l o w l y learning how to use it. I love PSE actions! I just learned how to work with templates yesterday, so maybe one day I'll improve, but I sure will miss the less fussy Image Pro.

Please keep adding to list of tuts that you find useful! Maybe we could get them all put into one place - that would be a really handy reference guide!

DSP is a great site; one of the oldest and best. I'd love to take their classes! Shabby Princess has some really nice starter kits, and Ikea Goddess publishes addresses of hundreds of freebies every day.

I not only scrap, but send that grandson a card I've made every single week, and my scrapping supplies are all wonderful for that! Today I also made a cute birthday gift box with scrapbook paper printed on cardstock!

[CarolLHB]

Dave-have fun-you really do need to jump right in. It is addicting, and I hesitated for a long time...I get a kick out of looking at my first and then my latest-

Just ask if you need advice, we all started somewhere!:)

[fit2walk]

Thanks for that site. I'm going to go play with it right now. I've been wading through a book on PSE6, but hands-on would be so much more helpful.

[cats4jan]

I found the tutorials at hummiesworld.com to be easy for beginning scrapbookers - and although the tutorials are written kinda generically - they seem to be based on Elements because in working with them - you learn how Elements functions.

I learned Elements using a digital scrapbooking book - but that book is no longer published. Another scrapbooking book that looks easy to follow is by Renee Pearson - I found it at Micheals and read through most of it and I think it will prove to be one of the best beginner scrapbook/Elements books.

See Pearson's book here - http://www.simplescrapbooksmag.com/shop/item.ihtml?idx=318

[fit2walk]

Thanks for the tips! I'll check out hummiesworld.com after I do the tutorial I printed out from Digital Scrapbook Place.

I bought a book called "Digital & Hybrid SBing & Cark-Making with PSE" by Patty Debowski, but I've spent over 100 pages reading about PSE but without doing a thing and I'm anxious to get started. I thought that online tutorials might jump start me.
I'll check out Pearson's book, but hesitate to spend more money after already buying Debowski's book.

[cats4jan]

I learned Elements - mostly by hit or miss - trial and error. I learned how to do things my own "bizarre" way - and sites like this have helped me learn the "right"way to do things - including shortcuts, etc.

You need to stop reading and start playing. Those books don't make much sense until you get a beginners feel for Elements.

[fit2walk]

I agree! I'm sick of reading the book without getting any play time. I don't find Elements to be user-friendly, so I need some of these online tutorials to help me get a feel for it.

[cats4jan]

I worked my way up to Elements from greeting card programs - Microsoft's digital image programs - and scrapbook software.

Elements is counter intuitive to all these programs. It's difficult to catch on to - but once you do, it's so much better than all that other "stuff" out there.

First - it's all about layers
Keep your layers palette open at all time and when the program "yells" at you - the problem probably is that you are not on the proper layer.

And second - it's all about grabbing a tool
With some software - you just click and start doing things. With Elements - you go grab a tool first - then you do your "thing."

That's where I feel it's not an intutive program.

The only way to learn this is to jump right in. Go to Hummies World and work through her beginning tutorials.

I suggest you print them out - lay them next to your keyboard - and go step by step. I find that much easier than trying to go back and forth to the website - trying to remember which step I'm at.

You know what's really good about digital? You won't waste resources if you make an error - you just delete and start over. There is no downside to just plunging in and starting to play.

I know it's frustrating - but it's a journey well worth taking.

Can you tell? I'm am a bonified addicted Elements/Scrapbooking fool. :D

[fit2walk]

I'm so glad we met! Thanks so much for the tips. I really want to get into digi-scrapping, but so far I've had the problem you've mentioned - Elements runs counter to all the other programs I've been working with and I'm not used to not being able to jump in and start using programs with no training. I've played in Digital Image Pro and used some of their brochure templates to make SB pages. I know, kind of weird, but since they were already started and I just had to add photos and move things around, it worked. But now I'm ready to get serious and that's why I bought Elements.

I've printed out a tutorial from digitalscrapbookplace on creating your first digital SB page with Elements. After I find time to do that, I'll print out the tutorials from Hummies World. Again, I agree with you - printing the tutorials makes it easier to follow.

So thanks for those tips and feel free to add to them if something else occurs to you. I welcome any help I can get. I'll let you know how it goes when I try the tutorials.

[epaul6]

You may want to drift over to Scrapper' s Guide. Linda Satgastt has several cds you can buy. You can also sign up for premier membership which offers several vids a month plus kits and hand written instructions. I think she offers a free months subscription to premier so you can check it out.

Her address is http://www.scrappersguide.com/

Linda is an excellent instuctor in that she not only teaches you how to scrap but also what the common mistakes are and how to fix them.

[fit2walk]

Thanks, I'll take a look at that site, too. I tried the tutorial from Digital Scrapbook Place yesterday and felt it was missing some steps, probably because the directions were for v.5 and I have v.6. Next is Hummie's World, then scrappersguide.com.

BTW, I saw that you're "near Sacramento, Ca." I lived in Mt. Aukum (below Placerville), then Sacramento, many, many years ago.

[cats4jan]

I doubt the problem was the differences in versions because there haven't been drastic changes - even between 4 and 6.

It's hard for people who have been using Elements for so long to remember to include the "baby steps" - that's why some Tutorials don't work for newbies.

I think Hummie's Tutorials are more basic - you may have better results doing hers.

[fit2walk]

I love the tutorials in Hummie's World! I've already learned more from watching 3 of her tutorials than I have in reading over 100 pages of the book I bought. I'm going back to her site later this morning to continue with her tutorials. I finally feel I'm starting to learn something. I've accumulated lots and lots of digi-papers and embellishments and am anxious to begin "playing" with them.