What is minimal software needed to get started in digital scrapping?

[buffy53]

What would I need for software on my computer to get started in digital scrapping? All I have is a program called ACDSee 5.0 that I have used to organized my pictures.

Charlotte

[Emma]

I use ACDSee to organize my photos too, and I think it's great. For scrapping you need a graphics program. MS Paint came free from your computer, but I've tried scrapping with to incredible frustration, LOL! So something like PSE like you're buying for your niece would be a great choice. That's all you need!

[dmp103]

Microsoft's Picture It! is an inexpensive starting point - PSE2 or 3 are a step up - but also a step more expensive. Read up about the software on the Microsoft and/or Adobe web sites - PSE probably has a free trial version - doubt Picture It does. Also, I can't recomment strongly enough reading through the quick classes at the DSUniversity on this site - even if they don't altogether make sense now, they will as you start to experiment.

[Team Digital]

the bare minimum would be ms word or powerpoint, which most people have anyway. they use graphics just like the image editing programs, although they don't handle png files as well. but you can do quite a bit of scrapping in word! beyond that, i'd look in the university, check out digital scrapping 101 (free) as it has a lot of program info! :)

[TsMom]

Digital Image Pro, a newer version of Picture It that has been renamed, is a great beginner to intermediate program. It is easy to navigate and learn, can do a ton of creative effects and it accepts plug-ins to expand its capabilities. I've been digitally scrapping for more than 2 years and I still love it. Unlike earlier versions of Picture It! it works very similarly to other image editors, so it is easy to take what you have learned and apply it other programs.

In case you are wondering, plug-ins are like "miniature programs" that can "plug in" to your software and include a lot of creative effects. There are lots of freebies out there as well as some commercial plug-ins. Some you may have heard of are Eye Candy, Virtual Photographer, Almathera, etc. This is a pretty inexpensive program, though it doesn't have a trial that I know of. I highly recommend it.

Here is my gallery. Most of the LOs were done in Digital Image Pro. The first 7 were done with PSE 2, also a great program that I'm still learning.My Gallery (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=547)

LaWanna

[JuneC]

I have a free viewer http://www.irfanview.com/ where I can crop and edit and my first page was in Excel.

[FreakyDesigns]

I'm using ACDsee for organize my photo's and PaintShop Pro to make my scrapbooks. Uhmmm....atleast....my first 4 scrapbooks *S*