Creating Your First Digital Scrapbook Page in PS CS

Making a digital scrapbooking page can be a lot of fun!  This tutorial uses the Celebrate Life’s Moments Welcome Kit created by the DSP Designers. Register now in the DSP forums and check your email to DOWNLOAD THIS PAGE KIT FOR FREE!  Or download another free page kit of your choice in the FREEBIES gallery!  Then find a few photos and follow this tutorial to easily create a digital scrapbook page in PS CS.

1. Open Adobe Photoshop CS3.  Create a new file (File- New- Blank File).
   
   

2. Enter the desired scrapbook page size into the boxes as shown below.  (Access inches by clicking on the drop down arrow if necessary.)  For good print quality, always use at least 200 pixels per inch in the resolution box.

3.      Open your photos (File – Open).  Browse your hard drive to find the photos you wish to include in your scrapbook layout.  Then click Open.  Hold down the control button while clicking to select multiple photos.  Your photos will open in the same workspace as your new file.

4.      Open your graphics (File – Open).  Browse to find your desired graphics.  Hold down the control button while clicking to select multiple photos.  The graphics will open in the same work space as the photos and new file. 

5.      If the window is maximized, the active file will be the only one on the screen.  To see all of your files click on the restore down button.

6. Click on your new blank file to bring it to the top of the workspace.  This will be your layout file.

7. Then do the same with the background of your choice.

8. You can move the files around on the workspace by clicking and dragging on the top bar of the image window, using the Move Tool (the top tool in the Toolbar).

9. Using the Move Tool, click anywhere on the background file and drag the file onto the new blank image.  Then drag it into place with the Move Tool.  You may now close the background file.

10. Click on your first photo in the Photo Bin to bring it to the top in the workspace.  Using the Move Tool, click and drag it onto your layout. 

11. You will notice that the image has a “bounding box” around it which allows you to rotate and resize the image. To do this, click on one of the small boxes at the corners of the bounding box and drag in or out to resize.  By default this tool is set to constrain proportions, so it will resize without distorting the image.

12. If you wish to rotate your image, hover your mouse outside the corner of your image.  You will see a small set of arrowed angles appear.  Click and drag to rotate your image in any direction.  Click on the link button to maintain aspect ratio.  To commit your change, click on the small commit (arrow) button.

13.  For a scrapbook layout to look realistic, add a drop shadow to your photo with a Layer Style.  To open the layer style box, you can double click on the layer you want to add the style to, or click on the fx button at the bottom of the layer palate, and select drop shadow. 

14.   Click on the box that says “drop shadow” and adjust the settings to get your desired shadow. 

Most DSP graphics come complete with an appropriate drop shadow and need no extra shadow added.  Remember to add shadows to each of your photos for realism.

15. Now click on the embellishment file you wish to add next in the Photo Bin.  Using the Move Tool as before, click and drag it onto your layout and position where you desire.

16. Repeat this procedure with any additional photos or embellishments you wish to add to your layout.   Each item will be added in its own layer automatically in your layout file.

17. You can move any of the items in your layout at a later date by clicking on the relevant layer in the Layer palette to select that item.  You can also move any item above or below another item clicking on the relevant layer in the Layers palette and dragging it above or below another layer. 

18. Often elements are included such as ribbons and paper clips that you may want to have fun with.  It is easy to make elements look as though they are threaded, overlapped, or placed partially behind other objects. 
19. To make these beads appear to weave under, then back over the blue ribbon, place the bead layer on top of the ribbon layer.  Click on the Eraser Tool and erase any parts of the beads that should appear to be under the ribbon. 

Find more great tips like this in other tutorials in the Tutorials section.

20. To add journaling to your layout, click on the Type Tool in the Toolbar.

21. Then click on your layout and drag a rectangle where you wish to add a text box.  Type your desired text then click on the text layer in the Layers palette, the Text Tool, or press Control Enter to apply your text to the layout.  You can alter the color and font choices in the Options Bar at the top of the workspace, or click on the character tab to the right of the screen for even more options.  Using the Move Tool, you can move and rotate your text box just like other files.

22. When you are happy with your layout, save your file (File – Save As) as a Photoshop file (.psd) with a unique name in a folder on your hard drive. This file will remain with all layers intact and you will be able to reopen and edit it at a later date.

23. To make your layout small enough to upload to a website or share by email, use the save for web function (File- Save for Web & Devices.  This will open a new window with two versions of your layout, the original and the new resized file.

24. In the New Size box, reduce the size to 600px.  Be sure Constrain Proportions is checked and click Apply.  Under Preset, select JPEG from the drop down menu on the left.  Then adjust the quality slider on the right until your file size is under 125 kb.  You will see the file size under the resized file image.  Click Okay.

25. A dialog box will prompt you for a file name.  Save with a unique name such as originalfilename_web.jpg. This version will be flattened and will no longer be editable, but it will be a perfect size for emailing to friends and uploading to the DSP Gallery.
    
    

Scrapbook page created by Rene Bross.
Graphics from the Celebrate Life’s Moments Page Kit by Digital Scrapbook Place .

ADDITIONAL LAYOUT IDEAS FEATURING THIS SAME PAGE KIT
Any subject, theme, or style, with digital scrapbooking, just use your creativity and your computer!

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