By Barbara Eastwick

This tutorial is available as a short video and as a written tutorial below.

Level:  Beginner, after having installed and opened Print Master

Written Tutorial

Print Master is readily available graphics software, found in many electronics departments.  For this tutorial I'm using Print Master Gold version 17.  Once you have your software opened click "Create Brand-New Project".

Choose "Scrapbook Page" and click "Next".

Choose the 12" x 12" page size and click "Finish".

To get started we will want to add a foundation paper. Click "Add" > "Graphic" > "From Disk".  This will allow you to browse your hard drive.  Find where your digital scrap booking kits are stored, then find the kit and the paper you wish to use.  Click once on the paper to highlight it and click "Open"

If your foundation paper does not stretch to the full size of the canvas automatically, line up the edges to fit the printable area (within the dotted lines) and stretch one corner down by pulling from one corner to the other.  Your foundation paper should now be the full size of the printable area.

I'm going to crop a piece of background paper in order to create my photo mat.  I'll add my graphic from disk as before, and when it appears on my canvas I'll click "Crop Object".  I'll click on the square crop tool and choose a rectangle shape for my mat.  Then click "OK".

To add distinction to my photo mat, I'll apply a drop shadow.  Right click on the mat, and choose "Apply A Drop Shadow".  Then choose which angle you wish the drop shadow to show at and customize, if you wish, and click "Okay".

You will add your photo the same way you imported a graphic.  Click "Add" > "Graphic" > "From Disk".  This will allow you to browse your hard drive.  Find where your photo is stored.  Click once on the photo to highlight it and click "Open".  Arranger photo on your mat by simply clicking and dragging.  Follow the same procedure to add elements (embellishments).  Find the graphic you wish to use and click "Open".

Feel free to add as many elements as you wish and to arrange them any way you wish.  If you wish to bring one element forward or send another backwards, click on "Layout" > "Layer" > "Send to Back" or "Bring to Front" - depending on what you want done. 

To create a title, click on "Add or Edit Text" > "Add Headline".

Enter your text and choose a ready-made headline style or customize it by selecting the "Customize" button.  Click "Okay".

Create a text box by clicking on "Add or Edit Text" > "Add Text Box".  Type in your text and you can choose your font,  font size,  font color, and design it any way you wish.  Finish your layout by adding more elements or designing it any way you wish.

Now you are ready to save.  If you wish to save this layout so that you may edit it later you'll need to save it as a Print Master Gold file.  To do that click "File" > "Save Project", and give your project a name, and click "Save".  To save this project for online viewing or to have printed you will need to save it as a JPEG file.  To save as a JPEG click "File" > "Export As".

To save as a JPEG file that you wish to have printed, save at 300 dots per inch resolution, and click "Continue".  To save as a JPEG that you wish to view online you would save it at 75 dots per inch resolution, and then it would be ready for an online gallery or for your ScrapWow album.

Choose the folder you wish to save this layout into, type in the file name, ensure that your "save as type" is set to JPEG and click "Save".

This layout is now completed and saved using Print Master Gold.

You'll find more tutorials by clicking on this link: free scrapbook tutorials or by looking inside the member area. You can also learn more by visiting Jessica's Scrapbook Blog.