Scrapbooking Tips and Tutorials for Computer Scrapbooking Beginners
If you're just getting started in scrapbooking, especially digital scrapbooking, ScrapWow welcomes you with open arms. Every month we give our members a free digital scrapbook kit of high quality, from some of the industry's most sought after designers. Additionally, we have something called Unannounced Bonuses - more free digital scrapbooking freebies that we give away unannounced - as they come in or as we develop them.
In the past our Unannounced Bonuses have included digital scrapbook paper kits. We've also created digital card kits, elements compilations and quick page sets. Pretty much whatever we find in the digital scrapbooking world that we like, we contract to have for our members for you as a free digital scrapbooking download. So if you're just getting started we have a lot of great kits for you.
The best part of beginner scrapbooking here at ScrapWow is we'll show you how to get started. Our scrapbooking tutorials are added to regularly and we work with a myriad of scrapbook software titles, from Adobe PhotoShop to Scrapbook Factory. We also have a scrapbook blog where you can post all your questions too. So come on in, take a look around and join the hottest site in the digital scrapbook community.
Quick Pages
Using Winzip
Quick Pages 101 - A Speedy Way to Start. Looking for a quick way to delve into Digital Scrapbooking? Here's a tutorial on adding your pictures, titles, and journaling to our pre-assembled digital scrapbook pages.
How to Locate and Unzip Your Files For Use. Ever download a file only to notice that it isn't there, or you can't use it in its current zipped form? It's easy to unzip files, and once you do - they're all ready to use!
Optimizing and Cropping Photos
Blurring Backgrounds
Preparing Your Photos and Layouts for the Web. Having trouble with the upload or download times of your photos and layouts? Sure those hi-res cameras are great - but those huge photos take up a lot of space, and require a lot of time to upload, and can take even longer to download. And you know Grandma doesn't want to wait! Learn how to resize photos here for viewing on the web.
Blurring the background of a photo in Photoshop. How to outline your focal point in a photo and create a blurred background. This technique creates a beautiful effect. At first, I thought this was only for advanced graphic artists, but then I learned it is actually a beginner's basic! You'll be amazed how professional your pictures will look! (Vignettes by Denis Germain)
Hybrid Scrapbooking
Converting to Black & White
Hybrid Scrapbooking - When Two Worlds Collide. Here's a great article on combining traditional scrapbooking with digi-scrapping. First you'll edit and arrange your photos on the layout, print, and then add the embellishments. There's no need to leave one world behind. And remember, once you have your layout on paper, go ahead and scan it - now it's all ready to put in your ScrapWow album. (How to Add Chipboard and Rubons to a Digital Layout: Tutorial by Cammy Plummer)
Converting a Color Photo to Black and White in PSE - When using the color wheel, you may find that some of the colors in your photos just don't work with your layout. Many scrappers just simply convert their photos to black and white and scrap them in. Black and white photos have an ageless quality, and the colors won't clash with any theme. (Converting a Color Photo to Black and White Using Adobe Photoshop Elements by Stacy Fox-Myers)
Digital Scrapbook Page Basics
Borders Around Photographs
Using Your Digital Scrapbook Kits. Okay, you've downloaded a great digital page kit with elements, now what? Here's where you'll find how to locate the kit in your files and use it to build great digi pages! This tutorial uses Adobe Photo Shop. If you're having difficulty using a different program with our kits, let us know - we'll help.
Building Borders Around Your Photos - A Great Way To Create A Fast and Simple Digi Layout. Or just another great way to set off your photos and make them the focal point. This technique is one you'll use often. (Tutorial: Putting a border on your photo or layout in Photoshop by Angie Svoboda)
Layering Basics
Optimizing Multiple Photos
Layering Basics in Adobe Photoshop. This is the very beginning - the place to start when you want to combine images and layer them to create a digi page. (Program Basics - Layer Basics by Nancy Shaw)
Processing Multiple Photos at Once for Optimum Web Viewing - Using Adobe Photoshop Elements. Here's a quick way to process a whole file of photos at one time for putting on the web and sharing in emails. And those scanned layouts are usually huge files, so save them all in one folder, and process them all at one time. It only takes seconds, but it'll save you long minutes of waiting for photos to upload or download!
