I love photographing the sky. Some days, when conditions are just right, there’s that beautiful blue expanse, punctuated with big, white, fluffy clouds.

Whenever I see a spectacular sky, I always try to stop and get a few shots of it… even if the scenery below isn’t all that special. Why? I collect good skies to replace the bad ones in some of my photos.

But sometimes it isn’t practical, or even necessary, to totally replace the sky in an image. Maybe you’ve already got the clouds, and a bit of blue, but the sky just seems a little pale and washed out. And sometimes, even a pretty nice looking sky can benefit from just a little boost.

You’ve heard the phrase, “high drama”… well, what about “sky drama?”

Here’s a two-step trick to improve the look of so-so skies in your photos!

Step 1: Choose Your Photo

• Open the image you want to work with.
• At the bottom of the Layers panel, click on the Create A New Layer icon.

Step 2: Enhance The Sky

• With the new, blank layer selected, take a look at your Color Chips to make sure they’re in their default position of black over white. If they’re not, press the letter D on your keyboard.
• Get the Gradient tool (it’s below the Paint Bucket). In the Options Bar, open the Gradient Picker and choose Foreground to Transparent. Also in the Options Bar, set the Style to Linear (it’s the first style next to the Gradient picker in the Options Bar.)

• Hold down the Shift key and click and drag a straight line down the center of your image, extending from the top of your photo to about an inch to an inch-and-a-half below the point where your sky stops.

• In the Layers panel, set the blend mode to Soft Light. Take a look and see if that makes a significant change in the look of your sky. It usually will.
• If you like what you see, you’re done! If you think the sky could use a bit more color and drama, use the Overlay blend mode, as I did here, and then adjust the opacity down until the sky looks natural. I set my opacity at 75%.

• When you’re satisfied with your sky, press Ctrl E (Mac: Cmd E) to merge the gradient layer down.

Reality Check: The key word here is “natural.” Resist the urge to over-saturate the sky. If you go with too much color, you’ll steal attention away from the actual focal point of your image, so blend wisely and adjust the opacity as needed.

This technique works well on landscapes, seascapes, or any other image with a fairly dominant sky. It works very nicely to enhance rainbows and sunsets, too! Take a look…

As you can see, this is a handy little technique that can make the difference between a good photo and a great one. Add it to your photo editing repertoire and use it often!

Credits:
Tip of the Week: Sky Drama by Jan Walker
Photos: Morguefile.com, Jan Walker
Software used: Photoshop Elements 10

Download a PDF version of this “Sky Drama” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.

This time of year, I’m always looking for ways to save time. One kid needs a costume made for the madrigal dinner, another needs a craft project planned and prepped for her class holiday party, and yet another needs festive (FESTIVE!?!) cupcakes for the bake sale.

When exactly am I supposed to finish the calendars and photobooks I’ve promised everyone for Christmas?

So today I’m going to share with you a little tip that speeds things up ever so slightly — I call it my Multiple Layers Trick. Why do something to one layer ten times, when you can do it to ten layers one time?

This works very well for Text layers:

• Hold down your Ctrl key (Mac: Cmd key) and in the Layers panel click on the blank area of each layer you want to affect. All the layers will highlight showing they are active.
• Now go to the Options Bar at the top and change whatever you’d like — the font, the size, the justification or the color. All the layers you have selected will now have those settings.

I find this especially useful when I want to change fonts and I have a lot of text layers, or if I want to change the color of all the text on a page.

This also works well for other things — here’s one of my favorites:

• Apply a layer style (say, a drop shadow) to one layer.
• In the Layers panel, Right-click (Mac: Ctrl click) in the blank area on that layer and choose Copy Layer Style from the menu.
• Now hold down your Ctrl key (Mac: Cmd key) and in the Layers panel click on the blank area of each layer you want to affect. All the layers will highlight, showing they are active.
• Right-click (Mac: Ctrl click) on any of the highlighted layers and choose Paste Layer Style; the style from the first layer will be applied to all the layers! I use this to apply drop shadows to all the layers that need the same shadow. It saves a ton of time!

Now maybe I can get a layout done before the oven dings… hope you all have an enjoyable Thanksgiving weekend, and don’t forget to scrap your blessings!

Credits:
Tip of the Week: Multiple Layers – by Jennifer White
Scrapbook Page: Jennifer White
Paper and Elements: Jennifer White
Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 10

Download a PDF version of this “Unlock the Power of Multiple Layers” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.

This time of year, football is everywhere.
Our high school aged boys are playing under the Friday night lights.
Our university alma mater is playing on Saturday afternoons. And we are rooting on our Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoons!

Even if the Packers are not your team, surely you know someone who feeds weekly on football fever.
It’s a good thing. It’s scrapbook worthy!

In this tutorial we’ll spread a little bit of football fever across the background of our scrapbook page. Manuela Zimmermann’s kit, A Man’s World — available with the November 2011 Premier Membership — is the perfect kit for scrapbooking the football fan in your life.

But even if you don’t have this kit, follow along with me and adapt the tutorial to any kit you own.

Step One: Open a Paper and an Element

• Open (File > Open) a background paper.
  I am using paper 11 from this month’s Premier kit — A Man’s World by Manuela Zimmermann.
• In the Menu Bar, choose File > Duplicate.
• In the dialog box, enter Football Paper and click OK.

Step Two: Define a New Brush

• Open the element file you are going to use.
  Note: When deciding on an element or image to use for this tip, it is best to choose a file that is surrounded by transparent pixels. Usually any .png file will be okay.

This is the football element from this month’s Premier kit — A Man’s World by Manuela Zimmermann.

• When you have your football element file open, go to the Menu Bar, choose Edit > Define Brush, and click OK.

Step Three: Activate the New Brush

• Get the Brush tool.
• In the Options Bar, open the Brush picker.
• Scroll to the bottom of the list and choose your new brush.
• In the Options Bar, change the Size to around 400 pixels.

Step Four: Change the Brush Dynamics

• In the Options Bar of the Brush panel, click on the Brush Dynamics icon.
• In the dialog box, set the following options:
  • Fade: 0 (fades the brush to 0% Opacity in this number of steps)
  • Hue Jitter: 100% (uses foreground/background Color Chips)
  • Scatter: 40% (spaces brush vertically)
  • Spacing: 500% (spaces brush horizontally)
  • Angle: 0 (sets the angle of the brush)

Step Five: Choose a Color Scheme

In this step we will set the Color Chips for the Hue Jitter.

• In the Tool Bar, click on the Foreground Color Chip.
• In the Color Picker, choose color #6c2712 or a color of your choice.
• Click on the Background Color Chip.
• In the Color Picker, choose color #b28b7f or a color of your choice.

Step Six: Paint With the Brush

• Now that your brush is ready, go back to the Football Paper document.
• In the Layers panel, click on the Create a New Layer icon.
• Paint a brush line from one side of the paper to the other.

Step Seven: Change the Brush Angle and Repeat

• Open the Brush Dynamic Options again.
• Change the Angle to 30.
• Brush another line on the document.
• Repeat with Angles set to 60, 90, and 120.
• Option: If you’d like to have more flexibility with each brush stroke, paint them on individual layers.
• Option: Also try slightly changing the size of the brush before each individual brush stroke.

Step Eight: Save the New Background Paper

• Save the document (File > Save As).

And here is my scrapbook page using this tip. I’m looking forward to seeing all your creations in the Tip of the Week gallery at Digital Scrapper!

Credits:
Tip and Scrapbook Page: Jen White
Paper and Elements: A Man’s World, Manuela Zimmermann
Font: Plastique
Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 9.0

Download a PDF version of this “Background Paper – Football Fever” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.

I like to tell my kids that I am always justified in my actions. They don’t believe me, but one day they will find that I was telling the truth. When I am journaling, there is also justification. I mean right or left justified.

When you create journaling, it is usually left justified, meaning that the text will align to the left of the page. Sometimes I like to create a more visually interesting journaling area, by changing it to right justify — having the text align to the right side of the page.

Step 1: Open Your Layout

(Page created using October’s Premier Kit, Me Personally by Taylor Made Designs. Picture of my very happy daughter taken by me.)

Step 2: Create Text Box

• Get the Horizontal Type tool.
• Click and drag your mouse to create a text box.

Step 3: Set Your Text Options

• In the Options Bar, choose your font and the size.
• I chose Century Gothic as my font.
• I used 16 pt as the size.
• I also chose Right Align Text.

Step 4: Enter Your Text

• Click in the text box, and start entering your text. (I used the alphabet and one adjective per letter to describe my daughter.)
• When you are done, click outside of the text box to commit your text.

Credits: Tip of the Week: Justified: Rightly So- Lisa Hanks
Photo and Scrapbook Page- Lisa Hanks
Paper and Elements: Me Personally by Taylor Made Designs
Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 10

Download a PDF version of this “Justified: Rightly So” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.

Sometime you just need a little extra ’something’ to spiffy up a scrapbook page without stealing interest from the subject.

Embossing a shape into your background might be just the thing that makes the difference. Try it out and see what you think…

Step 1: Create a New Document

• Create a new document (File > New > Blank File) at 300ppi with a white background.

Step 2: Add a Background Paper

• Open a background paper (File > Open). I’m using the SolidTaupe paper from At Home by Paislee Press.
• Get the Move tool.
• Holding down the Shift key, click on the paper and drag it onto your scrapbook page.
  
• Close the original background paper.

Step 3: Add an Element, Shape, or Stroke

• Open an element (File > Open) with an interesting outline. I’m using Leaves1 from At Home by Paislee Press.
• Click on the element and drag it onto your scrapbook page.
• Close the original element.

Step 4: Apply an Emboss Layer Style

• Open the Effects panel by choosing Window > Effects from the Menu Bar.
• In the Effects panel, click on the Layer Styles icon.
• Open the Styles drop down menu and choose Bevels.
• Double click on the Simple Emboss icon from the selection of bevels.

Step 5: Adjust the Embossing

• In the Layers panel, double click on the fx icon in the element layer to open the Style Settings.
• Move the Bevel Size slider to 0 and click OK.

Step 6: Duplicate the Paper and Move It

• In the Layers panel, activate the paper layer by clicking on it.
• Press Ctrl J (Mac: Cmd J) to duplicate the paper layer.
• Press Ctrl ] (Mac: Cmd ]) to move the duplicated paper layer to the top of the Layers panel.

Step 7: Clip the Paper Down

• In the Layers panel, choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask.
  Note: Earlier versions of Elements will refer to this as Group With Previous.

Step 8: Lower the Layer Style Opacity

• In the Layers panel, activate the element layer.
• Lower the Opacity of this layer to around 50% or whatever looks good to you.

Here are more examples showing what can be done with this technique using the same paper and different elements:

Above: Swirl-Doodle from our Sugar and Spice kit.

Above: Flourish-Border from our Cherish This Moment kit.

Above: WordArt3 from our Back 2 School – Whimsy kit.

Above: And never underestimate the powerful addition of just a straight line or two.

Credits:
Tip of the Week – Embossed Paper by Jen White
Paper: At Home by Paislee Press
Elements:
At Home by Paislee Press kit
Sugar and Spice kit
Cherish This Moment kit
Back 2 School – Whimsy kit
Software: Photoshop Elements 10.0

Download a PDF version of this “Embossed Background Paper” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.

Want to give your photos a sense of movement, speed, and force? Here’s a simple way to make an ordinary photo really come to life! In just three simple steps, you can amp up the action and create some powerful visual impact.

This technique works best with photos where the action is either coming right at you or mostly straight on.

Step 1: Choose Your Photo

Photos that feature some sort of movement or action are the best choice… riding, jumping, dancing, running, etc. Here are two examples of images that will work very well with this technique. The first image is great because the subject is very close up and at eye level or lower. The second image is great because of the intensity portrayed in the photo — the faces and body language of the riders.

• Duplicate your original image by pressing Ctrl J (Mac: Cmd J).

Step 2: Identify the Epicenter

• Get the Lasso tool and draw a fairly loose outline around the subject of your image, wherever you want the center of the action to be.
• In the Menu Bar, choose Select > Feather.
• Set the Feather Radius to 150. Click OK.
• Then go back to Select > Inverse.

Step 3: Bring On the Blur

• In the Menu Bar, select Filter > Blur > Radial Blur.
• Set the blur Amount to 100 (or a little less, depending upon how much impact you want to see).
• Set the Blur Method to Zoom.
• Set the Quality to Best. Click OK.

It will take a moment for your blur effect to render… and bam! Instant impact.

• Press Ctrl D (Mac: Cmd D) to get rid of the marching ants around your selection, and be sure to save your image as a JPG with a new name.

Now let’s look at the before and after of the other image. Same steps, and another great look of power and motion.

So that’s how you add action and impact using Photoshop Elements! Don’t forget to share your creations in our Tip of the Week Gallery.

Credits:
Tip of the Week: Adding Impact to Action Shots, by Jan Walker
Photos: Morguefile.com
Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 10

Download a PDF version of this “Adding Impact to Action Shots” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.

I love to work with my hands.
Any DIY project is the project for me — especially the ones that take a basic list of tools and a little elbow grease.

My DIY tool belt includes things like a hammer, a cordless drill or screw gun, and a tape measure.
When I’m working with Photoshop Elements, I find myself generally sticking with the Shape tools, the Type tool and the Marquee tool.

In today’s tip we’ll add a little elbow grease to the before-mentioned list of tools to create a custom embellishment that is sure to dress up any scrapbook page.

Step 1: Prepare the Workspace

• Create a new document (File > New > Blank File) that is 5×5 inches at 300ppi with a Transparent background.

• Press the letter D to reset the Color Chips to the default of black and white.

Step 2: Create a Tile

• Get the Rounded Rectangle tool.

• Open the Geometry Options and choose Fixed Size. Enter a size of 4×4 inches.

• In the Options Bar, enter a Radius of 50 px.
• Click in the upper left corner of the document to place the shape.
• Press and hold the Ctrl key (Mac: Cmd key), click inside the shape, and move the shape to the center of the document.
• In the Options Bar, click on Simplify.

Step 3: Type a Letter

• Press the letter X to switch white to the Foreground Color Chip.
• Get the Horizontal Type tool.
  Note: The Type tool will always open with your previous settings — except for the Color Chip. The Color Chip will always match the Foreground Color Chip in the Tool Bar.

• In the Options Bar, open the Font picker and choose a chunky font. I’ve chosen Hobo Std.
• Click on the center of your document to place a text cursor and type a letter.
• If you need to move your letter more to the center (you do not need to be exact), hold down the Ctrl key (Mac: Cmd key), click inside the Bounding Box, and drag the letter to the center of the document.
• Click on the check mark at the bottom of the Bounding Box to commit the changes.

Step 4: Resize and Center the Letter

• In the Options Bar, increase/decrease the Size until your letter is nice and big within the shape. The size of my letter is 250 points.
• In the Layers panel, Ctrl click (Mac: Cmd click) on the thumbnail of the shape layer to get a Selection Outline.
• Make sure the type layer is still active.

• Get the Move tool.
• In the Options Bar, choose Align > Horizontal Centers and Align > Vertical Centers.

Step 5: Punch Out the Letter

• In the Layers panel, Ctrl click (Mac: Cmd click) on the thumbnail of the type layer to get a Selection Outline.
• Activate the shape layer.
• Press the Backspace key (Mac: Delete key).
• In the Layers panel, click on the Visibility icon of the type layer to hide it.

Step 6: Secure the Letter Parts

• Get the Rectangular Marquee tool.
• In the Options Bar, click on the New Selection icon. Feather should be 0 and Style should be Normal.

• On the document, draw a thin selection outline through the letter to secure the inside portion.
  If you need to rotate your selection outline, right click (Mac: Ctrl click) inside the selection outline and choose Transform Selection.

• Press Ctrl Backspace (Mac: Cmd Delete) to fill the selection outline with the background Color Chip.
• Press Ctrl D (Mac: Cmd D) to Deselect.
• Repeat if you need to add more bars to “attach” the unconnected portions of the letters.

Step 7: Add a Layer Style

• Open the Effects panel (Window > Effects).

• Click on the Layer Styles icon.
• Open the Layer Styles drop down menu and choose Bevels.
• Double click on the Simple Inner icon.
• In the Layers panel, double click on the fx icon in the shape layer.

• In the Style Settings dialog box, enter 30px for the Bevel Size and click OK.

Step 8: Add a Background Paper

• Open (File > Open) a background paper.
  I’m using paper 5 from Susan Bartolini’s Happy Harvest kit.
• Get the Move tool.
• Click on the background paper and drag it onto your document.
• In the Menu Bar, choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask.
  Note: Earlier versions of Elements will say Group with Previous.

• Choose Layer > Merge Visible.
• Click on the tile and drag it onto your scrapbook page.

Credits:
Tip of the Week: Cutout Alpha by Jen White
Kit: Happy Harvest by Susan Bartolini
Font: Hobo Std
Software: Adobe Elements 10.0

Download a PDF version of this “Cutout Alpha” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.

I’m all about quick and easy. Haven’t made a cake without a mix in years. Drive through for my coffee in the morning. Wash-and-wear hair. That applies to scrapping, too. Anything that helps me get the job done quicker and easier is for me!

Adobe does a good job building in shortcuts for us to speed things up. Here are three of my favorite things you can do with a Right click (Mac: Ctrl click) while using the Marquee tool.

Choose the Marquee Tool from the Tool Bar, and in the Options Bar, click on the New Selection icon (the leftmost square at the top).

Then you can:

1) Transform a Selection: Ever draw a box with the Marquee tool and find it’s not the right size? Don’t start over!

• Click and drag to draw your selection.
• Then, just move your cursor inside the selection and Right-click (Mac: Ctrl click). You’ll get a short fly-out menu.
• Choose Transform Selection, and now your selection will have handles on the corner.
• Click and drag on a handle to resize it just like you would a photo or element!

2) Feather a Selection: While you’re there, you may want to feather the edges of your selection (make it so they fade out).

• Click and drag to draw your selection.
• Move your cursor inside the selection and Right-click (Mac: ctrl click) to get the menu.
• Choose Feather… and you’ll get a dialog box allowing you to change the amount of the feather.
• Enter a number in the Feather Radius box and click OK.

3) Draw an Outline Only: Sometimes it’s handy to be able to draw an empty stroke outline without actually making a shape layer.

• Create a new layer for your stroke outline or make sure you are on the layer that you want to add your stroke outline to. Click and drag to draw your selection. (Or use the Elliptical Marquee tool for a circle/oval shaped selection.)
• Right-click (Mac: Ctrl click) to get the fly-out menu.
• Click on Stroke (Outline) Selection… and you’ll get the Stroke dialog box.
• In the Width box, enter the number of pixels wide you want the stroke to be.
• Click on the Color box to open the Color Picker to change the color.
• In the Location box, choose whether the stroke is inside or outside or centered on your selection. (If your stroke is a rectangle shape, you’ll get the sharpest corners by choosing “Inside.”)
• You can change the blending mode and opacity in the Blending box, but I usually don’t.
• Click OK, and you’ll have a nice outline!

So next time you find yourself using the Marquee tool, give it a Right-click and see what you can do!

Credits:
Tip of the Week: Do it Quick with a Right-Click by Jennifer White
Photo and background paper: Jennifer White
Software: Photoshop Elements 10

Download a PDF version of this “Marquee Tool: Do it Quick with a Right-Click” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.

“Sometimes you feel like a nut.
Sometimes you don’t.”
I’ve got that little Almond Joy jingle stuck in my head!

It was driving me crazy until I applied it to my scrapbook page.
Sometimes I feel like square cornered frames.
And sometimes I just don’t!

Today, I shall have it both ways… square corners AND rounded ones.
I just love it when things work out!

Check out this sweet little frame I’ve added to my scrapbook page.
I know you’ll want to make one too! So, here’s how…

Step 1: Create a New Document

• Create a new document (File > New > Blank File) at 300ppi.
• Press D to reset the Color Chips to the default of black and white.

Step 2: Create a Rounded Rectangle

• Get the Rounded Rectangle tool.
• In the Options Bar, open the Geometry Options and choose a Fixed Size of 7 x 5 inches.
• Enter a Radius of 300 px.

• Click once on your document to place the new shape.

Step 3: Intersect the Shape

• In the Options Bar, click on the Intersect Shape Area icon.
• Click once on the document to place the new intersecting shape.
• Holding down the Ctrl key (Mac: Cmd key) click on the new intersecting shape and move it into place as shown in the image below.
  Note: the circles indicate where the Bounding Box handles should be resting on the first shape.

Step 4: Create a Grey Photo Mask Layer

• In the Menu Bar, choose Layer > Simplify Layer.
• In the Layers panel, rename this layer frame.

• Press Ctrl J (Mac: Cmd J) to duplicate the frame layer.
• Rename this layer photo.
• Click on the background Color Chip (white) to change its color.
• In the Color picker, choose a grey color and click OK.
• Press Shift Ctrl Backspace (Mac: Shift Cmd Delete) to fill the photo layer pixels with the new background color.

• Press Ctrl T (Mac: Cmd T) to get the Transform options.
• In the Options Bar, change the Width and Height percentages to 98%.
• Double click inside the Bounding Box to commit the changes.

Step 5: Trim the Black Frame Mask Layer

• In the Layers panel, drag the photo layer below the frame layer.
• Activate the frame layer by clicking on it.

• Ctrl click (Mac: Cmd click) on the thumbnail of the frame layer to get a selection outline.
• In the Menu Bar, choose Select > Modify > Contract.
• In the dialog box, enter 50 pixels and click OK.

• Press the Backspace key (Mac: Delete key) to remove the inside of the frame.
• Press Ctrl D (Mac: Cmd D) to deselect.

Step 6: Link the Frame and Photo Layers Together

• In the Layers panel, click on the frame layer to activate it.
• Shift click on the photo layer to make both layers active at the same time.
• Click on the Link Layers icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.
  This will keep these two layers together regardless of where you move the frame when creating the scrapbook page.

Step 7: Finish Up the Frame

• Add a small drop shadow to the frame layer. Do not add any effects to the photo layer.
• Move a photo above the photo layer and clip it to the photo layer (Layer > Create Clipping Mask [or in some versions: Group Layers])
• Clip a background paper to the frame layer.

And here is my scrapbook page after I’ve finished designing it with Amanda Rockwell’s Love You Always kit. Be sure to show all of us your own creations in the Tip of the Week Gallery!

Credits:
Tip of the Week: Intersecting Frame by Jen White
Software: Photoshop Elements 9.0
Paper and Elements: Amanda Rockwell, Love You Always
Scrapbook Page and Photo: by Jen White

Download a PDF version of this “Intersecting Frame” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.

Sometimes, all it takes is one small simple touch to take a photo from special to spectacular. Bringing in a bit of softness and light can give your images a magical, romantic, ethereal look.

Discover the difference you can make with just three easy steps!

Step 1: Choose Your Photo

This tip works well with photos of people, landscapes, flowers, weddings… well, just about everything! So find a photo you’d like to add a touch of magic to.

• Open the photo you want to work with in Photoshop Elements.
• Duplicate the original image by pressing Ctrl J (Mac: Cmd J).

Step 2: Soften Things Up

• Go up to the Options Bar and choose Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.
• Set the Blur Radius to about 12 pixels. Click Okay.

Step 3: Blend and Brighten

• Open the Blend Modes menu at the top of the Layers panel and choose Screen.
• Adjust the opacity of the screened layer until the photo looks like magic to you!

• You may even want to duplicate the screened layer, if the photo can handle it. It all depends on how ethereal you want your image to look.

So, here’s the original:

Here’s the image with the tip applied:

And here’s that bonus step… a duplicate of the screened layer, with the opacity slightly reduced:

You choose the amount of softness and light you want to apply — go with what works for your photo.

And that’s all there is to it. A quick way to bring an extra special touch to your extra special photos!

Credits:
Tip of the Week: A Touch of Magic for Your Photos, by Jan Walker
Photo: Morguefile.com
Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 9

Download a PDF version of this “A Magic Touch for Photos” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

Leap Frog To The Next Level!

Rather than learning a bit here and a bit there, why not leap frog to the next level? Our Learn Digital Scrapbooking class takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!

Find out more about the Learn Digital Scrapbooking Class.