Scrapbooking is one of the most popular hobbies around these days. Scrappers are well-acquainted with the craft, working with the materials and tools like pros. Combining cutting lots of paper shapes, gluing photos, and sticking a collection of ribbons, die-cuts, and stamps on each page is their passion. It’s hard for an experienced scrapper to imagine doing it any other way.
But computers can invade anything – even scrapbooking. Modern technology introduces a whole new approach to scrapbooking that uses grahics programs to create the basic scrapbook elements and page layouts. Using a computer to create scrapbooks, known as digital scrapbooking, involves creating page layouts with the help of computer software that edits photos, creates graphics, inserts borders and text, and allows you to “paste in” digital embellishments.
Using high-quality paper, you print your scrapbook pages on a high-resolution printer and then attach your traditional scrapbook materials. More tech-savvy scrappers can even save elements and pages on the hard drive or store them to DVD or CD to share with others electronically. These days, several websites give you the ability to create an online scrapbook by uploading your photos and images to their prepared digital scrapbook albums.
There are several computer programs that are great for scrapbooking. Most popular are Adobe PhotoShop Elements 2.0 and CS, Microsoft Picture It!, Lumapix, and JASC’s Paint Shop Pro. They are all effective for manipulating designs. The features that scrappers will appreciate include cropping photos, replacing backgrounds and colors, adding text, and inserting borders and graphics.
The programs we’ve mentioned weren’t created for scrapbooking, but they offer many features scrapbookers will find useful. It’s easy to isolate and “cut out” specific images from a photo. You can apply color schemes to your designs. Cropping photos and trimming page elements is easy and quick, and the programs allow you to create your own design elements.
The major obstacle to applying these high-end programs to scrapbooking is in learning how to use the software. For people who haven’t used graphics programs, there can be a steep learning curve, and becoming adept may take some time. They’re expensive too. You can expect to pay several hundred dollars for one of these software packages.
Once you are familiar with the programs, though, using the software for other projects is interesting and fun. Their great value for scrapbooking lies in their versatility. You’re only limited by your imagination in what you can create to make a super scrapbook. You can blend your own colors, create your own borders, and add texture digitally. These programs offer a variety of virtual textures: marble, canvass, cobblestone, leather, silk, and a range of natural color-texture combinations.
Easier programs dedicated to scrapbooking are also available. They include Hallmark, CK, Scrapbook Studio, and Scrapbook Assistants. Designed specifically for digital scrapbooking, they’re easier and faster to learn and much less expensive. However, they are not as flexible as the high-end programs, and your options can be limited to a prescribed set of colors, pre-set page settings, and canned layouts. But they do make the job easy, and you won’t spend weeks to months trying to figure out how they work.
An in-between solution might be a program like Microsoft Digital Image Pro. Less expensive than Adobe PhotoShop, it’s easier to learn and has more features than the digital scrapbooking programs.
If you’re not sure whether you want to try digital scrapbooking, you can try it out by downloading free digital scrapbooking programs from the Internet. Be aware, though, that these programs may not be as effective as those you purchase. That’s because free downloads are often used as product samples, and not all menu features are turned on in the free trial offers and downloads. They will give you a sense of what the software can do, and trying out free digital scrapbooking software may help you make your decision.
Most programs come with tutorials and help features that teach you how to do major tasks. The step-by-step instructions allow you to explore features and sharpen techniques as you learn the software. You can also probably get online help through blogs and forums run by scrapbooking websites.
How to Save an Old Scrapbook : Tips for Cropping Old Photos in Scrapbooks
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Crop In Style XXL Rolling Tote, Black $129.95 Designed for the ultimate scrapbook enthusiast, this is an excellent tote for those who want to organize and take everything with them. Inline skate wheels with fixed ball bearings make for easy rolling along with the telescopic pull-up handle. Clear interior pockets for easy visibility and adjustable and/or removable interior dividers. Also comes with 18 scissor loops and a 75 loop pen caddy. Mad… |
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I’d Rather Be Scrapbooking White Vinyl Sticker $3.69 This vinyl sticker is 10 inches long, and contour cut from premium vinyl. This is a decal that can be applied to just about any smooth surface. This sticker has white letters. This decal are made from the highest quality vinyl to give you many years of use without fading or peeling. Included are detailed instructions for application. This listing was created by Stickermatic, and you may receive an… |
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Cutting Edge Photo Cropping for Scrapbooks, Book 2 $1.98 Photographs are the heart and soul of scrapbooks and thousands of scrapbookers and photo enthusiasts are discovering exciting and innovative ways to crop their photos with Cutting Edge Photo Cropping for Scrapbooks Book 2 . Inside you’ll find dozens of photo cropping ideas–from simple to complex–sure to bring focus and drama to your pictures and scrapbook pages. You’ll find innovative techniques… |
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Creative Photo Cropping for Scrapbooks (Memory Makers) $8.10 Steps for turning your photos into works of artOpen up those shoe boxes of photos and discover the joy and excitement of cutting and cropping your pictures. This book will inspire you to move beyond the fear of cutting photos by teaching you how to transform standard, everyday snapshots into unique works of art for your scrapbook pages.More than 300 distinctive cropping techniques, and easy-to-fol… |
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Scrapbooking with PhotoshopElements: The Creative Cropping Cookbook $12.00 Today’s advancements in digital technology are transforming the traditional art of scrapbooking. With a computer, digital camera, scanner, ink-jet printer, and Photoshop Elements—Adobe’s popular digital imaging software for home users–you have all the ingredients you need to create a truly astounding and unforgettable scrapbook. But learning how to use these tools can be intimidating.In Scrapbo… |
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