View a summary of all the the digital scrapbooking tutorials here at Scrapbook-Bytes as well
as links to our popular forums for each specific section!

Helpful Hints:

Resolution: All examples given here will be for a printable layout at 300 dpi. (I am assuming you will want to print a copy of your work later.) You can go higher, but some computers cannot handle the larger files.

If you have to resize…always go smaller…to go up in size will degrade the quality of the pic.

Setup the Page for Printing Resolution:

If you want to print after layout creation, you will need to make sure your workspace is set to 300 dpi (or higher).

Tools > Options > Page > Size > Resolution 300 dpi

Let's Start the Page…

Creating a new page:

File > New (this will give you a clean 8 ½ x 11 page)

(You can use a template to give yourself a guide for the "printable area" of your paper. I use a rectangle that is 7.5x9.75 to place my objects in. I can post a tutorial about templates, later.)

Adding a Background:

Solid Fill: You can add a solid fill background by making a rectangle whatever size you desire and then filling it with a color from the palette.

Select the rectangle tool from the tool bar > Click and drag to make your rectangle > Pick a color from the color palette and it will fill automatically if it is still selected.

The fill used in this layout…Click on the fill tool to get the "flyout" > Texture Fill > Texture Library - Styles - Cosmic Clouds > OK

Other Fills:

You can use the fill tool to create fountain, pattern, texture and postscript fills. Create the shape to be filled, then click on the small arrow on the fill tool, this will give you the tool flyout. You can then select fill, fountain, pattern, texture or postscript.

Don't be limited by color or texture fills for a background…use a photograph. There are so many options.

Inserting your photo:

File > Import > choose your picture file > resolution = 300 > OK > click on the screen where you want your upper left corner.

To resize your photos, you can click on the squares (handles) around the photo and pull or push to your desired size.

Note: Using a handle on one of the corners will keep the picture's original proportion so it doesn't look distorted.

Saving Time and Cutting Steps Shortcut: I keep the file folder with the photos I want to use open. I will then "click-and-drag" them from the folder down to the CD11 button at the bottom of my screen which will open the CD11 screen and allow me to click on it to add the photos. I add multiple photos this way.

Cropping your photo:

If you need to crop your photo, the quickest and easiest way is to create a powerclip.

Create a shape to crop your photo to…ie., rectangle, square, oval, circle, heart, etc… > Select the photo to be cropped > Effects > Powerclip > Place inside of container.

Note: The default option for power clips is to center your photo in the shape. I have turned this off to give me flexibility to make a power clip anywhere in the photo and not have it shift on me. Go to Tools > Options > Workspace > Edit > clear the box for auto-center new power clip contents.

This isn't a true crop. The information for the whole photo is still there (inside the container) which you can take out of the container at any time.

You can remove the outline by right clicking the X in the color palette.

Embellish your layout:

Add drop shadows to your mats, photos and objects…select object > select drop shadow from toolbar > click and drag from the middle of the object to desired effect.

Add text…Select the text tool on the toolbar > click where you want your text > type. You can resize with handles.

Add clipart or elements…Use import as you did for the photo.

Mat your photos…Draw a rectangle with the rectangle tool > click on the color palette to fill > Add a drop shadow.

Add shapes for tags…Select the shape tool > pick desired shape > click and drag to draw > pick color from palette to fill.

Rotate objects for interest…Click on object until handles turn into arrows > drag an arrow to rotate your object to desired position.

Add string…Use freehand drawing tool to draw string > convert the string to a bitmap > play with the bitmap effects to achieve desired look.

String Information…For this layout, draw your string with the freehand draw tool, select the outline tool and select your desired width (I used an 8.0 outline), next convert to a bitmap with a transparent background >OK, then applied the crayon filter (bitmaps > art strokes > crayon > 20 and outline 0), add a drop shadow.

Last of all…SAVE! File > save and name > OK.

To make a smaller version that all can see (but wouldn't want to print)…File > save as > jpeg > name file > width size should be about 400-480 (let draw size the height) and 72 dpi > optimized palette > OK > OK.