I have a copy of PSE 4. I am totally lost at how to use it, and or how it works. I understand how to open new files an can see these along the bottom of the main window. What I don't understand is how to manipulate these and add layers. Yes drag and drop, but how do I adjust the layer underneath? In my layer pallet along the right side it only ever shows the layer that is open in the main window.

I am familiar with Digital Image Pro, so I'm not completely dumb to the whole scrapping world. I just thought I would try PSE 4 as so many people seem to use PS.

I searched for tutorials, but have not found any that seem helpful. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Ready to pull my hair out.........

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I had the same problem-I looked at that program and a bunch of tutorials for weeks before I finally figured it out! You first set up the "new" page with the size you want 12 x 12 or whatever. It'll show up as a background page. Then I open up the papers, photos, and elements that I think I'll use. They'll be placed at the bottom of the main window-the photo bin. Then you need to choose each item one at a time. You can crop the items or use the marquee tool to copy sections you want to use. Then paste the items to the page you created earlier. When you close each item, make sure you don't save the changes on the elements, etc. You might want the originals later.

Let me know if you need more help. I'm new at PSE4.0, so maybe we can learn together!

JRR

I finally figured it out JRR, thank you for your rely. Maybe we could work together to learn this program. Lemme know if you fall upon some good tutorials.

Thanks again.

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Hello, and welcome to PSE, it's a great program. Google First Page Tutorial PSE and Digital Scrapbooking, and there are some great hits in those first couple of listings. Most sbing sites have a first page tut for PSE in their tutorials section

The PHoto Bin in PSE can be deceptive because you THINK that you're dragging/dropping the photo onto the layout, but all you're really doing is viewing it. To get an image on the layout

1. Open the photo/element
2. create a new image for your layout
3. view the photo/element in the large Active Image Area above the photo bin. You'll have your open photos and your new layout thumbnails displayed in a row in the photo bin at the bottom
4. use your Move Tool, click on the large photo and drag it DOWN into the photo bin onto the layout thumbnail to paste it as a new layer. Then click on the layout thumbnail to view it, and your layers palette will now show 2 layers

hth!

Many of us teach and write about PSE, so yhou're not alone! Just ask and I'l come help

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Emma the Pal
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As another digital scrapbooking newbie I have a question about buying Photoshop Album.

I bought Adobe Photoshop Elements a while ago but couldn't figure out how to use it!


Would it be easier to invest $50.00 in the Photoshop Album program than wade thru learning Photoshop Elements?? Any downside to the Photoshop Album program?

Thanks for any help!!

nia6*

Nia,

Depending on which version of PSE you bought you may already have the Album program. PSE 3 and 4 come with an Organizer which is basically the Album program. If you really want to do digital scrapping and already own PSE, I would give PSE another try. I really don't think that that the Album program itself would allow you enough flexibility to scrap with. I have to admit that I haven't tried it either though. LOL

Make sure to check out the Simple LO tutorial. That should help you understand most of the program basics.

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Stacy
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avatar photo by Marja Flick-Buijs downloaded at sxc.hu

Photoshop Album is JUST a viewer/file organizer program, not at all for scrapping. PSE is a wonderful scrapping program, though the learning curve can be steep. I teach an online PSE Intro class is you're interested, any digi site will have a PSE First Page tutorial, and there are a few books/instructional CDs out as well. Stick with PSE, it even has its own Organizer that rivals Adobe Album, included for free!

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Emma~
You say you love to teach digi scrapping. I am now working with picture it. Quite a while ago I purchased pse 2. It has been downloaded - never used it. Family illness over the last two years...so anyway...is there a possibility that you could teach a class here?
One step at a time...but more than one class or a class here and there. Something that is ongoing so that we can actually learn as we experiment.
Someone mentioned there will be a class on elements here in January, I have been looking but haven't seen the info yet.
I seem to fall back on picture it because it is what I am use to and in crops you want to be quick.
It would be fantastic to have it be a class - a little less pressure to figure everything all out at once. I don't want to just dissapear to go and learn elements.
Let me know what you think - or maybe what SBB thinks?
thank you
*butterfly*