Help - SBB Digital Scrapbooking Forums | Scrapbook-Bytes

scrapmom3 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006

Hi!! Just got my PhotoShop Elements 4.0 for Mother's Day and I do not even know where to begin! I have read through the book that comes with it and played around with the Create option. I want to incoroporate more in my pages than what is offered here...where do I begin???? Do I start from scratch?

I have downloaded some of the free stuff from SBB but now how do I use them?

I am sorry for all the questions. I consider myself to be pretty computer savvy, but scrapbooking digitally is NEW to me....and PSE scares me to death...lol

Thanks for any input....I appreciate it. I want to be able to do pages similar to the wonderful ones found in the Galleries here. I am just afraid I will give up to soon because I feel so overwhelmed.

Thanks a ton!!!!--Tiffani

Tracey R (Haley64) · #2 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006

Tiffani, do not feel overwhelmed!! I do not use PSE but to start using the items you downloaded. You first need to unzip them if you haven't and start a folder structure for saving this items on your computer eg:
Main folder called Digital Scrapbooking and then add Sub-folders as needed. I have a sub-folder for Scrapbook-bytes and then more sub-folder for the designers that I have gotten stuff from. This will in the future grow to be a HUGE list of sub-folders!! That is why it is important to start organizing you freebie and kits now. Do not seperate up the kits say by creating a folder for all your "Ribbons, eyelets, tags and such" Keep the kits together with the terms of use (TOU) so you can give proper credit when posting in the gallery and such.

Ok so after you have unzipped your freebies, open up your PSE4 and start with a new image, we most often scrap at a 12x12 inch 300ppi resolution (that is what almost all of the digital scrapbooking supplies are created at) Then however you do it in PSE4, go to the paper that you want to use and then you would bring that paper into your new image on a new layer of it's own (Sorry I don't know how to do that in PSE4, never understood the PSE's!) You keep adding new stuff on new layers, that way you can move your photo's, elements around as you need to. Think of your digital layers just like you would a stack of physical stuff laying in a pile, the top most layer you would see everything on it, then next layer down you would see less of it and the layer on top would cover some and so it goes down the line like that. The bottom layer would say be the physical table where all your layers reside.
We have a wonderful list of beginners tutorials here at SBB http://scrapbook-bytes.com/cgi-scrip...sh/index.shtml that should have everything you need to get started with in there!!Also make sure to check out the PSE forums here!!
Hope that helps and just holler if you need anything!!

laurieg · #3 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006

Hi Tiffani- Welcome to SBB!
Yep- you'll want to start from scratch!

Here are the PSE tutorials here at SBB- if they say PSE3- they will still be very similar to PSE4. I have a few video tutorials in there too, but you'll probably want to start with the 2nd one there- PROGRAM BASIC: Creating a Simple Layout in PSE3.

Don't give up- it is a LOT to learn- just take your time and be sure to take a little break if you get frustrated!

scrapmom3 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006

Thank you... That makes a little more sense with the layers. I haven't unzipped those files yet so I will do that now. Hopefully I can figure that out.

Thanks again--Tiffani (I will get back to work now..lol)

Tracey R (Haley64) · #5 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006

Yeap unzipping is like opening a present and you can't use anything until you unwrap it!

scrapmom3 · #6 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006

Sorry..I feel like such a pain LOL...I can't get my files unzipped and I couldn't find a tutorial about how to do it. I possibly downloaded them into the wrong place. I downloaded them under Adobe Elements. I can get to them but aren't sure how to unzip them.

Thanks for any help..Tiffani

Tracey R (Haley64) · #7 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006

That's fine you are not a problem at all!!

What "I" do is I always download the zip to my desktop, that way I never loose them!!

Then I can either put them into a Folder I create or burn them to a CD for storage.

Now if you can find those Zip files, drag them babies back to your desktop and do you have a program such as WinZip? you will need this to unzip the files. It is a free download and you can find it by googling yourself or here Read the installation instructions and then when you run Winzip you will be able to Unzip the files and extract the contents to the folder you created for you digital stuff!

Let us know how this goes and I will try find you a link for how to do this!

Here Shelleyrae has one here at SBB in the tutorial section once again!

Man I love SBB!! XOXOXO
http://scrapbook-bytes.com/cgi-scrip...icle_133.shtml

arti-bytes · #8 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006

First of all, congrats on becoming a PSE user! Once you get the hang of creating a basic layout, you will love how easy the program is to use. I agree with the gals about the tutorials section, as that is basically where I found out where to start. There are a few of us who use some form of PSE on a regular basis, so just shout when you need help.

As for downloading and unzipping... XP has a built-in utility for unzipping files. All you have to do is right-click on the file, and select "extract all".

The way I organize my downloaded files is pretty simple. I made a directory called "SBB" which has other directories such as "freebies", "challenges", "paid kits", "unzipped". So I download the file into the appropriate directory and unzip it there. Then I move the zipped file into the "unzipped" directory so I can burn it to CD/DVD when I have a chance. Once the zipped file is burned, it can be deleted from the computer. It may be different than the way others organize their files, but it works well for me. Once you get to 40 gig of digital downloads, you will find it easy to find what you need when you need it.

So keep posting any questions, no matter how silly you think they may be. I will keep an eye on this thread, and try to reply as quickly as I can. Congrats again!