3-Step Digital Layout

As many of you know, Club Scrap® Summer Camp started this week (and if you don't know about Summer Camp, click here to learn about it!). Karen Wyngaard and I are the Counselors for this year's digital cabins. So I thought this might be a nice time to show everyone a quick 3-step digital layout. It's an easy way to make a layout, even if you're new to digital scrapping. And If you want to add some journalling, I've got an optional 4th step for ya, too! Even with 4 steps, we're still talkin' easy-peasy!

One of the great things about the monthly Club Scrap Digital™ kits are the clusters - these are ready-made embellishments that include custom shadows to make your digital layouts really shine! And sometimes, 1 or 2 of those clusters include frames - it's those frame clusters that allow us to make a really cool layout in 3 (or 4) steps! So let's get started…

(My layout was made using Adobe Photoshop 5; if you're using a different program, adjust your steps accordingly - but this is a very basic layout which doesn't use a lot of fancy steps!)

To get started, open a new document - 12" x 12", 300 ppi, transparent background. Make sure you've selected the Pointer tool from the Tool palette.

1. Pick a background for your layout and drag it onto your new document. (In Photoshop, if you hold down the Shift key while you drag, the background will automatically center itself in your new document.) I'm using a background from July's Sorrento Kit.

First, place your background.

2. Open your desired photo and drag it onto the background (don't worry about where to position the photo yet).

Next, add a photo.

3. Open your frame cluster and drag it onto the background. I picked a frame cluster from Just Dandy. (Yeah, that's right - I'm mixing kits, but don't they look great together?!)

Then, add a Frame Cluster.

Now you can resize your photo so that it fits the frame - click and hold one of the corners and drag to make your photo larger or smaller, as needed. Hold the Shift key to retain the photo's proportions while you resize. Press 'Enter' to accept your changes. Depending on the frame cluster that you chose, you may need to rotate your photo - hover your cursor near one of the corners of the photo until you see the curved arrows - then click and drag to rotate the photo as needed. Press 'Enter' to accept your changes. If you want to move your photo & cluster on the page, just be sure to select both layers in the layers palette and reposition as desired.

Finished Basic 3-Step Layout

You're done! Now wasn't that easy?

Okay, if you want to add some journalling, here's a quick way to do that:

4. Select the Text tool (it's a capital 'T') in the Tool palette, click anywhere on your layout and type your title or journalling (photoshop will automatically create a new layer for your text). Change the font, size, and color as desired. Repeat if you want to add more text to your layout.

Done! Here's my finished layout:

Finished Layout with optional Text

Now it's your turn - make a layout (for PSL or just for yourself).

And here's a surprise - Tricia's on vacation this week, so we're havin' a bit of extra fun while she's gone - post a comment (by Friday, July 13th 12 Noon CS time) and tell me what you love about Club Scrap Digital™ and 1 lucky winner (chosen at random) will get a special digi prize!