Rozanne Paxman

Extracting Time

(See how I removed the background of the photo of my father-in-law? This is an extraction.)

Want to know a secret? It's easier to extract something from a photograph if you zoom up close to the image.

Digital scrapbookers often ask the question, "How do I extract things from photographs?" When this particular question is asked, an experienced digital scrapbooker knows that the individual has recently spent a long time removing the background from the subject of a photo. Because the task took them so long, they seek advice, hoping that an experienced scrapbooker will say, "It's easy. All you do is use this magical tool, click on the photo, hit the Delete button, and Wah-lah! The item is perfectly extracted."

That's what they wish. That's what they hope for. That's what they pray will happen. And that's what software manufacturers try to make happen when they add magic-bullet extraction tool options to their latest releases.

The truth? There is no magic bullet – or magic tool – to extract images. Extractions sometimes require endless amounts of up-close work as you outline portions of the item in preparation for using the Delete key to remove the area you have selected.

Select. Delete. Select Delete. Oops! Undo that. Select. Delete again. Select. Click on the wrong thing and lose the selection. (Dang! Sigh....) Select it again. Delete.

The trick for clean extractions is to get up close to the object – very close – so that you can see the edge clearly. The problem with close-up work is that it seems to slow time down. You feel like you are curling your hair, one strand at a time.

Mystery-of-the-universe/Ro's-warped-mind-thinks-it-might-be-true factoid: The time required to remove excess background during image extractions seems to multiply with each inward click of the Zoom tool.

It's so tempting to extract the object at the default viewing percentage. But if you give into temptation and attempt to do it that way, you will end up with a mess. You will probably miss critical photo details – like the subject's earlobe. (But hey... who cares, right? Maybe your husband won't care that you cut off his earlobe while you are cutting his photo out of a background.)

It occurred to me recently – as I was painstakingly extracting a complicated image – that accomplishing things in life is very much like extracting images from a photograph. It's tempting to try to take short-cuts, not realizing that you are cutting out the good parts.

Life is accomplished one second, one thought, one activity, one word, and one detail at a time. As much as you would like to be able to, you can't jump from "here" to "there" without passing through "this" and "that." You can't learn to read without knowing the alphabet. You can't learn calculus without learning to count. Your laundry won't get done until you carry it into the laundry room and stuff it in the washing machine. And you can't extract a complicated image from a similarly-colored background unless you are willing to click endlessly about on the canvas.

So if you need to extract an image from a photograph – or do your laundry – put some music on and relax in the moment. You might as well enjoy yourself while you work.

(Check out Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed and MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements to learn even more digital scrapbooking tips, such as how to repair damaged photos and understanding photo editing techniques.)

Muse: To be absorbed in one's thoughts; engage in meditation. Not intended to solve the world's problems, another person's problems, or to cover topics completely. One does not have to agree with musings to enjoy them, just as one does not have to be the same as someone else to appreciate who they are.

Would you like to earn a $20 Gift Certificate? Send your own muse to [email protected]. If it is selected for publication in the Scrap Girls newsletter, you'll get to have fun shopping!

SCRAP GIRLS CLUB

Join the Scrap Girls Monthly Club and you can have fun with the newest traditional digital and printable scrapbooking looks while saving! (A $27.94 value for $9.99 or less!)

The Scrap Girls Club contents are released on the 1st day of the month (or the closest business day to the 1st).

With the Scrap Girls Club, you will receive:

1 Collection Biggie
1 Paper Super Mini
1 8.5x11 Sheet of Word Art
1 Embellishment Set
1 Assemble Your Own Zoom Page Set
1 Designer's Choice Item

Layout by Trish Yochum using February's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Trish Yochum

If you prefer not to join a club, the Scrap Girls Club contents are available at regular prices in the Boutique. You can easily find them right now by checking the What's New? section of the Boutique.

Note: The Scrap Girls Club contents are always available for sale elsewhere in the Boutique at their regular prices once the associated club month is released. But all club contents are totally brand new, never seen before product releases for each month!

SCRAPSIMPLE CLUB

Join the ScrapSimple Monthly Club and you can enjoy the newest ScrapSimple looks while saving! (A $13.95 value for $6.99 or less!)

The new ScrapSimple Club contents are released on the 15th day of the month (or the closest business day to the 15th).

With the ScrapSimple Club, you will receive:

1 ScrapSimple Paper Template Set
1 ScrapSimple Embellishment Template
1 ScrapSimple Embellishment or Word Art Template Set
2 Designer's Choice Items

A commercially licensed version of the ScrapSimple Club is also available here.

Layout by Janine Buckles using January's ScrapSimple Club
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Created for you by Keri Schueller and Ariadna Wiczling

If you prefer not to join a club, the ScrapSimple Club contents are available at regular prices in the Boutique. You can easily find them right now by checking the What's New? section of the Boutique.

Note: The ScrapSimple Club contents are always available for sale in the Boutique at regular prices once the associated club month is released. But all club contents are totally brand new, never-seen-before product releases for each month!

Adding Energy and Focus to a Digital Scrapbooking Layout

Adding energy and focus to a digital scrapbooking layout is easy when you use ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Op Art Rays. They are a versatile tool to help guide your eye, to focus attention on a specific area, to add a dynamic punch to a dull photo, or to give the illusion of magical light.

At first glance, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Op Art Rays seem one dimensional, but when you begin to play with the paper templates, you'll discover the myriad of ways this product can be used. Two different techniques are detailed below.

One application is to use the templates as a clipping mask.

In this layout, I extracted the girl from a poor quality photo. The area around her was too busy, and I only wanted to focus on the joy in her step, her exuberance and delight as she came home from her first day of school. Bright, primary colors accented the school theme, so I added a green grassy base and a warm, sunny yellow sky.

I used ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Op Art Rays 1, moving it up to rest on the horizon line of the grass.

I selected a pretty yellow paper from Noteworthy Collection Biggie and used the ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Op Art Rays as a clipping mask. Use your Magic Wand with the Contiguous box at the top of the menu unchecked and click outside the black rays. A series of marching ants will appear. Hit the Delete key. The paper you don't want will be erased.

Hide the ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Op Art Rays layer by clicking on the small eye in your Layers Palette.

The layout is completed by adding ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Neon 9201 to the Noteworthy paper layer, adding a title and a smattering of felt flowers.

Layout by Valerie Randall
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Op Art Rays, ScrapSimple Type Paths: Shapes 2101, ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Blossoms 2101, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Neon 9201 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Felt Biggie 6501 are also available.

Another technique is to use the paper templates with Blend modes.

On this page, I had a photograph of Jacob looking up at the fish he just caught. The sky is a very pale blue and not very interesting, but I loved the expression of joy and wonder on his face.

I selected ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Op Art Rays 6 and flipped the paper horizontally.

Then I positioned it vertically so that the rays point in the same direction as he is looking.

I selected a Blend mode: "Overlay" with an Opacity of 80%. Then I used the Polygonal Lasso Tool, setting the Feather setting at 100 px and clicking roughly around Jacob so that the rays will only be seen in the blue sky around him.

I added a smaller photo that tells the story of what he is looking at and then decided to duplicate the ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Op Art Rays 6 layer, again using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, but set at 200 px and rough click to remove more of the rays, to create a darker edge.

Layout by Valerie Randall
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Op Art Rays, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Lifted Photos Biggie - Weathered, Brush Set: Time Traveler - Clouds Biggie and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Jelly 2101 are also available.

Tutorial written by Valerie Randall

FREE STARTER KIT

Free eBook "starter kit" turns your dreams of digital scrapbooking into reality today!

This dynamite eBook is 65 pages - packed full of the information, ideas, and help people need when they are about to dive into this great hobby. It answers all of the important questions new digital scrapbookers have. They are all here for you - in one easy to use eBook!

Bonus! Download the free "Warning" Label, too. It was created for you by Valerie Randall as a little bit of extra fun!

Would you like a chance to try digital scrapbooking yourself?

Scrap Girls' Refresh Collection Biggie offers you free samples of some of our most popular product types. Try making a layout, your own paper with a ScrapSimple Paper Template, a fast layout with a ScrapSimple Digital Layout Template, or experiment with a brush.

We know you'll love digital scrapbooking as much as we do, and we have thousands of products to feed your new addiction!

Ready to Take Off? In-depth Tutorials Help You Become a Great Digital Scrapbooker

Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed!

NEWLY UPDATED! Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop
NEWLY UPDATED! Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Paint Shop Pro X (XI)

Find out what tens of thousands of people have already learned: Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed is the fastest way to learn how to create digital scrapbooking layouts. And because this series covers so many topics with one purchase, it is a bargain!

In the tutorials, you'll see Ro working on her computer and hear her talking about why she is doing what she is doing. It's like having Ro come to your home and give you private scrapbooking lessons. You can create digital scrapbooking layouts today!

Download and CD versions available.

Photoshop and Photoshop Elements users receive:

30-31 movie tutorials
Companion eBook(s)
Collections
Other supplies

Paint Shop Pro users receive 31 movie tutorials.

MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed!

MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed! for Adobe Photoshop
MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed! for Adobe Photoshop Elements

Now that you've learned the basics of digital scrapbooking with Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, you are ready to learn advanced skills for having even more fun while you create digital scrapbooking layouts!

Get a big boost learning how to use ScrapSimple products to make your own backgrounds, embellishments, and alphas with the MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements movie tutorial series. You'll learn so much that your digital scrapbooking layouts will never be the same!

eBooks

Scrap Girls offers a large catalog of eBooks covering topics that will expand your digital scrapbooking abilities to new heights. Here are just a few samples:

Scrapbooking 911 - 2-page Sketches
to Revitalize Your Digital Scrapbooking eBook

Are you stuck in a creative corner? Need a jumpstart to your layouts? Want more ideas how to go from a blank page to a digital masterpiece? With a fresh collection of original sketches, all the hard design decisions (such as balance, composition, and rule of thirds) have already been made for you.

Scrapbook Quotes eBook
The right quote for your scrapbook layouts

Looking for scrapbooking quotes or quotes to use for greeting cards? Here's your solution. This packed eBook contains hundreds of quotes, collected over many years by Rozanne Paxman specifically for use on scrapbooking layouts.

Scrap Girls Tutorials & Way Cool Stuff eBook Set
2009 - 3rd Quarter

Subscribers to the Scrap Girls Newsletter have one thing in common: they love to learn new techniques! Each issue shares ideas, tutorials, and new ways to use Scrap Girls quality digital scrapbooking products. Now you can have all those past tutorials and Way Cool Stuff articles of the 3rd Quarter of 2009 in one convenient PDF format.

Start to Finish eBooklets

Start to Finish eBooklet - PS: The Beauty of Blending Modes: Using them with ScrapSimple Products

Nothing could be simpler than learning to scrapbook digitally with Scrap Girls Start to Finish eBooklets. Step by step written guidelines and detailed screenshots will help you learn new digital scrapbooking skills. Included with the eBooklet are the actual digital files you need to create a finished project!

See more titles

Layout by Carrie Stephens
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Designer Freebie by Carrie Stephens coordinates with her Glow Collection Biggie

* There is a "free download" button on the details page for each gift. You don't need to put them in your shopping cart unless you are shopping for other items. Also note that if you are slow reading your newsletter, you may find this freebie has already been retired, as the freebies are only available as gifts for about two newsletter cycles.

CROPS AND CHATS

What's New Chat
Friday, February 5th - 9:00AM MT

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Sherry_Lynn at 9am MT on Friday mornings to chat about all the cool new things in the boutique. You never know who else is going to show up! What are you getting? What did you kaboodle? And most importantly show us the layouts or other projects you made with your new goodies! There's a thread every Thursday and now there's a chat too!

Back-Up Party & Chat
Friday, February 5th - 2:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April Showers in the chat room on Friday, February 5th for a Back-up Party and Chat. We'll go over several different ways to safeguard your files. You won't want to miss this one!

Quote Challenge Chat
Sunday, February 7th - 2:00PM MT

Come join Pat (PBarnes) for the Quote Challenge Crop at 2pm MT. Including a quote on your layout can be a touching and meaningful addition, especially if you use the quote to create your own word art. Here's how it will work. On Sunday, I'll post a thread on the Chat section of the board giving you the quote that you will use to make your own word art. It's not hard, and I will have a layout with a Word Art example in the gallery. Then we'll meet in the chat room to have fun, chat, and create our Word Art layout! Everyone can participate and create a layout, even if you can't make the chat. Hope to see you there!

Aussie Chat & Challenge
Monday, February 8th - 9:00PM Australian Eastern DST

Come join Jo (scrappingjo) and Karen (kazbar73) for our first Aussie Chat of 2010. As we are in the middle of Summer, we thought it would be a great challenge to create a layout with your favourite summer photos. Come to the chat room at 9.00pm Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time and have fun chatting with us. For our International ladies, the chat will start at 3am MT (or 5am ET) on Monday 8 February. We look forward to chatting with you all.

Photography Focus Club Chat
Monday, February 8th - 7:00PM MT

Do you want to challenge yourself and improve your photography? Check out the Scrap Girls Photo Focus Club. No membership required - Everyone is welcome. If you are looking for tips, techniques or inspiration to help you take better images, this is the chat for you. This month, join Mary Elizabeth (NS_Scrapper) and guest hostess Sara (Three Tadpoles Mom) to talk about lighting. Sara will describe her basic lighting studio, which she describes as her "Home Depot" studio. Come and join the discussion to find out how you can create a simple lighting package and learn some tricks for using external light sources.

Baby Album Chat
Tuesday, February 9th - 11:00AM MT

Do you need some motivation getting those baby albums done? Children grow so fast. Let's get those baby memories scrapped! You can scrap your children, grandchildren or even your own baby album. Join Carla (CRS) and Shari (Shari PV Mom) in the chat room on Tuesday, February 9th at 11am MT to work on those albums! You can start from fresh on a brand new album, or jump in where ever you are in your project. We'll provide an optional challenge each crop for motivation if you want one. For this month's challenge, let's scrap the First Haircut!

Life Moments Chat
Tuesday, February 9th - 4:00PM MT

Please join Sherry_Lynn on Tuesday, February 9th at 4pm MT for the next installment of our Life Moments Chat and Crop! These crops are about building a scrapbook all about you, one layout at a time.

New Member Chat
Tuesday, February 9th - 7:00PM MT

Join Pat (PBarnes) and Carol Ann (Zaz) for the New Member Chat at 7pm MT in the Live Chat room lobby. This is a great place to ask questions about getting around the Scrap Girls site or about digital scrapbooking in general - and a great place to make some new friends. All are welcome, new and long time members included. You do need to have Java installed on your computer to access the Live Chat.

FEBRUARY EVENTS

February Message Board Game: BINGO!

It's that time again! Join us for an exciting game of BINGO on the Message Board Forum in February! Pick 25 words from the list provided in the forum and send them in an email to [email protected] with a subject line that says "BINGO CARD - your SG message board username" by Saturday, January 30th (Midnight MST) in order to play in the first round, which will begin on Monday, February 1st.

Each day, members of the Welcoming Committee will call five random words from the Bingo list. Match just 15 of those words to win a BINGO. You must be first to call bingo in the forum to win that round. After a winner is called, the boards can be cleared and a new round will begin the following day. All winners win a $5 gift certificate to the boutique! We like to see lots of winners, so please remember that each person can only win one round during the month. Have fun!

If you miss the first round cutoff date, you can still play! Just send in your Bingo card at any time during the month and you'll be eligible to begin playing when the next new round starts. Everyone who sends in a Bingo card will receive a confirmation email that their card has been received. If you do not receive confirmation within 24 hours, please re-send your list of words.

Layout Contests:

February Monthly Layout Contest: During the month of February, many people turn to thoughts of love. What greater love is there than the love for family. For this month's contest, we want to see layouts about your family – either the one you grew up with or the one you have started. Create your layout and post it in the February Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight MST on February 28th. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the EXIF Properties. If your layout is one of the two chosen, you will win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

Club Concepts Layout Contest: Post your new layout using the current club selection (either the Scrap Girls Club or the ScrapSimple Club) in our Scrap Girls Club Members Gallery or the ScrapSimple Club Members' Gallery. Be sure to list all of the Scrap Girls products you used. If your layout is chosen, it will be showcased as a Club Concepts layout winner, and you will win a $5 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

Check our message board calendar if you have any questions about what is happening at Scrap Girls. All event times are given in Mountain Time Zone unless otherwise noted. Need help converting time zones? Check out the World Clock - Time Zone Converter. (Use 'USA-Utah-Salt Lake City' as the location for the Mountain time zone.)

Haven't received your prize as a contest winner? Please send an email to [email protected] and we'll get it out to you right away!