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ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates
Digital scrapbooking creates an array of options and an endless creative means of displaying your photos and memories in an intensely personal way. Getting those photos off our computers, out of our closets and into an album is so often a labor of love. But what about time? What about feeling stuck in your creativity? Do these things create roadblocks to getting your albums done?
Scrap Girls to the rescue! ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates are great tools to use, whether you feel short on time, or short on creative juices! Using a ScrapSimple Digital Layout Template helps you get a layout done fast, and it looks really fabulous when you're done. You can take away the guesswork because the design elements are figured out for you, and all you have to do is add your photos, your elements, and then have fun. You can even personalize them!
For my example, I am using the new ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Mini Clusters. I really love the look of these templates. This particular set allows you to make an entire album.
Most ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates come in layered PSD files for Photoshop users, as well as in PNG file format. I'm going to show you how easy it is to use a ScrapSimple Digital Layout Template for Photoshop.
First, create a new layout. Then, find on your computer where you have your layout templates and open the PSD file that you wish to use in your software. To get all of these layers onto your new layout at once, simply highlight ALL of the layers of the template file, then right-click on any of them, then left-click on "Duplicate Layers."
Then, in the pop-up box that comes up, click on the drop-down menu and highlight the layout that you just created. Hit "OK." Then, all the PSD layers of the template file will pop up in your new document! (Close your original so that nothing happens to it accidently.)
Alternatively, you can open each individual PNG file to build your template in your program.
Once I had the Scrap Simple Digital Layout Template in my layout, building the layout was very easy. The first thing I did was to add my picture. I inserted it above the grey box that represents the main picture in the template. After sizing my picture to closely match the mask, I clipped the photo to the layer mask below by highlighting both layers and using Ctrl+G. The picture took on the shape of the box in the layer below it.
Then, I brought my background papers into the layout. You can simply drag them in or bring them in via File> Place. I placed them above Background Layer. Then, I brought in two more papers to make the vertical strips. I placed each paper above the appropriately named layer. Then again, highlighting both layers, I used Ctrl+G to clip the paper to the shape. I had a photo, a background, and two vertical paper strips.
Next, it's super easy to embellish your layout. Each circle, ring, or dot indicates where to put an embellishment cluster. Using this format, all you have to do is drag your choice of embellishment, place it over the dot provided, and use that dot as a reference point for size and positioning of your embellishment. Then, when you get your element where you want it, you can turn off the visibility of the dot from the template or delete the layer.
In my example, I also am showing you how you can use a shape from the template, and change it to something entirely different, but still of a similar shape. In this template, I could have clipped a paper to the two white rings as I did with the vertical strips. However, I chose instead to use the rings as a placement for a circular brush from the Brush Set: Round About. For each ring, I made a new layer directly above the ring layer that comes in the layered template set. Then, using my Brush Tool, I stamped the circular brush onto my layout. Using the Transform Tool, I sized the newly stamped circle so that it fit within the ring provided. Then, I simply deleted the ring layer. I did this for each ring of the template.
Now I have my completed layout!
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I could leave my layout like this if I wanted to. It was completed quickly, and it followed design principles nicely because the template is set up that way. Now, though, I want to show you how easy it is to personalize your layout a little bit more.
To show you how easy it is to personalize the templates, I made another example for you. All I did in this second example was to replace one of the vertical strips with an embellishment from ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Painted Chipboard Borders. I also exchanged the brushwork for the original rings. I used ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Glass 6101 Super Biggie on the rings to maintain the transparent look, and I added ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Felt Biggie 6501 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Chipboard 6401 to the chipboard borders. I was able to make slight changes to my layout and personalize it without a lot of work!
As you can see, the possibilities are endless. You can use these templates "straight out of the box" or you can use them as guides or as a launching point for something entirely different. Templates make it super easy - all you have to do is add the fun!
Are you new to digital scrapbooking or do you want to take your digital layouts to a new level? Check out the incredible tutorials on Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed and MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed.
Layout by Amy Flanagan
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Article written by Amy Flanagan
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