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"Surviving the Heat Wave" by Ashleigh Bronner
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
To create the out-of-bounds effect on the photo, first I added a layer mask to the frame layer. Then I lowered the Opacity of the frame layer to 70%. Next, I zoomed in to 200%, and using a Small Round Brush, I erased away parts of the frame to allow the photo to show through it.
Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS4
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
"Belle Chic" by Amy Flanagan
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
My vision for this layout was to make it soft and modern. I really liked the paper from Christmas Angel Dust Collection as the background paper. I wanted the vine in the paper to stand out a little bit more to actually become one of the embellishments. To make that happen, I highlighted my paper layer. Then I used the Magic Wand Tool and selected the dark brown in the vine. This activated the "marching ants." Then, with the paper layer still active, I hit Ctrl+J to copy the selected portions to a new layer. Then I could move them above or below the other elements in my layout easily, as well as to change the Blending Mode of the copied layer to "Color Burn" to make the vine stand out a little bit more.
Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS4
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
"Mother of the Groom" by Julie Moberly
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
I needed to change the pink color of Molly Milkshakes Collection Biggie to match the color of the dress in the photo. I selected my Eyedropper Tool and clicked on a part of the dress to select a color. Then I selected the Brocade Pink paper in my Layers Palette, and navigated through Enhance> Adjust Color> Adjust Hue/Saturation from the top menu. In the Hue/Saturation dialogue box, I clicked the "Colorize" box at the bottom right. Then I moved the sliders until I achieved the exact color I wanted.
Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
"Sleeping Babe" by Cheri Thieleke
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
My favorite shadow trick for light-on-light colored objects: Use your favorite shadow on the object. My favorite happens to be ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501. I use them on almost every page. Then Ctrl+Click on the object's thumbnail in the Layers Palette to get the "marching ants." Create a new layer underneath the object by Ctrl+Clicking on the new layer button at the bottom of the Layer Palette. Using the Paint Bucket Tool, fill that layer with a nice medium-to-dark gray. Switch to the Move Tool, nudge up and to the left one or two notches (the opposite direction of the standard down-and-to-the-right shadow) with the arrow keys. Reduce the Opacity to about 20-35% and apply a Gaussian Blur from the Filter Menu. It's a bit cumbersome, but well worth the extra effort!
Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
"View of the Harbor" by Elisha Barnett
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
I wanted to make it look as if light were shining through the tree outside the window into the room and onto the shutters inside. I created a shadow layer using ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Deep Shadows 6501 PSE and PS Biggie on the green garland from The View Collection. Then I brought just the shadow layer up in my Layers Palette so that it was in front of the window molding and the shutters in my layout. I reduced the Opacity until I was happy with the result. I also made a copy of the shadow layer and clipped it to the lamp shade, adjusting the position slightly.
Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
Other Ingredients:
"You Are My Joy" by Jennifer Wight
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
This tip has been mentioned before, but I love it and use it all the time! When threading ribbon through holes or overlapping any kind of embellishments, I always make two copies and erase portions for the top copy only. For example, on this layout, I threaded a ribbon through the holes of one of Valerie's frames from her Dresden Blue Collection Biggie. I made two copies of my ribbon. The first copy I placed on a layer above the frame, and the second I placed on a layer below the frame. With the top ribbon layer selected, I erased portions of the ribbon to make it look as if it were being threaded though the holes on the frame. With an extra copy of the ribbon below the frame, this tip allowed for little mistakes!
Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
"Wonder" by Heather Messmer
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
I really enjoyed playing with all of the flowers, leaves, and swirls in the ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Fantastic Frames. Though for this layout, I wanted to add more swirls and flowers to the frame, so I duplicated (Ctrl+J) a few of the layers and played with the positioning (rotating and erasing part of the new layer) to get the look I desired.
Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
"Nathan at the Beach" by Joann Brown
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
I recently discovered a fast, fabulous, and super easy way to include background photos in my layout! ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Background Blenders are so fabulous for quickly, easily, and perfectly blending papers and photos. In this layout, I knew I wanted to highlight my son in the bottom left-hand corner, right under the "Happy as a Clam" word art. I also knew I didn't want my photo to be too stark. Background Blenders are so perfect for this purpose. I used a clipping mask on my photo, erased the part of the Background Blender template that I didn't need, and adjusted the Opacity and the Blending Mode of my photo. I used the Blending Mode "Luminosity."
Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS4
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
Other Ingredients:
Journaling: Nathan, just over 1 year old, is enjoying the sunshiny Southern California weather. This photo is 100% Nathan at 1 year. We spent the afternoon at Huntington Beach, and loved it!
"Beautiful Naturally" by Becca Hauck
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
For this photo session, I used techniques that I learned from Laurel Lakey at the 2009 Scrap Girls Digital Scrap Link convention and in her eBook, Scrap Girls 2009 Digital Scrap Link Class: Let There Be Light. It was a bright summer day, so I made sure my friend's daughter was in the "open shade" of a covered bridge. The sunlight provided enough light on her, and the dark shadows of the bridge provided a nice contrast for the photo's background. A plus to this location was the light breeze that made her long hair blow in the wind, creating a very professional looking and beautiful portrait.
Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS5 and Adobe Lightroom 3.0
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
"Hard Work Pays Off" by Janine Buckles
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
The colors I chose to use for this layout were denim blue and yellow. I wanted a brick background, but the paper I chose to use, from The View Collection, is in shades of pink, grey and tan. I chose a beautiful yellow paper from A Gardener's Diary Collection and placed it on the layer above the brick paper. Next, I played with the Blending Modes (found at the top of the Layers Palette) until I found one - "Overlay" - which allowed the brick to show through, yet kept my background yellow.
Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0
Name of challenge: Create a layout using only two colors. (Black and white don't count!)
Other Ingredients:
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