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Five Interesting Things to Do with Filters
Thursday, September 8, 2011
IN TODAY'S ISSUE:
- What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?
- Scrap Girls, Etc.: Five Interesting Things to Do
with Filters - ScrapSimple Club
- Tips from the Pros: Typography Fun!
- Designer Freebie
- What's Happening at Scrap Girls?
- Ongoing Opportunities for YOU
GENERAL INFORMATION
Support Center We Accept:
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The entire Scrap Girls team wants to say how grateful we are that you have chosen to participate with us. You'll never know just how much your support means to us and our families. Ro P.S. Your email address is safe with us. We never share, rent, sell, or loan our list with anyone! P.P.S. If you ever need any assistance, please email hello@scrapgirls.com or call IMPORTANT TO KNOWDon't forget to check out the Retirement Sale section of the Boutique. Items in this section are always on sale for 30% off. The items you will find during any particular month will be discontinued permanently on the 5th of the following month. So if you see something you like, grab it while you can! OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUCustomer Muses: Would you like to share your own Life Muse with our readers? To have your own essay considered for publication as a muse in the column for our special Saturday newsletter, send your essay to hello@scrapgirls.com. If your essay is selected, you will receive a $20 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique. Way Cool Scrap Girl: We are so excited to have all of you meet some of the amazing people that have become Scrap Girls! If you would like to be spotlighted and win a $25 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique, send the following items to hello@scrapgirls.com:
Project SG Challenge: Stay motivated to scrap your current photos! Post your 2011 layouts in the Project SG Challenge Gallery to earn one point per layout each month. You can earn up to four points per month this way! Earn a bonus point each month by attending the monthly Project SG Chat! Each point gives you an entry into a quarterly drawing for a special prize! And at the end of the year, each month that you participated in will earn you an entry into the Grand Prize drawing for a 12 X 12, 52 page Keepsakes photobook from Color, Inc! Our second quarterly drawing winner will be announced in the Saturday, July 9th Newsletter. Suggest a Challenge, Win a Prize! Have a great idea for a Gallery layout challenge? Submit it to challenges@scrapgirls.com. If your challenge idea is chosen, you will win a prize! Friday will be Customer Challenge Day, so keep an eye out on the Message Board calendar. It will be fun to see what YOU come up with for us to do!
Of course, it is a surprise what you will get because birthday presents are always surprises! But you will like it for sure because most people like money… Anyway, make sure your Message Board email address is current and that you have the correct date entered into your profile to participate. *ADVERTISEMENTS*
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Article written by Syndee Nuckles
Five Interesting Things to Do with Filters
Note: Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS5 on Mac OS X.
Did you know that you have a virtual playground in Photoshop within the Filters Gallery and the Filters Menu? There are so many fun and interesting effects that can take your photos from drab to fab! Filters not only work great on photos, but alphas, embellishments, and papers as well.
You will find this playground at the very top of your Photoshop window, just click on Filter and a drop-down menu will appear. You can jump into the Filters Gallery which allows you to play with the settings and see a preview of the filter on your photo.
You can add artistic effects with Sponge, Watercolor, Colored Pencil, Palette Knife, Cut-Out Filters, and so much more!
You can add a blurred effect with one of several filters including Gaussian, Lens, Radial, Motion, and more.
But here’s a very important point to remember: Always work on a copy of your original photo. Never make changes to your original photo.
Let’s take some of the filters for a test drive!
First, make a duplicate copy of your photo in your Layers Palette by hitting Ctrl+J (or Cmd+J on Mac).
Let’s add contrast to our photo with a little softness around the edges by adding a Gaussian Blur of about 11.5.
Next, in your Layers Palette with the blurred photo layer selected, go to the Layer Modes and select Overlay. Your photo will now have more contrast and a soft blur around the edges. So easy!
Now let's play with the Halftone filter! Make a duplicate copy of your photo in the Layers Palette like you did for the photo above.
Notice that we are inside the Filters Gallery, and the sliders to the right allow you to choose the type of halftone pattern, the size, and the contrast. The preview of your photo will appear to the left.
Once you are happy with the amount and size of the halftone effect, click OK.
Now, in your Layers Palette with the halftone photo layer selected, go to the Layer Modes and select Overlay. Viola! It's a great way to add a bit of pizazz to your photo or embellishment!
Did you know that you can sharpen your photos by using the High Pass filter?
Make a duplicate copy of your photo in the Layers Palette. Click on Filter and select Other in the drop-down menu. Next, select High Pass.
I used a radius of 5.1 pixels for this demonstration.
It looks a little odd, but just hang-on for the next step!
Now, in your Layers Palette with the High Pass photo layer selected, go to the Layer Modes and select Overlay.
See the difference between the original and the photo with the filter applied? The new photo is sharper, and the colors seem more vibrant! I love this filter!
You can add some interesting lighting effects with the Lens Flare or Lighting Effects Filters. Just go to your Filters menu, scroll down to Render, and then select Lighting Effects.
I have applied a Flashlight Filter to my photo. Notice all the settings you can play around with. You can also just grab the handles of the flashlight lighting circle right on the photo and move it around and enlarge it until you are happy with the results. Click OK when you are done.
Isn't this fun?!
Now, one of my favorite filters to play with is the Radial Blur! Once again, make a duplicate copy of your photo in your Layers Palette by hitting Ctrl+J (or Cmd+J on Mac).
Select the Blur filter in the Filters drop-down menu, then select Radial Blur. Slide the Amount slider around until you are happy with the effect. I used Zoom under Blur Method and selected Best under Quality. You can also adjust the Blur center. Then hit OK.
Now, with black as your foreground and white as your background color, select a big Soft Round eraser brush and begin erasing on the Radial Blur photo layer. Erase anything that you want to be clear.
I could continue to play forever, but I hope this has given you some fun ways to bump up your photos a notch!
Until next time!
Scrap Girls, Etc. is a weekly column pulling bits and pieces from all over Scrap Girls. Stay tuned each week as Scrap Girls' team members bring you tutorials, musings, recipes, interviews, design/software tips and tricks, layout walk-throughs, and who knows what else!
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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). A commercially licensed version of the ScrapSimple Club is also available here. With the ScrapSimple Club, you will receive:
August's ScrapSimple Club has been created for you by Angie Briggs and Jen Reed
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 Layout by Cheri Thieleke using August's ScrapSimple Club larger view |
 Layout by Angie Briggs using August's ScrapSimple Club larger view |
 Layout by Joyce Schardt using August's ScrapSimple Club larger view |
Typography Fun!
Note: Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS4 with Windows 7
The other day as I was flipping through a magazine, an ad caught my attention. The main graphic image of the ad was a silhouette filled with descriptive words. Be still, my heart! Imagine the possibilities! A layout using the same technique? Yes!
So with that, I am going to walk you through a digital scrapbooking layout using this very fun typographic technique.
To create a silhouette, you need to find that perfect image: A photo which will be recognizable even when blacked out. Side-shots of faces or full-body action shots (ideally with the legs and arms separate from the body) are great for this technique.
Next, you will need to carefully erase around your image, thus defining the edges of your silhouette. There are several ways to do it, but I love using the Magnetic Lasso Tool or the Polygonal Lasso Tool to select edges. Make sure that the "Add to Selection" box is selected, then select the Inverse (Ctrl+I), and delete the stuff around your silhouette image.
For more detailed instructions on how to make silhouettes, I recommend you check out Brandy Murry’s Scrap Girls 2009 Digital Scrap Link Class: Using Silhouettes in Scrapbooking eBookin the Scrap Girls Boutique.
It's going to take some time to select around the border of your whole silhouette, but zoom in close and be patient. You don't have to be extremely accurate because you will be turning your image to black - but you want to be fairly close to the original.
After you cut your image out of the photo, make sure that your image is on a separate layer from the background. You will be filling your photo with a color (in my case, black), and you want this effect to only be applied to your photo. To fill your image only, make sure your image layer is selected, then press Ctrl and click on your image thumbnail. Finally go to Edit> Fill and select the color black and choose OK. Save your silhouette image as a PSD or a JPG file.
This is where it gets fun! Luckily for me, I found a free online generator called Tagxedo (http://www.tagxedo.com/). Tagxedo is designed to create groupings of words of your choice in an image of your choice - which definitely simplifies things. (It is also possible to simply type in your words and adjust them in your image, but I'm lazy.)
To use Tagxedo, click on Create from the home page. You will then be sent to the Tagxedo creator, where you then can upload your image (click on Shape> Upload Image). Select your file. After the image is uploaded, you can make any number of adjustments to your text, words, font, orientation, etc. When your new masterpiece is to your liking (be patient and have the courage to play with all the options - you may be surprised what you can create with a little tweaking), save the image as a PNG file with the highest resolution, and open it in Photoshop.
My image saved without a background, which is exactly what I wanted it to do. After opening it in Photoshop, I positioned it above my silhouette layer and created a clipping mask (Ctrl+G for PSCS, and Ctrl+Shift+G for PSE). You may want to merge your layers together at this point.
For such a visually interesting technique, there really wasn't a whole lot to it, but what an impact it makes! I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
Layout by Joann Brown
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A commercial license version of Life: Everyday Collection Biggie is also available. |
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Article written by Joann Brown
Learn to make digital scrapbooking layouts and more! – Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed Ready to learn advanced techniques? – MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed |
Layout by Elisha Barnett
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Designer Freebie by Elisha Barnett coordinates with her Homebody Collection Biggie
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A Commercial license version of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Background Blenders is also available. |
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Today's freebie designed by Elisha Barnett
* 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.
Project SG Chat
Thursday, September 8th - 7:00PM MDT
Join April (April Showers) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) to hear all the details about Project SG! You can be eligible to win prizes simply by taking part in this Year-long Challenge. It is never too late to start! We hope to see you in the chat room on September 8th at 7pm MT.
What's New in the Boutique Chat
Friday, September 9th - 9:00AM MDT
Join April (April Showers) and Theresa (teecee) at 9am MT on Friday mornings to chat about all the wonderful new products in the Scrap Girls Boutique! What are your favorite new items? Is your shopping basket full? What did you kaboodle? Have you already done layouts or other projects with your new goodies? Come tell the designers how much you love their work! You never know who will show up. There's a thread every Thursday, and now there's a chat too!
Recipe Swap Chat
Saturday, September 10th - 7:00PM MDT
Join April (April Showers) and Lei (Bride) at 7pm MT in the chat room for our Monthly Recipe Swap Chat. Please check the message board the Thursday before the chat for this month's theme and the swap details!
Journaling Chat
Monday, September 12th - 6:00PM MDT
Join Carla (CRS) and Lei (Bride) for a Journaling Chat at 6pm MT on the second Monday of each month. Struggle to find the right words for your layouts? Are your layouts more decorative than descriptive of the moments you're trying to capture? Then you won't want to miss this chat - we'll have a special challenge to encourage you to journal on your pages more! See you there!
NSBR Chat
Monday, September 12th - 7:00PM MDT
What is NSBR? It's a non-scrapbooking related chat! We talk about everything, including some scrapbooking and usually chocolate. It's a great chance to meet new friends, catch up on what everyone is up to, and just relax. If you have a problem, we'll lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on. Have some great news to share? We'd love to celebrate with you. So join us, Carla (CRS) and Lei (Bride) at 7pm MT!
September Message Board Game: Posting Contest!
It's that time again - Posting Contest time! This is where you are rewarded for your flying fingers and chattiness. The Contest will run from September 1st when we post the thread to September 30th at 12:00 Midnight (MST).
To enter the Message Board Posting Challenge, you MUST reply in the game thread with your CURRENT post count. This is the number under your Avatar that shows when you post. (NOTE: Do not post the number found on your profile; it is a different number that is calculated differently.) During the month, chat your fingers off! At Midnight on September 30th, we will calculate your post count based on the numbers posted in the original thread.
Members with Message Board posts over 50 will be put in a drawing for a $5 Scrap Girls Gift Certificate. Members with Message Board posts over 200 will be put in a drawing for both the $5 Scrap Girls Gift Certificate and a $10 Scrap Girls Gift Certificate. Members with Message Board posts over 400 will be put in a drawing for a $15 Scrap Girls Gift Certificate, as well as the $5 and $10 Gift Certificates.
For complete details, visit the Monthly Message Board Games folder on the Scrap Girls Forum.
September Monthly Layout Contest: The children are headed back to school, and there is a sense of learning in the air! For the September Layout Contest, share your layouts about learning a new skill! We'd love to see the stories about someone in your life learning and growing. Remember when your little one learned to ride a bicycle or your teenager learned to drive a car? Or how about when you learned to use your digital scrapbooking software? Share those layouts in the September Monthly Layout Gallery before Midnight MT on September 30th. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the EXIF Properties. Two layouts will be selected to win a $10 Gift Card 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 prizes@scrapgirls.com and we'll get it out to you right away!