Digital Scrapbooking Tips

To use the Photo Clusters, Open PSE or Photoshop.

Katie has included both the .png version and the .psd version for many of the  frames.
You can open either the .png version of the frame or the layered .psd file - whichever you are more comfortable using.  Here are instructions for both.

To use the .png version in Photoshop Elements:

• Open the .png file.
• Open a new document 12x12 inches, 300 ppi, RGB mode.
• Double-click on the frame file in the Project Bin at the bottom of the screen.  This makes it active (large in the editing window.) Using the Move Tool, drag the png frame onto your new 12x12-inch document that is now down in the Project Bin.  This will make the new document large in the editing window and the frame will be on top of the document.
• Do NOT drag the frame UP from the Bin onto your document.  This will put the unwanted white box around your frame.
• Open your photos.
• Use the Move Tool to drag the photos to the 12x12 page in the Project Bin.  Once the photos are on the new document, drag the photo layers underneath the frame layer so that the photos will be under the frame.
• Using the Move tool, drag your cursor to the corner of the photo to resize it.  Click and drag inward to make it smaller, or outward (away from the photo) to make it larger.
• Use the eraser tool to erase away any parts of the photos that stick out underneath the frame or overlap.

To use the .png version in Photoshop:

•     Open one of the .png files.
•     Open a new document 12x12 inches, 300 ppi, RGB mode.
•     To see both the document and the frame at the same time, select the "Restore Down" icon at the top right corner of the Menu Bar.  It looks like a double-rectangle. 
•     Get the Move Tool. Drag the png frame onto your new 12x12-inch document.
•     Open your photos.
•     Use the Move Tool to drag the photos to the 12x12 page. Once the photos are on the new document, drag the photo layers underneath the frame layer so that the photos will be under the frame.
•     Using the Move tool, drag your cursor to the corner of the photo to resize it.  Shift, click and drag inward to make it smaller, or outward (away from the photo) to make it larger. Holding the Shift key will keep the photo in the correct proportions.
•     Use the eraser tool to erase away any parts of the photos that stick out underneath the frame or overlap another opening (or use the eraser tip below.)

To use the layered .psd version in Photoshop Elements:

• Open a new document 12x12 inches, 300 ppi, RGB mode.
• Open the .psd file.
• In the Layers Palette, select the top layer.  Hold down the Shift key and scroll down to select the last layer.  Now all the layers will be selected (highlighted.) Now use the Move Tool to drag click & drag the frames all at once onto the new document in the Project Bin.
• Open your photos.
• Select a blue photo layer of the .psd layered file.
• Double click to select a photo in the Project Bin.  Use the Move tool to drag it onto the 12x12 page in the Project Bin.  The photo should come in on top of the photo layer you selected.
• Now press Ctrl + G (Mac: Cmd+G) or Layer > Group with Previous to "glue" the photo to the blue photo layer.  You can use the Move tool to resize and reposition the photo.
• Repeat with the remaining photos (or use the eraser tip below.)

To use the layered .psd version in Photoshop:

• Open a new document 12x12 inches, 300 ppi, RGB mode.
• Open the layered .psd file.
• In the Layers Palette, select the top layer.  Hold down the Shift key and scroll down to select the last layer.  Now all the layers will be selected (highlighted.) Now use the Move Tool to drag click & drag the frames all at once onto the new document. (Click the "Restore Down" icon at the top right of the Menu Bar to see both documents at the same time.)
• Open your photos.
• Select a blue photo layer of the layered .psd file.
• Select a photo. Use the Move tool to drag it onto the 12x12 page.  The photo should come in on top of the photo layer you selected.
• Now press Alt+Ctrl + G (Mac: Opt+Cmd+G) or Layer > Create Clipping Mask  to "glue" the photo to the blue photo layer.  You can use the Move tool to resize and reposition the photo.
• Repeat with the remaining photos.

Eraser Tip:

Another way to erase away the excess photo area is to delete it.  Here's how:

1. After you have placed the photo behind the frame, select the frame layer in the Layers Palette.

2. Select the Magic Wand tool and make sure "Contiguous" is checked in the options bar.

3. Click once inside the frame window that you are filling with the photo.

4. Type Ctrl + Shift + I (Mac: Cmd + Shift + I) or Select > Inverse from the Menu bar to select the inverse (marching ants around your area and the outer perimeter of the page).

5. Select the photo layer.

6. Press the delete key or backspace key on your keyboard. This will delete all of the picture that was outside of your desired area.

7. Type Cmd + D (Mac:Ctrl + D) to deselect (get rid of the ants).