Digital Scrapbooking Tips

These templates are just a bit different than the other layered templates you may be used to, but the skills are basically the same.  Here's an easy way to use them:

Open PSE or PS and open the layered .PSD file.

Select File > Duplicate.  This way you are working with a copy and won't accidentally overwrite the original.

Click once on the eyeball (layer visibility icon) on the far left side of the layer named Background in the Layers Palette (bottom layer.)

This will make each of the photo openings transparent windows.

Next, click once on the layer named Background in the Layers Palette to select it (if it isn't already selected.)

Open a photo and drag it onto the layered file.  Drag the photo layer in the Layers Palette between the background layer and the layer called Photo Layer Guide.

Now use the Move Tool to move the photo into place on the layout.  Resize and reposition the photo using the corner handles.

Get the eraser tool and erase away any part of the photo that overlaps into another window. In the Options bar, you can select "block" to get a square eraser which makes erasing straight lines a little easier.  Hold the Shift key as you erase to keep the line perfectly straight.

Another way to erase away the extra parts of the photo is to get the Magic Wand tool.  Target the background layer and click inside the window where you are placing the photo.  Now select the photo layer.  Choose Select > Inverse and press Delete or Backspace on your keyboard.  This erases everything on the photo layer except what is inside the window.

Repeat with the remaining photo windows.

To fill in the patterned paper placeholders and photo guide layer, drag paper on top of the layer you want to cover and select Ctrl G (Mac: Cmd G) in PSE OR right click (Mac: Ctrl Click) on the paper layer and select Create Clipping Mask in PS.

As far as the extra .png files go, Anna has included those in the layered template file, so you won't need to use them unless you are not using the layered file.