Hi everyone! I'm here to bring a fantastic blog post for today! Woot! I am going to introduce you to a few of my MOST favorite tips for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements!
I started my digital scrapping obsession in March of 2010 -- it sure was fast to get hooked on! I get all the "support" I need from friends out in Digiland... I really think they just feed into my obsession! I have at least managed to get one of my close friends into this hobby!
Linda is now just as obsessed as I am! As I showed her around our wonderful community, I also shared a few of my tips with her! She has a graphic arts background, so some were just a re-iteration of what she knew too! I thought I would share them with you... so here goes! Enjoy!
Tip #1: Save, Save and then Save Again!
I have been the victim of layout theft! Theft from my software freezing, my husband closing photoshop or just me clicking in the wrong spot -- which means that I lost all my hard work! Then to start over again, and try to get back to where I was is hard to do! So Save, Save, and Save Again!
Tip #2: Learn the Scrapbooking Lingo...
Bouncing around in this community and trying to understand all the acronyms, and word of digital scrapping can be daunting! I personally have a stamping and paper scrapbooking history, so I was already lucky to know most of the terms! Linda and I would chat about our scrapping, and we wouldn't understand each other... we were using different terms! We would end up in a fit of giggles! Here are a list of terms that I hear daily:
.PNG Portable Network Graphics
This is the most common high quality file format used to save digital scrapbooking elements requiring transparency.
.PSD
This is the file format for Adobe PhotoShop and PhotoShop Elements. Retains layer and image information that is not transferable between other applications.
.PSP Paint Shop Pro
Default file format for JASC Paint Shop Pro. Retains layer and image information that is not transferable between other applications.
Scraplift
To create a layout that is inspired from, identical to, or very similar in style and/or content, to a layout created by another person. Scraplifting is generally considered as permissible as long as credit is given to the original creator.
R.A.K Random Act of Kindness.
To create a layout as an unexpected gift for another person.
Element/Embellishment/Ellies
Refers to any individual decorative digital objects that may be used in a layout. Ribbon, Wire, Buttons, Beads, etc.
Brush/Stamps
In terms of graphic software a brush is a tool that allows you to create a wide variety of effects. It is similar to a stamp or painting tool that allows you to stamp/paint with images. These images can be of varying color, size, transparency and more.
Layer
In image-editing software, a constituent part of an image that can be manipulated independently of other parts.
Mask
A function within select software that allows you to change how your image is seen -- it edits the image to only a part of the image. A mask can have a hard or soft edge, as well as duplicating textures and allowing you to achieve so many effects.
Tip #3: Trimming your files!
As you are working on your layouts, you drag and drop papers and elements and place them just so on your pages, right!? Many times you leave things hanging off your pages... the paper only covers half of that 12 x 12 layout your working on... and the other is hanging out, in that unseen out of bounds area. You can't see it right... so how does it affect you??? It takes up that valuable, MOST VALUABLE, space on your hard drive! That is space that you could be filling up with more goodies!!!! What are we waiting for... lets clean up!
When you are done with a page, this is what you do before you press the save button! Up in the Menubar, there is the tab called Select. Click on this, and choose All from that drop down menu. You should see the marching ants roaming around your square 12 x 12 edge. Next, you will go back to the Menubar, and choose Image, and then click on Crop. This quick and easy step allows you to trim away all that unseen, space hogging digital imagery. By completing this step, you can really reduce your file size. I have gone back and re-saved some of my earlier files, and have seen over a 10MB reduction! Just think... 10MB x 10 layouts! that is almost 1 GB... keep adding that up and you have lots of space to fill with more supplies!!!
Hope you enjoyed my ramblings! Share a tip you can't live without; I'd love to read them!
Hey loved the tips. I usually try lots of different paper/elements before settling on the final page. The result is that I end up with a bunch of hidden layers that I decided not to use. Wow what a waste of space! Is there an easy way to delete the hidden layers without merging the layout?
ReplyDeleteHi Sary! In my trimming method above, you don't need to merge the document at all. All layers can be left as is, seen or un-seen. By choosing the Select > All -- you are choosing what is visible. To delete the hidden layers that you decided not to use is manual, but not too difficult. Try this:
ReplyDeleteOn your layers palette, click on the first layer that you want to delete. Press and hold the Command key (Mac) or the Control key (Windows) and click on all other hidden layers that you would like deleted. Right click on one of the layers after all the selections have been made, and click on delete. All of those hidden layers should be deleted.
If you have any other questions, please let me know!
Thanks!
Jenn
Jenn this is great information. I agree with the save save save. So many times I've lost a page or two for not having saved. Also interesting about the elements off the page that take up space. I didn't know that. Will definitely be sure to crop!
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays.
This is so great information, Jenn. I love that you are sharing such great stuff on your blog!
ReplyDelete