INSIDER
march 2011
fabulous finds
T he W rite T ouch
Interview with Amanda Bottoms of Fonts for Peas
Perfect Color Should you calibrate your monitor?
Font Love
Using type in your layouts
m a r c h ’s f e a t u r e d d e s i g n e r
laura banasiak Designer Laura Banasiak created this beautiful kit EXCLUSIVELY for DigiShopTalk Gold member subscribers. See inside for information on how you can get yours!
This issue sponsored by September 2008 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM Vicki Parker of Scrap That Idea.
A
table of contents MARCH 2010
inside this issue 03 from the desk of
INSIDER
Our Editor-in-Chief, Jennifer Wilson, offers five ways for you to embrace your inner geek
04 featured designer Learn more about Laura Banasiak and this month’s kit
10 new to you Introducing “new to you” designer Colleen Lynch of Digidesignresort
13 gallery gems Four exceptional pages from the DST layout gallery
15 digital picks Five digi-related goodies every scrapper should own
16 photography hacks Use everyday items to create innovative gadgets for your camera
18 how’s your color
DST INSIDER © 2011EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief JENNIFER S. WILSON (STARXLR8) Assistant Editor NEISHA SYKES (LAVENDAR) Production Editor LEAH LOY (TINKERBEL73) Ad Manager LEAH SANDE (GIRLYGIRL) Tutorial Editor JENN WHITE (BIGSCRAPKITTY) Senior Staff Writers WENDY (WENDYZINE) Staff Writers MICHELLE HUEGEL (EDITORIALDRAGON) VIVIENNE OESTERGAARD (VIVIE) LIZZY REIBER (LIZZYFIZZY) - INTERN
Do you need to calibrate your monitor?
22 photoshop elements Compare versions to see if you should upgrade
24 the write touch A font-astic discussion with Amanda Bottoms of Fonts for Peas
26 font geekology Get inspired to font-up your layouts
27 the back page Check out what is coming up next month and learn how you can enter this month’s Gold Member contest
28 advertising directory
Digishoptalk.com is the hub of the digital scrapbook community. We strive to be the one-stop resource for online scrapbookers who want to be “in-the-know” with what is going on in the digital scrapbooking world! In addition to our free member gallery and forums, we also have a DST chat room, a continuously updated Digital Directory to help you find any designer, store or resource, and an up-to-date calendar of all the chats, sales and events in the digital community! Contact us: DSTInsider@gmail.com DST is owned by Escalate Media, LP.
Your go-to place to find favorite designers and stores This issue of the DigiShopTalk INSIDER created using Adobe InDesign CS4. Papers and elements used in this edition are from Linda Banasiak’s Lucky In Love kit designed exclusively for DST Gold Members and used with permission. Visit Laura Banasiak at Scrap Orchard.
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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from the desk of
A
s a creative person,
Use color: Nothing expresses
you’ve most likely heard
emotion and passion better than
once or twice that you
a rainbow of colors in bright
march to the beat of a different drummer. How did that make you
“ From fonts
to software,
feel? Ambivalent? Ashamed? Proud? Now that we’re adults but still enjoying creative hobbies, there’s less of a stigma attached to being different. But, have we recovered on the inside? This month I want to
this month at
share a few ideas for celebrating
DigiShopTalk.com
uniqueness and discovering inner
“
we’re geeking out on all kinds of
techy goodness.
by Jennifer Wilson
contentment.
shades. Never be afraid to stand out. Shrug it off: Learn the skill of letting things go. There will always be naysayers; ignore them. Dig in: The best way to love yourself just the way you are is to do more of what you love. Delve deep into your passions, immersing yourself in what makes you the happiest. From fonts to software, this month at DigiShopTalk.com we’re geeking
Find like-minds: Enjoy art journaling? Hang out with that crowd. Dig the written word? Find a group of lit-lovers to discuss the
out on all kinds of techy goodness. Make sure you don’t miss our interview with Amanda Bottoms of Fonts for Peas on page 24.
finer points of your writing. Be brave: Put yourself and your artwork out there. Don’t hide behind “not-good-enough.” Ask for help when you need it.
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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featured from thedesigner desk of march’s featured designer
laura banasiak
Want to dig right into this collection and spend your day scrapping away your Lucky in Love page? What inspired you to create this month’s DST Gold Member kit? I wanted to create something St. Patrick’s Day themed, but also wanted to leave some wiggle room for non-themed pages. What is your favorite part or element of the kit? I love the paint splatters and the doodled flowers with the spiral centers.
Click here to find out more about becoming a Gold Member at DST so you can get this great kit and the next eleven to come!
How long have you been designing? I have been designing for about two and a half years. What program(s) do you use? [I use] Photoshop CS2 and Adobe Illustrator. What part of designing comes easiest to you (themes, colors, papers, elements)? Once I have a theme idea, the rest falls into place pretty easily. It’s very rare that I get stuck once I have the idea in my head. Sometimes I can’t seem to get ideas out fast enough.
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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featured designer What part of designing is most challenging to you?
What are your three favorite internet sites (scrap or non-
Censoring myself, probably. I’m a very silly and sarcastic
scrap related)?
person, but I’ve learned that on the internet your words
Facebook, Facebook and Facebook! My main digi hang-
can be twisted very easily. I remind myself that no one
out is Scrap Orchard.
really knows who I am unless they know me “in real life,”
What personality traits do you hope to pass on to
so I’m getting better at reminding myself of that when I’m
your children?
posting in forums.
I hope that they will have my humor, my silliness. I hope
What do you see is the next trend in digital design?
that they will see that everyone is different and that you
I think that a lot more strictly paper scrappers will join in on
don’t have to be or look like everyone else.
the digi-fun when they see that they can re-use and print
At the end of the day, how do you want to be remembered?
out digital kits. We just need to get the word out!
I hope to be remembered as fun, quirky and passionate.
Which cartoon character can you most relate to?
Anyone who really knows me knows that I typically put the
Daria, definitely. I’ve been teased more than a few times
ones I love before myself, so I hope that the people I have
about the monotony of my voice. I also have a very dry and
crossed paths with know how much they impacted my life.
sarcastic sense of humor.
I try to express that in my day-to-day life.
Additional products available from Laura Banasiak at Scrap Orchard and Laura’s blog.
Inked Up
Fangirl Scribbly Splatters
SiggifiedTake Four
Happy To You
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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gold kit gallery
Cheryl
gonewiththewind Love the fun, spring colors as well as the
playful elements--so girly and happy!
Heather interstitchal
The theme of this kit is fantastic. The elements work really well together and are very cute!
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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gold kit gallery
Jade
scrappycharmer Fun kit. Great spring colors.
Want to get this Gold Member kit PLUS eleven other great kits during the next year? Sign up here! An annual membership is only $25.
ADVERTISEMENT
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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issue sponsor
Presenting Scrap That Idea, this month’s DST Insider sponsor! Take a look at their products, check out some amazing CT layouts and shop their store. How do you find Scrap That Idea? Blog | Shop | Facebook
Thanks, Scrap That Idea, for supporting the Insider this month.
product picks
All layouts made using the kit Funky Love
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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issue sponsor
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
9
new to you by Cheryl Ashcraft
New to You: Colleen Lynch This is “New to You,” the Insider’s column designed to help you discover designers you might not know. Every month, we’ll select a designer, create layouts from one of their kits and introduce you to their style. Don’t forget to download your sample kit, too. You never know, you might discover a new favorite or two! This month, let’s meet Colleen Lynch of Digidesignresort. The DST Creative Team played with Colleen’s Timeless Keepsakes Collection kit. Check out their inspiring layouts! And, don’t forget to download your gift from Colleen: the Timeless Keepsakes add-on freebie, on page 12.
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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new to you
Cheryl
gonewiththewind This collection is so elegant and filled with pieces that are classic and work well on a variety of family layouts.
Heather interstitchal
This kit has rich, deep colors, perfect for saving any treasured memories.
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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new to you
Jade
scrappycharmer Nice kit. Great for heritage layouts. Nice deep, rich colors.
Click to download your gift from Colleen Timeless Keepsakes add-on
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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gallery gems The DST Gallery is packed with amazing layouts and inspiration. Here is just a selection of fun pages from our amazing members.
hay.paully best friends
gracielou love you
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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gallery gems
jetje sleeping beauty
nevache Walk Mick Walk
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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hybrid picks By VIVIENNE OESTERGAARD
Go, Gadgets, Go Geek out this month with these fabulous digi devices designed to make digital scrapbooking fun and efficient.
Scanner Epson v500 photo scanner
Bamboo Fun tablet
Turn boxes of fading photos
Enhance your ditital scrapbooking
into archival-quality digital files.
with a tablet with both pen and
This scanner features 6400 dpi
touch capabilities. This tablet
and scans slides, negatives and
makes it easy to drag photos to
medium-format panoramic film.
your workspace, extract elements from the background and perform precision work in photo manipulations. You can even replace your mouse! Available in assorted sizes.
Portable External hard drive Toshiba USB 2.0, 500 GB Portable Hard Dive HDDR500E04XL Hard drive filling up with photos and scrap supplies, but need them when you’re out and about? Go big while on the go with a 500 GB portable hard drive with a USB plug--it does not require any additional power. Sleek and slim design for easy transportation.
Digital Photo Frame
Desktop External hard drive
Look for a frame with high
Still need more space? Take
resolution, preferably 640-by-480
a big byte out of your digital
or higher! Photo frames support
storage needs with an external
either 4:3 or 15:9 aspect ratios
hard drive. Currently available at
and most cameras take photos
two terabytes (TB), most do not
at 4:3 ratio. Some photo frames
need an additional power cable,
come with Wi-Fi or web browsers
making them perfect for computer
or audio playback.
backups and additional storage.
February 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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tutorial by Jennifer White
DIY Photography: Save money by making your own photo equipment One of the things that can make photography a very
vulnerable to damage until you replace it. But, with an X-acto
expensive hobby is all the cool gear you can get!
knife and a dig into your recycling bin, you’ll never have to
Some of it is actually very useful, but the expenses do add
worry about it again! Just check out the how-to here.
up. Fortunately, there are lots of instructions on the internet
Crazy Cool Reversible Camera Strap Cover You can
for inexpensive and creative ways to make some of this gear yourself.
pay thirty dollars (US) for these on Etsy or you can follow these simple directions and make your own custom camera strap and be the coolest photog on the block!
photojojo.com We’ve rounded up some of the best photo-equipment hacks
photojojo.com
here for you to explore and we’re sure you’ll find some fun
DSLR Lens Hood Get your cut-and-paste skills out,
new toys you can whip up to improve your photography.
make yourself a paper lens hood and say good bye to lens
Lens Cap Keeper There isn’t a photographer alive who
flare! Be careful to choose the file that works for your model
hasn’t lost a lens cap at one time or another. While they’re
camera, but otherwise these are so simple to make you’ll
not that expensive to replace, you’re leaving your lens
wonder why anyone pays for a lens hood!
www.lenshoods.co/uk photojojo.com
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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tutorial
photojojo.com photojojo.com
Old School Flash Diffuser If you can get your hands
Bike Mount With spring coming, we’ll be getting out and
on a film canister (try Walmart, they still develop film and if
about more and always want to have our camera handy! But it’s not easy to take photos on a bike unless you have a bike mount. With just a few parts you can securely mount
you ask, may give you one) try making this small handy little flash diffuser and watch how nice your portraits look with the soft light.
any camera that has a tripod mount (the little threaded hole
DIY Fisheye Lens Want to have some fun? Play
on the bottom) to your bike.
with a fisheye lens. You can make one for yourself
White Balance Cap It couldn’t be cheaper and easier
from a front door peephole and some odds and ends.
to set your white balance without a fancy lens cap. Check out this practically free hack you can use even when you come unprepared!
Keep an eye on the clearance table at your local home improvement store and it’ll cost you practically nothing for hours of entertainment!
Tilt Shift Lens These are a hot, new toy and can get you some really cool shots, but at a price. Do it yourself, have all the fun but save a ton! If you liked these ideas, you can find a lot more on the web. Google “DIY photography equipment” or “photo equipment hacks” or try these sites:
petalpixel.com
• CNET
• PetaPixel
• Instructables
• Photojojo
• Gizmodo
Shutter Release for Long Exposures Need to do a REALLY long exposure? If you’re shooting fireworks or
Jenn White loves to make something from nothing and
capturing star trails, you don’t want to try to keep your
makes her husband Stan very happy when she saves a
finger on the shutter button that long or you’ll surely jiggle
buck. Together Jenn and Stan own Scrappersworkshop.com
the camera! Why not put this hack together with junk from
where they write and teach photography and image editing.
the bottom of your purse.
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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get technical By Stan White,
Director of Digital Solutions at Advanced Photographic Solutions,LLC
Your Monitor: To Calibrate or Not? If you’ve been digital
We deal with this by referring to “color
numbers mean “cool” or blue/white
scrapbooking for a while, no
temperature.” Back at the end of the
colors. I remember this by thinking
doubt at one time or another
nineteenth century a guy by the name
about something being “white hot.”
you’ve printed a layout at
of William Kelvin heated a block of
home and found the papers and
Your Lucky Number
carbon and discovered that it turned
elements were not the color you
colors at different temperatures. It
thought they were. The blues were
started out with a faint red glow, but
more of an aqua green or the red was
as the temperature went up the cube
orange? So you asked around and
glowed orange, then bright yellow,
someone told that you “really need to
ending with a blue-white light at the
calibrate your monitor.” And, your first
highest temperature. This is why
thought was, “do I?” Then your next
we measure color temperatures in
thought was, “what the heck is that
Kelvins. These color temperatures
and how do I do it?”
are attributed to different types of light
A Little Background
that correlate to visible colors, rather
If you remember your high-school art classes, you know that all color is simply how your eye perceives reflected light. The color of the ambient light
than the actual temperature at which a filament would burn, but it suffices to give us a scale on which we can measure color accurately.
Sixty-five hundred Kelvin is the photographer’s lucky number! This is the light temperature that we aim for – somewhere between the daylight you see on a full sunny day and an overcast day. How does this apply to a computer monitor? Calibrating your monitor to this number will help colors appear accurately. Fortunately, you can quickly and easily adjust your monitor to 6500K without having to go through an elaborate calibration process. Most monitors will have several color presets in addition to allowing you to custom
affects how your eye sees those colors.
fine-tune the color. These presets
We observe this every day: fluorescent
can give you really good results with a
lights make everything a little green,
minimum of effort.
incandescent bulbs give a yellow cast
Here’s how I do it on my monitor:
and those industrial sodium-vapor
• Press the menu button on the
lights make everything a lot orange!
bottom (or side) of the monitor
But doesn’t setting white balance in my camera take care of that? Yes, for
• Choose Color
the most part, it does when it works
• Choose 6500 Kelvin– if 6500 K is not
well. But Auto-White Balance is just
an option, you might have an option
the camera’s best guess and not
that says sRGB. This is your next
always accurate. And when working with digiscrap supplies like papers and
For our purposes, what you need to
elements, we don’t have the camera to
remember is: Lower numbers mean
do that for us.
“warmer” or redder colors, higher
best choice; it is VERY close to the 6500 Kelvin option.
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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get technical brighter or more vibrant than they do
customers leave their monitors set to
when we see them printed. The type of
the factory default settings and use an
printing method, the type of paper you
sRGB profile [see box] when saving
print on and the light you view those
their images. If their cameras and
prints under all will affect the look of
editing software are up to date, the
the final image.
print that we produce should be very
Printing Method Matters
close to what the customer sees on
We have three main ways of producing a print: • Print yourself at home – inkjet, color laser or maybe dyesublimation prints. Now, because your photo-processing lab will be aiming for 6500 Kelvin, what you see on your monitor should be very close to what you see on your finished prints.
Displayed Color vs. Printed Color What we all really want is to know that when we print a layout it will look the way we intended when we laid it out on our monitor. And this is really fairly easy to accomplish. But there are a few things you can do to increase the odds that when you’re holding that print you
their screen. But in the lab, we have the ability as we print to prejudge a layout or image. We call this optimizing. Most corrections we do are for density, contrast or bleed. We almost never change the color. They’re usually
• Print at an automated printing center
minor corrections and are done unless
– Costco, Walgreens, CVS, WalMart
instructed not to by the customer. We
– anywhere that uses an automated
also check the print as it comes off the
lab setup. These are photographic
machine before packaging. This gives
prints. (Prints made by exposing the
us an edge over all automated grocery
image onto photographic paper.)
store/warehouse labs.” So while a
• Print at a professional color lab –
pro lab may not know what color your
these range from labs geared toward
papers were supposed to be, they can
photographers such as WHCC, to
check that your whites are white, your
labs that cater to scrapbookers such
blacks are black and your skin tones
as Persnickety Prints. You may have a
are correct. If those things are right,
pro lab in your town or city that would
the rest of your colors should be fine.
produce photographic prints for you.
Automated Printing Center
Each of these printing methods
These stores use machines that
requires something different from you
automatically expose and process the
in order to get good color results. Let’s
prints. The staff is there to see that the
look at them in reverse order:
machine is working and to control the
light. If you’re looking at a monitor,
Professional Lab Printing
flow of work. The machine decides
you’re looking at transmitted light.
This is your best chance to get
Each method of displaying color has
good color results. Why? I asked
its own peculiar characteristics. This is
Kenny Jones from Persnickety Prints
why often colors on our monitor appear
to explain. “We recommend that
are happy with the results. This is complicated by the way we display color. If you look at a photograph, you’re looking at reflected
how much to adjust the print (which is often a lot, they’re set to make pretty photos of people and tend to pink things up). The staff just looks to make sure that you didn’t come out all
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
19
get technical green or something similar, they’re not
be close to that 6500K setting we
you are at judging color and how well
checking to be sure your whites are
talked about earlier. Be aware that
you are able to adjust your monitor.
white, etc. Still, you will get your best
your choice of paper and ink will still
**WARNING** If you plan to print
results by leaving your monitor on the
affect your results, as will ambient
anything anywhere else but your home
default settings or changing to 6500K,
lighting in the room. (Be sure to
printer, do NOT use this method. The
if you have that option, because their
follow the device’s room lighting
other printers are assuming you are
machines are set to assume that’s how
instructions when using a calibration
using the default settings or at most a
you are working.
device.) You will need to re-calibrate
neutral profile. So if you are messing
Printing at Home
regularly, as settings can ‘drift’ over
with your settings a lot, your lab may
time. Most of the software provided
have difficulty getting good results for
will prompt you every 30 days or so
you. This method is best if you ONLY
to re-calibrate.
print at home.
A good home-printed image relies on three things – monitor, paper and ink. Your printer is designed to produce accurate prints only with
• Use the down and dirty method.
that manufacturer’s ink AND paper. If
This is the easiest and often most
you are using Staples brand paper,
effective method. Find a layout that
or refill ink, you’ve messed with that
has some white, some black and
equation. But since most of us like to
some skin tones in it. One that has
shop around for these things, we need
all the primary and secondary colors
to figure out how to make our monitors
(red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
match our printers.
violet) would be best. You could
• Use a calibration device. There are many devices out there that you attach to your screen that measure the light coming off the screen and let you make adjustments. There are different devices for CRT (oldstyle) monitors and LCD monitors, be careful to get the right one. How it works is you load software that will display an image on your monitor. Then you stick the device onto the monitor and it will communicate to the software to create a color profile which will tell your monitor how to adjust so that you are seeing what’s called a ‘neutral’ profile. This will
even just throw together a page with areas of each color on it. Print this page on your printer using the paper you will use to print your layouts. Hold it up to your screen and adjust the color settings on your monitor until what you see on the monitor matches the print you’re holding. From here on in, what you see on
So Should I Calibrate? The answer is probably not. Most scrapbookers can get great results by setting their monitors to 6500K and letting it be. If you print at home and the 6500K setting still doesn’t work, you can try the down and dirty method. If you are printing at a professional lab and aren’t happy with the color, talk to your lab and ask them what they’d like you to do. They can provide you with their printer’s color profile or recommend the settings you should use. If you want to purchase a monitor calibration device and use it, you’re welcome to, it won’t hurt.
your screen should be what you see
Color Profiles
off your printer. Again, you’ll need
An ICC Color Profile is a set of data
to do this on a monthly basis or the
that meets standards set by the
settings may drift. And if you change
International Color Consortium that
paper or ink, you will need to do it
describes the color attributes of a
again. And remember, the success of
particular device such as a printer or
this method depends on how good
monitor. Every device can have its
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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get technical own profile. Sometimes you can get
When you save your image using an
that color profile from the equipment
sRGB color profile (Photoshop Default
manufacturer or you can generate one
is sRGB IEC61966-2.1) your lab knows
using a spectrophotometer or other
what data your computer was using
piece of (expensive) equipment.
to create the colors you were seeing.
sRGB is a standard color space
They will calibrate their machines to
created by HP and Microsoft for use on
that profile also, so ideally what you
monitors, printers and the internet. A
see is what they print.
color space is a set of colors as defined
If you are printing images in
pro photographer, thirteen years
by a color profile (think of it as a box of
publications, your printer will need a
with Eastman Kodak and finally to a
crayons – the color space is the number
CMYK profile, as they use inks to create
professional color lab where he helps
of colors; the color profile tells each of
the print. These colors vary widely
photographers and labs embrace digital
those colors what they look like).
from sRGB colors, and you will want to
solutions and create great images.
CREDITS: Stan White’s twentyfive years in the photo industry has taken him through a career as a
create your image in a CMYK profile.
ADVERTISEMENT
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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get scrapping By Michelle Huegel and Jennifer White
Should I Upgrade?
Comparing PSE Versions for Digital Scrapbooking Are you still a Photoshop Elements 6, 5, 4 (or earlier) holdout, wondering when to upgrade? When is it worth the money? What are the differences between versions? The answer is:
to entertain us. The addition of the
it depends on what’s important to
from one dialog box. The Guided Edit
you. Some new features you may not
mode was added as a tab alongside
use or care about, others may be just
the Full Edit and Quick Edit modes.
what you’ve been waiting for. Digital
This provided a quick way to do most
scrapbookers tend to use Photoshop
image correction enhancements such
Elements a little differently, so we’ve
as hue, saturation, lightness, contrast,
put together a summary of each
color casts, sharpening and so on.
version with the features that were
The biggest change for scrapbookers
new for that version.
was the introduction of smart objects.
Quick Selection Tool gave us another choice for selections. Add to that the new Refine Edge dialog allowing you to smooth jagged edges, feather and contract or expand your selection
Any .png file dragged from the bin onto a layout was automatically turned into a smart object and surrounded with the background color! We quickly adapted by opening the files in separate windows then dragging sideways or by opening the element in the workspace and dragging it onto the layout in the bin. For that reason alone many people decided not to upgrade from PSE5.
PSE7 gave us the much needed option to lighten the interface, which was greatly appreciated. It also got rid of the background fill-in when dragging .png files up from the bin, but still converted them to smart objects which meant you couldn’t perform certain functions on those layers without simplifying them first (like erasing!). It did name the new layer with the filename though, which was handy for compiling credits. PSE7 also introduced the Action Player which made Actions much easier to load and run. This article on About. com explains how to install and use
PSE5 made users happy when they
actions in each version of Elements.
added the Red Eye Removal Tool. Aside from that, though, PSE5 didn’t add many big changes for scrappers. The real changes came in version 6. PSE6 surprised us with a whole new look! The dark interface was not a favorite with some scrappers, but there were plenty of new features
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
22
get scrapping The new Smart Brush tool provided
Guides. The Recompose Tool allowed
some neat effects and the improved
us to adjust photos without a lot of
Photomerge and new Scene Cleaner
cloning. People Recognition was
tool made doing these edits easier.
added to help with tagging photos in the Organizer.
And the verdict is… If you’re using PSE5 or 6, you almost certainly want to upgrade. There are so many great new features that came out in versions 7, 8 and 9, (including the fix allowing you to drag from the bin again) that it’s worth the price. If you’re using version 7 or 8, it’s really up to you. Personally, we think getting layer masks is worth the price of PSE9 alone. Even if you don’t think you will use layer masks, if you can find a good sale (we’ve spotted recent sale
PSE8 had few major changes from
prices as low as $54.99 USD) then it’s
PSE7, but the biggest change for
probably worth the investment.
scrappers was no longer did dragging items up from the bin automatically
PSE9 welcomed the Layer Mask! No
turn them into Smart Objects! We
need to do a complicated workaround
were back to scrapping the way we
any more. If you do any amount of
did in PSE5, dragging files from the
extracting or blending, this feature
bin onto our layouts. It still adds the
alone is worth the price of upgrading.
filename as the layer name when
Linda Sattgast explains it well in a
dragging from the bin, too. The
YouTube video on her DigitalScrapper
addition of the Adjustments Panel
channel. If this is a feature you rarely
(no Palettes any more, they’re now
use, but want the option every once
Panels!) allowed us to make quick
in a while, check out this article on
edits. One of the best features from
simulating layer masks for earlier
Photoshop moved to Elements –
versions. The new Style Match feature is a fun way to apply a look from one of the stock style photos to one of your photos. Content Sensitive Fill
Free Trial But don’t take our word for it. Go to Adobe.com and download the free thirty-day trial. You can install it without uninstalling your current version, though you will only be able to open one version at a time. Play around with the new features, watch the Layer Mask video and see what you think. Remember that you always feel uncomfortable with something new, so be sure to spend enough time with the new version that you evaluate it fairly.
makes filling in blank areas with grass or sky really easy.
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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get scrapping By Michelle Huegel
The Write Touch
Turn Your Handwriting into a Font with Amanda Bottoms of Fonts for Peas She is also the sole designer of the
that dream a reality: she accepts hand-
web site, including all the coding, de-
writing sample submissions and turns
spite having no formal training in web
them into beautiful fonts.
design, photography or computers. “Most of what I’ve learned is just by trial and error,” she says on her site’s The perfect font transforms a scrap-
About Me page.
book page from ho-hum ordinary to
One of Amanda’s passions is ty-
exciting, sweet, festive or personal.
pography, especially creating fonts.
Amanda Bottoms creates a variety of
Just like scrapbookers see color and
fun, beautiful fonts from various hand-
design inspiration in ads, fashion
writing styles under the Fonts for Peas
catalogs, online and countless other
label to a great selection of other free
sources, Amanda finds font inspi-
The best part? She does this for free!
scrapbook-ready fonts. You can find all
ration in some interesting places.
Want to see your handwriting on the
these fonts on her web site, kevinanda-
“Unique fonts and handwriting strike
computer screen? “Go here, I’ll walk you
manda.com, along with a witty, engag-
my eye everywhere,” she says,
through step by step,” Amanda says.
ing blog where she frequently shares
including “magazine ads, e-mail sign-
“I always love getting new font submis-
up sheets in stores, even restaurant
sions!” Be sure to carefully follow her
menus.” She even tried to sneak a
guidelines for the best chance of seeing
cool handwritten menu out of Night-
your handwriting turned into a font, like
Amanda’s been taking pictures since
wood restaurant in Chicago to turn it
using the correct type of pen.
she was a little girl and created her first
into a font, but sadly, was tackled at
Amanda uses the computer program
traditional scrapbook album right after
the door.
Font Creator Pro from High-Logic to turn
delectable recipes, travel stories, photography and various projects.
marrying Kevin when she came across
handwriting into fonts and create her
a box of his baby pictures. Check out
other high-quality fonts. When asked
some of Amanda’s scrapbook projects,
what types of things she likes to include in a font, Amanda shares, “I love doodles
tutorials and freebies here.
like hearts and smiley faces. They definitely add a personal touch to the font!”
The perfect font transforms a scrapbook
Sample handwriting submission
journal in a language other than English,
page from ho-hum
Ever wished you could type your own
ordinary to exciting,
handwriting directly onto your digital
sweet, festive or personal.
scrapbook page? Amanda can make
In addition, for scrapbookers who
Amanda says she is “happy to add Eurofriendly characters to a font if the user submits them.”
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
24
get scrapping Try a few of Amanda’s favorite fonts on your next project: that she’s created.
ADVERTISEMENT
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
25
get scrapping by Lizzy Reiber
Font Geekology:
A guide for those new to and familiar with all things font–tastic!
No matter where you turn, you can see that font love is
I think the reason I love fonts so much is because I am a
on the rise in digi-scrapping. New fad or not, it seems like
sucker for words in general. I have several plaques and
even more often designers and scrappers alike are com-
pieces of art around my home which have sayings on
ing up with fun and unique ways to make fonts the center
them. I collect scriptures and quotes. I guess I’m just a
of layouts. Have you noticed that font creators are more
“Wordy” in general. What about you?
and more readily available? You can have your very own
Another thing about fonts that I like is that there is some-
handwriting made into a font or use a fellow scrapper’s
thing special about words on a finished layout that say,
handwriting. It’s truly remarkable how much font fun is
“This is complete.” If you aren’t one to opt for journaling
happening everywhere.
and/or font usage on your layouts, you might want to try it.
Another font trend that I love is the many font-usage and
Search for a perfect balance on a page using fonts for journ-
journaling challenges popping up around the community.
aling in addition to title work.
We are encouraged to really take the time to incorporate
Get font inspired by these gorgeous layouts I found that
our thoughts and words into our pages while choosing
emphasize typography. I love that each of these layouts is
the font(s) for some extra sparkle and to create a seam-
completely different yet all have one common theme: fonts.
less and cohesive look.
Yes and No by Nettio
Profile of a Woman by SeattleSheri
Best Daddy Ever by gonewiththewind
This layout is almost entirely composed of fonts! I love how clear and concise Lynnette tells the story in this layout with the use of clean typography. When you have a strong message to tell, let clean fonts do all the work!
This is one gorgeous font-tastic layout! Notice how this layout needs absolutely no photo because the fonts used and their placement do all of the visual work.
Fonts are featured in nearly every corner of this layout. They are evident in the clever journaling spots as well as the title work. Cheryl also chose some fantastic typefaces that work together with the feel of her layout.
I hope these examples have gotten your creative juices
• DaFont
flowing in the font-geek department. Now, if you are on
• Font Squirrel
the hunt to add more stunning fonts to your collection,
• Miss Tiina Fonts
you are in luck! The sites on this list will get you on your
• Kimberly Geswein Fonts
way to making your font collection better than ever.
• Fonts For Peas
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
26
the back page Congratulations to our February Winners! This amazing layout using Amanda Rockwell’s exclusive kit “My Love” made gonewiththewind our grand prize winner in the February Gold Member Challenge. Congratulations! Look for your $25 coupon to Studio Amanda in your PM box soon!
In addition, $5 prizes to Studio Amanda were handed out to Yellowrose, Sexy__Eyes, Gerli and anelia.net. Congratulations ladies! To enter March’s contest, be sure to post your layout created with our March Gold Member Kit in the special Gold Member Challenge gallery. You will automatically be entered and have a chance at winning $25 from Laura Banasiak’s Scrap Orchard store.
February Chat
We’re on Facebook & Twitter
Come talk with Laura Banasiak
Join over 2,000 of your best
Looking ahead to April’s DST Insider
at 8:30pm Eastern (7:30pm
digi friends in some great
* Interview with organizing
Central) on Wednesday, March
conversations
23rd. We’ll be asking her some
over on our
* Tricks for reducing file sizes
great questions and she’ll
Facebook page & Twitter
* Featured Designer
have some goodies to give away.
account @digishoptalk
guru Kayla Lamoreaux
Sahlin Studio * Keyword tag lists
March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
27
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March 2011 • DIGISHOPTALK.COM
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