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Layered Digital Sketches
Jen Caputo
Digital Deck Crewmember
Would you love to create beautiful scrapbook pages but don’t have the time to spend hours designing a page? Do you love the clean graphic look of digital scrapbook pages but don’t know where to begin? Wouldn’t it be great if there was an easy way to create amazing pages in minutes? Well, then you are in the right place my friend!
I’m going to teach you an amazing technique that will allow you to create beautiful pages in just a few easy steps. The layout design is already done for you; all you will have to do is add your pictures, journaling, and papers! Want to know more? Then read on!
Every month I will provide you with a few layered tiff files of digital sketches. Each layer represents a different digital item such as paper or a photo. The layers are used as a mask to automatically cut your paper into the size required to make the layout. I’m sure this sounds confusing so let’s jump right in.
Here is an example of a digital layered sketch:
When you open it in your chosen application, you will see a layers palette that looks like this:
The rest is super easy!
- Select the layer for "pattern paper 3."
- Open the piece of paper that you would like to replace "pattern paper 3."
- Copy and paste this piece of paper into the layered sketch document (CTRL-A on your paper document, then CTRL-V in the sketch document).
- At this point you shouldn’t be able to see pattern paper 3 at all or anything underneath it in the layers palette. If your new layer is not currently directly above your pattern paper 3 layout, move it now by dragging it. See photo for clarification.
Here comes the magic! Press CTRL-ALT-G (for Windows users) or Command G (for Mac users)
Poof! Everything not in the sketch disappears! Wasn’t that easy? Let’s keep going, how about we add a picture?
Hmm...Well that’s not what I wanted! Mr. Meowmers’ head is cut off! Not to worry, your picture isn’t really cut; it’s just hidden by the layer mask. All I need to do is use the select tool to move the picture to the area I want. I can even resize the picture if I want! No matter what I do, the photo will stay in my predefined area!
Ahh...All better! I just need to pick the rest of my papers and a title and I am done with this layout!
How about a few more examples?
Here are the links to download the digital sketches. I hope you will use them and share your layouts with us in the S.S. Reflections Interactive Photo Gallery!
To download file, right click on link and choose Save As, or Save Target As:
Click here to download Sketch 2
Click here to download Sketch 3
Jen Caputo
jencaputo@ssreflections.com
Digital Deck Crewmember
Reflections Publishing Group, LLC
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***Disclaimers - While individual techniques may vary, always follow product manufacturers' directions and cautions for safety and best results.
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