HELP! Photobooks, digital scrapbooking & photoshop,

[Angiea1114]

First, let me say that I have browsed many a board today on disboards trying to get an idea of where to start.
I have done traditional scrapbooking for years, utilizing CM, cri-cut, Quickutz, sizzix, etc., BUT I do think it is time to try out digital scrapbooking. I have also compiled a few Photobooks online with Shutterfly with the layouts they have available.
We have just returned from POR earlier this month and I'd like to make a photobook of our vacation. However, I'd like to incorporate more personalized digital pages. So here are my questions:
1. I am willing to purchase some version of Adobe photoshop to start playing around more with my pictures. What version is reasonable in price that many of you use?
2. I'm confused about uploading Disney wallpapers and images...aren't they patented designs? so , how do people get them added into their Shutterfly books, etc, when creating layouts with Adobe Photoshop? (Don't you get a kick back from the company saying they can't print it without permission?)
3. What websites or tutorials online have you found helpful to transition and learn to go from traditional scrapbooking to digital?

Any feedback is helpful!!!!

 

[Angiea1114]

Bumping this in hopes I can find someone with some helpful advice!

 

[3pletprincesses]

I couldn't afford Adobe... more like I refused to pay so much without knowing if I would use it as much as I thought I would. Instead, I use GIMP which is a free software that pretty much does the same as photo shop but it's free. I've almost completely done my mom's vacation trip book with it. Once you get the hang of it, it's so easy but like any software, there's a learning curve. I usually look at their website for info on look on youtube for videos.

As for Disney wallpapers and so on, I haven't had problems yet with Artcow. My guess is that they don't have someone sitting and looking at all the book KWIM and I find that companies often bend the rules a bit when they see it's for personal use and it's simply your photos with some embellishments.

 

[nat1234]

I have Photoshop Elements 11. Cheaper and easier to learn version of Photoshop. Usually under a $100. Is a learning curve but I like it. I'm able to play with my photos and do pages, adding layers as I go along. Once I finish, I just save it as a jpeg file and it's done.

 

[Kathi OD]

I have Photoshop Elements 11. Cheaper and easier to learn version of Photoshop. Usually under a $100. Is a learning curve but I like it. I'm able to play with my photos and do pages, adding layers as I go along. Once I finish, I just save it as a jpeg file and it's done.

Nat,

I had an older trial version of PSE, which I was getting pretty proficient with. When it ran out, I really wasn't in a position to buy it, so I didn't. This past week I got a $30 off code, and was in a position to purchase, so I did. PSE has changed so much in these few years! It's going to take quite a bit of playing again to get where I want to be.

In the meantime...I want to take a picture I have of my DD and blow it up to use at her baby shower next month. I'm assuming I can do that using PSE. Would you happen to know the easiest way to do this?

TIA...

 

[nat1234]

Personally I would use PSE to fix the photo or crop if needed. And then have it blown up and printed elsewhere. Here, I use Costco to print my pictures. If you're going to print it as a 8 x 10, then print it at home but if you want it bigger, I would get it printed elsewhere. My printer isen't big enough to any bigger than that. And I get what you mean about there being changes in PSE. I had any older version, 6 I think, and have upgraded to 11 when I got my new computer. I'm still playing with it too. Don't know if that helped or not.

 

[Kathi OD]

Personally I would use PSE to fix the photo or crop if needed. And then have it blown up and printed elsewhere. Here, I use Costco to print my pictures. If you're going to print it as a 8 x 10, then print it at home but if you want it bigger, I would get it printed elsewhere. My printer isen't big enough to any bigger than that. And I get what you mean about there being changes in PSE. I had any older version, 6 I think, and have upgraded to 11 when I got my new computer. I'm still playing with it too. Don't know if that helped or not.

Thanks a bunch for your advice. This is the first time I'm going to do this, so I wasn't really quite sure how. Can't wait until school gets out next week so I can really spend some time w/ PSE.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

I haven't visited this forum for a long time, but just last week bought PSE 11 with the intention of trying some digital scrapbooking. I've never used it before and its taking a bit of getting used to, but I've found Youtube to be a great help so far.

 

[nokanda]

hello,
i just downloaded the trial of PSE11 and am enjoying it very muc. Will most likely be buying it, but just had some questions:
1. i like to order 12x12 books...so would i just make 12x12 pages with 300dpi and then save as a jpeg. then upload (say to snapfish or whatever company) and use the jpeg as one big picture?
2 is there anything i should watch out for when using digital items to make sure the quality is ok when my book is printed (ie. items are not blurry/fuzzy)
3. if i make 12x12 pages in PSE and then want to print in 8x8, is this possible without redoing the page?

TIA

 

[nokanda]

bumping...hoping someone can answer my questions...thanks.

 

[nat1234]

hello,
i just downloaded the trial of PSE11 and am enjoying it very muc. Will most likely be buying it, but just had some questions:
1. i like to order 12x12 books...so would i just make 12x12 pages with 300dpi and then save as a jpeg. then upload (say to snapfish or whatever company) and use the jpeg as one big picture?
2 is there anything i should watch out for when using digital items to make sure the quality is ok when my book is printed (ie. items are not blurry/fuzzy)
3. if i make 12x12 pages in PSE and then want to print in 8x8, is this possible without redoing the page?

TIA

I had an older version of PSE, and here's what I did. After you finish your page the way you want it, save it as a PSE file, in case you ever want to make a change to it down the road, then save as a jpeg file at high resolution, 10 I think it is, in the size you want and then I would save as a smaller jpeg file with a lower resolution. I did third in case I ever wanted to post it online or send with an email. You may want to leave he last step out. It's been a long time since I've done this and I'm still learning PSE 11, so I not sure how helpful this is. Have fun playing.