Tutorial Tuesday (Potpourri)

August 10, 2021 by

Which Template Format is Best for You?

Let’s see how smoothly this goes. The new laptop is all set up but I’m still getting used to how it works. Forgive the haphazard formatting of my screenshots, I’m also learning to use a new version of Photoshop Elements. One thing I was thrilled to learn is that I can screenshot the little pop-up messages I see when I hover the cursor. That’s going to be helpful with tutorials going forward. You’ll see a couple of examples today!

Tanya posted this comment on last week’s tutorial:

Jan, I was wondering about template files and if you could answer my questions on those because designers list many different formats and I don’t know which is best to keep. TIFF, PSD, PNG. If you can do an upcoming article on the differences and I guess advantages or disadvantages of each type. Since it’s basically the same information, I want to optimize what I actually use storage space for. If you have already done this sort of tutorial, can you link up in the comments instead.

First, why are templates so popular? Easy! They make Working Smart Not Hard so easy! They give you a roadmap to build your layouts upon and tell you where everything goes. You can whip up a beautiful layout in very little time and if speed’s your thing, templates should be in your arsenal. But templates are NOT engraved in stone and they don’t stifle creativity, because you can do whatever you want with them.

I know I’ve talked about template formats before, but mostly in passing rather than directly. So today we’re going to look them a little more closely. I’m sure when you first started digi-scrapping, you opened up a template download and just looked at the contents in confusion. Below is an image of a template download I haven’t yet organized with my own preferred method (and yes, I DO realize it’s a year old). The only thing I’ve done with it is to extract the contents. As you can see there are a bunch of things in it: a folder labeled with the file tag PNG, an image of what the template looks like, a blank sheet of paper with the file tag .page, a Photoshop icon, another image of what the template looks like and a folder label/preview. We’ll start with the PNG folder and work our way through the template download left to right.

PNG refers to Portable Network Graphic. You’ve seen that tag on literally every element in your digi stash. PNGs are on transparent backgrounds and can be manipulated in a lot of ways. When talking about templates though. this is the most versatile format in that it’s usable on any platform. About the only thing that matters is that they show the location of an element on the finished page. Look below; each of the PNGs in the folder is on a 12×12 transparent background. And there are LOTS of them. In this template they’re numbered in reverse order from the top down. The very last PNG is the background. This method of layout building would be a real challenge for me because a) I work from the background out and b) Elements needs a “pin” for layers, something that tells it where in the layer stack a newly added item goes. It would be quite frustrating for me to have to continually reorder layers but if it’s what I had I’d make it work.

Here you can see what I mean about order. This is PNG #1, but it’s the very top item on the page – the centre of the flower in the upper left of the layout at the top edge of the larger photo. The PNG layer shows the use where on the page to put the element it’s a placeholder for.

Here you can see a couple of the layers I’ve created from the PNG files. Some layers aren’t visible, as you can see. Using the PNG method of layout building, you’d stack all of them in the correct order into layers, then replace each object with your chosen object. Then the PNG layer you’ve just replaced is either turned off or deleted.

There are more layers visible in this image. As the text describes, I’ve reordered them in numerical order to have them layering properly. In retrospect, what I’d do when using PNGs as a template would be to just stack them in reverse order to begin with, starting at the end of the queue and layering as I go. That may eliminate some of the “pinning” issues. Having a transparent background behind each of the PNG elements means PSE has no sense of how to layer things; it needs some sort of fully opaque reference or pin to orient itself.

Next in the folder is an image of the template. It’s basically a preview of the template in JPEG format – Joint Photographic Experts Group. (Don’t ask me how they came up with that as a file name. I don’t know!) It’s how we most commonly save our photos and finished layouts; one thing to bear in mind when using this format for any purpose is that it’s a “lossy” proposition. This format compresses images somewhat, and in compressing, some of the detail is lost. Each time you make adjustments to a JPEG and save it again, you’ve lost a tiny bit more of its clarity. I do like to have a 600×600 pixel JPEG of my templates to use as a “shopping list” when I’m deciding what I want to include in my layouts. For that purpose I’m not worried about sharpness.

The next item in the template folder is tagged as a .page. This format is supported by a very limited number of applications, like Storybook Creator and Artisan. I won’t pretend to know anything about this format, so I’ll link you up with a tutorial if you’re just learning either of those applications. Kate Hadfield has a good one here.

Ah. Now we can talk about the format I use ALL the time! PSD – Photoshop Document – is an Adobe Photoshop/Photoshop Elements proprietary file type that won’t open in other applications. It creates a fairly large file, in this case it’s 7.04 MB.

This format preserves all the layers and all the adjustments that have been made to those layers; this includes layer masks, fill layers, blend modes, opacity changes and layer styles, including drop shadows. That’s why the files are so weighty. When you save your layout in this format, you can go back any time and make changes – let’s say you’re planning to print your layout and you see a huge, obvious spelling error that you CAN’T leave. No problem. Open up the PSD, correct your spelling and save the corrected version in whatever format you want.

Okay, I’m going to admit I had to do some research on TIFF files. TIFF stands for Tagged Image File Format. These templates are considerably smaller files than PSDs; this template is slightly less than half the size at 2.91 MB. Many scrappers choose to only keep and use the TIFF format to save space on their hard drives.

In some ways they’re like PSDs, since they can also preserve layers and layer styles, you use them in a similar way to create layouts and neither format can be displayed as is on web platforms. UNlike PSDs they’re not proprietary and are supported by a broad range of graphics applications.

When saving your layouts as flattened (all layers merged) TIFFs rather than JPEGs, using LZW compression doesn’t result in a loss of image data, thus maintaining more sharpness and detail. This is the best way to save your layouts for PRINTING, but not for online posting because, as I said a moment ago, this format isn’t compatible with online display.

The second-to-last item in the folder is a cover page/folder label preview image. I usually don’t hang on to them but I know there are a lot of scrappers who use them. (I’d rather save the hard drive space for my PSDs.)

Last, but not least, there’s a terms-of-use document where Juli (Miss Fish) tells people how they can (legally) use her templates. Very important information!! I typically only keep one copy of each designer’s TOU, since they don’t change much over time.

So there you have it. File formats in a nutshell. I hope these descriptions help you understand them better and help you decide which format will work best for you. Happy scrapping!

PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3lpO22x

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Digital Scrapbooking, Tutorials Tagged With:

Tutorial Tuesday (Potpourri)

August 3, 2021 by

Let’s Talk About New Computers

or… How NOT to Set One Up.

First, I want to thank all of you who reached out with good thoughts for my Dad. He’s not quite 100%, but he’s a ton better than he was. He’s had two minor procedures, and will have some more imaging done at the end of this week but it looks like they’ve solved his most recent problem. I know our days with him are numbered, but I’d really like as many of those days as possible to be comfortable ones.

Okay, so on to letting me be a shining example of what NOT to do when setting up a new computer… I’m working on the crumbling one right now, praying that the screen doesn’t fall completely off before I’ve sorted out the new one. Wish me luck!

First things first. Set up the basics. Get your email manager working. Import your address book. Send a test message. Then move on to the browser. If you have a Google account, your favorites and passwords can be automatically added. You’ll need the browser to get new downloads of your apps. Next you’ll want to install the software applications you use all the time to make sure you have space for them on your drive. A little caveat here: Some of the software you use may be quite out-of-date and might not run on your new machine. I ran into this with Photoshop Elements 2019. I had no trouble downloading the software, since Adobe knows me. ( 😉 ) But the operating system on my new laptop is the most recent update of Windows 10 and something in it isn’t compatible with a new install of PSE 2019. I couldn’t install it. I wasn’t all that anxious to change the compatibility setting for it so I could run it, although I know how to. It felt like a slippery slope to me. So. I upgraded to PSE 2021 and will be sharing the things I discover within it with all of you! (That meant I also had to upgrade my Elements+ to the 2021 version. And while I was at it I updated my Main Type font manager to a paid version so I’ll have the capacity for more fonts – and to force myself to classify them all. It was an expensive weekend.)

The biggest part of setting up a new system is copying all the important files from the old one and moving them into their new home. The easiest way is to copy the files onto a removeable storage device, such as a CD or DVD (for those who still have a drive for those!), a thumb drive or an external hard drive and then pasting them into the new device. I can’t stress enough the value of using a clean, empty device for this step. I used an EHD that I’d already used to back up a bunch of files. But I wasn’t thinking about how the EHD has no ability to think for itself and I ended up with literally thousands of duplicate files. The EHD didn’t know I only need one copy of everything. I discovered my screw-up when I sent my digikits and digiscrapping folders to my new 1TB laptop and was told I didn’t have enough space for them! So I looked at the Properties of each folder and found out the folders on the EHD were more than twice the size of those on Crumbling Laptop. If I’d started with an empty drive, I could have avoided all that wasted time. Oh, and before I forget: If the new system asks you if you want to Compress your files to save disc space DON’T DO IT! Before I figured out that my EHD backups were duplicating everything, I made that mistake and now I’m trying to figure out how to UNDO it before I add anything else to the chaos.

Another option for transferring files is to use an application, either purchased or free, that will do most of the work for you. Windows 10 has an option for Nearby Sharing over Bluetooth and/or WiFi. Cloud-sharing is possible through Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive if you’re so equipped. I tried it with one set of files and couldn’t make it work for me. So I did the EHD route.

That leads into setting yourself up for success. Take the opportunity to clean up EVERYTHING before you do any copying! Find and eliminate as many duplicate files as you can. If you routinely rename files for ease of retrieval, make sure all like files have been appropriately renamed. For example, I have a large library of styles. The designer of the brush names the file according to what they prefer. I like to give them names that tell me what type of style – glitter, gloss, wood, shadow, water and such, who the designer is and what kit or other information I may have for it. A sample would look like this: Glitter Just So Scrappy Let Freedom Ring. I also changed the file names on my brushes to something that actually tells me about the brush set, like ADS Feb 21 Challenge heart. I went through my GingerScraps digikit folder and removed all the kits from designers no longer with the site, putting them into a new folder so I’ll still have them but won’t be tempted to use them for challenges. I went through all my photo folders and eliminated as many duplicates as possible. And I went through all my digiscrapping folders and deleted all the copies of templates and such to bring the size of each folder down to something reasonable. [I use a folder system for everything and copy the items I plan to use into them so it’s all together. And I save the finished layout as a PSD file in case I need to make changes. Those folders can be pretty hefty!]

Transferring files from one device to another takes time. A lot of time. Even if there are no hiccups. So plan ahead if you can. [Obviously, if your system fails altogether, that’s not an option, but maybe having a clean backup of all the good stuff isn’t a bad idea.] Make sure you have a protected spot where both old and new are close together just to reduce the amount of up-and-down-back-and-forth you have to do. You’re also going to need some time to learn how the new system does things. I’m moving from an HP Windows 10 system to a Dell Windows 10 system, and there are a few things that don’t seem to work the same way even though the operating system is unchanged. [One interesting difference is that I can pair my phone to send and receive texts through my laptop!] So if you have an option, don’t start the process if you have any kind of deadline looming. Just to be on the safe side!

Is it smoky where you are? We’re surrounded by wildfires and have been stuck in a dense layer of smoke and ash for more than a week. Our airport had to close, no flights in or out, because the smoke was interfering with both ground-based and aerial instruments. Today it’s finally starting to dissipate – we can see the sky again, although it’s still pretty thick closer to the ground. And it’s hot. Not as hot as it was during the Heat Dome, but hot nonetheless. We finally has a bit of rain on Sunday. For the month of July this area received 0.3 mm of rain – essentially none; July was the 7th month in a row with substantially less precipitation than is our norm. Climate change is scary.

Okay, cross your fingers and toes! I’m jumping back into file transfers… as soon as I figure out how to decompress the files I’ve already moved!

PDF Version: https://bit.ly/37iTJsb

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking

Tutorial Tuesday (Photoshop Elements)

July 20, 2021 by

More Fun with Blend Modes

When I started playing with Blend Modes for my Memory Mix It Up challenge layout, I wasn’t sure it would be worthy of a tutorial, but the comments in the Gallery soon changed my mind. Before I start the step-by-step, I want to assure you all that although this layout took me two days to complete, it wasn’t because the technical aspects were time-consuming. I was under the weather – literally AND figuratively – so I took my time. When you see the process, start to finish, you’ll see it’s really a quick but dramatic effect. I must also give credit where credit is due: I modified a technique presented by Nancy Adams, who is a creative team member for Anna Aspnes. Let’s dig in!

First, let’s talk about Blend Modes for a minute. New-to-digiscrapping readers are feeling a little overwhelmed, I can tell. In short, Blend Modes can lighten, darken, or alter the transparency of a layer without changing that layer’s Opacity. To change the Blend Mode, click on the bar at the upper left corner of the Layers panel where it says “Normal” and find the mode you’re seeking. We looked at all the options in this tutorial: Blend Modes? Say What? 

I’m so fortunate to have these professional photos of my great-grandfather Will and his siblings. They were taken shortly after the youngest, Geoff, was inducted into the British Army just after his 18th birthday. I’ve wanted to create a layout with them for awhile, and this challenge template was just perfect for the job. In order to recreate my workflow for this tutorial, I deconstructed my layout, stripping it down to just the layers that create the arty effect. The background paper is a simple “solid” gray from Jumpstart Designs‘ No Ordinary Love collection. Other than the alpha I used for my title, all the elements of this layout are from that collection (because I liked the title!). My title alpha is from the GingerBread Ladies collab Spice of Life. The screenshot shows that all the other layers have been turned off, and I’ll turn them back on one layer at a time, working from the paper layer up.

In the Gallery comments, Jill pondered whether I’d done any (labour-intensive) extractions or other witchery to obtain my results, but I didn’t. I used the mask exactly how Juli (Miss Fish) designed it, in the exact spot she’d put it on the template. The Blend Mode was left at Normal, Opacity at 100%.

 

I positioned my large photo of Will and George over the mask layer, resized it to be sure it completely covered the mask and repositioned it so their faces were clearly visible. Then I clipped it to the mask. [Right-click on the photo layer and select Create Clipping Mask or CTRL/CMD>G for versions prior to PSE 15 or CTRL/CMD>ALT>G for later versions.] The first photo layer is Normal at 100%.

Next, I dropped a gray paint splatter on top of the photo layer, clipped to it. I left this layer’s Blend Mode and Opacity at the default, Normal and 100% as well.

I made a Copy [CTRL/CMD>J] of the photo layer, ensuring it was clipped to the mask as well. This time I changed the Blend Mode to Hard Light and left the Opacity at 100%. It makes the sepia tone even more vivid. Also, see how this layer brings more of the variations in the background paper into view.

I wanted to add some green hints to the layout, but not bash-you-over-the-head-visible. The uniforms in the photos were a khaki colour, not really brown, not really green. I added a green paint blotch on top of the second photo layer, but not clipped. I wanted it to extend onto the background paper too. Then I changed the Blend Mode to Screen (which lightens) and dropped the Opacity to 40%. Now the green looks more khaki, and it’s transparent so the detail in the photo shows through beautifully.

Adding a pink paint blotch layer on top of both the photo layer and the green paint layer without resizing, I changed the Blend Mode to Overlay (which lightens and increases transparency) and decreased the Opacity to 46%. See how the tonal changes make the photo more visually interesting? If the changes I make seem random, it’s because this is a very experimental process. I tried more than one Blend Mode and tweaked layer Opacity until I liked the way it looked. So it IS random! Don’t be afraid to play with your software. It’s how you figure out what you like and how to achieve it!

I made a Copy [CTRL/CMD>J] of the pink paint blotch layer and repositioned it. I made it quite a bit smaller than the first pink blotch, left the Blend Mode at Overlay and really decreased the Opacity to 21%. There’s a hint of colour, and the two other paint layers blend into the whole.

I was satisfied with the way the masked photo was looking so it was time to add in the second photo of Will’s siblings. I left the photo spot in precisely the place Juli put it, made no changes to it at all.

I clipped the photo to the spot and adjusted it to fit. I wish I could’ve gotten a bit more of Lily’s shoulders in there, but it wasn’t a big deal. For this layer, the Blend Mode is Darken and the Opacity is 61%. I played with the order of the layers a little; this one originally was the top photo layer, but it looked better as the bottom one.

This Copy layer of the second photo ended up with the same tonal quality as my large photo totally because of the Blend Mode change to Hard Light. With the Opacity at 100%, it’s tack-sharp and the sepia in the photo’s backdrop pops. From there, I finished my layout, adding in the other elements and applying custom shadows to each layer.

This is my finished layout. I LOVE how it turned out. The title reflects how although the three older brothers enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, Canada’s involvement in WWI was automatic when Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914; George V was the titular head of Canada at the time. They all spent a significant part of their time overseas in Britain, which made their parents – who were still living there – ecstatic. Lily and Geoff served with the British Army; Lily became a nurse and Geoff was part of the Short-Service branch. Geoff enlisted at 17 1/2 and was forced to wait until after he turned 18 to be inducted. He looks like a baby to me… Okay, enough with the history lesson!

There may not be a tutorial next week; my dad is unwell again and is undergoing a procedure on Monday. I may be tied up for a few days… and I know all of you won’t mind if I’m MIA. Have a good week, stay safe and stay healthy!

PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3x0382c

 

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Tutorials Tagged With:

Tutorial Tuesday (Photoshop Elements)

July 13, 2021 by

Jan’s Like a Broken Record… or “Everything on its Own Layer”

Those of you who read these tutorials regularly will know what I’m talking about. I really flog the “everything on its own layer” as a Work Smart Not Hard tip. It recently occurred to me that I should explain that mantra a little more clearly. So that’s what I’m going to do.

Let’s start with Brushes. Brushes are fantastic tools and can really take your layouts to the next level. There are so many ways to to customize them and make them work for you. But if you don’t put them on their own layer, whatever you do to them – adding a style, changing colour, resizing them, rotating them or even repositioning them, for example – you will also do to the other thing(s) on that layer. Let’s say you want a paint splatter behind your photo(s). If you splatter that paint right on your background paper layer, then decide you need to move it so it peeks out more from behind your photo(s) your paper is going with it. Then you’ll need to UndoUndoUndo until you’re back at the beginning.

By creating a new blank layer and dropping your paint splatter on it, you can move it around to your heart’s content.

For border Brushes, you may want to flip that brush horizontally to make a top-and-bottom border. If it’s on the same layer as a button, you’re bringing the button along too.

If that border Brush is by itself, it’s easy enough to Copy that layer then flip it.

 

 

Another example: this month’s Challenge brush from Alexis Design Studio has two starbursts and they’d look stunning in different colours. But if you add your brush to a layer that has a flower on it, you won’t be able to Copy just the brush to change the colour of one of the starbursts, because the flower will be Copied as well.

And you couldn’t apply a glitter Style to the starbursts either, because the flower would get glittered up too. Do that a few times and you’ll be a convert!

While we’re talking about Styles, the benefit of applying a Style to an element on a separate layer let’s you pile Styles on top of each other. In this instance, you’d be Copying the layer you want to alter, then adding the Style to the Copy layer. Imagine I created a Custom Shape of a flower.

By making a Copy layer, I can add an acrylic gel Style to the petals and a glitter Style to the centre, removing the parts of each layer that conflict with each other.

A slight variation of putting things on their own layer is one I use for titles, whether I use a font or an alpha. I create an new document where only the title will be manipulated. Sometimes it takes a little imagination to decide how to align the letters or the words, but the advantage of the new document method is that when I like how the title looks, I’ll Merge each word. Then I can select all the layers and Duplicate them onto my layout, where each layer is still intact but can be nudged into the most appropriate spot. To Duplicate those layers, click on the first layer in the stack, hold down the Shift key and click on the top layer. That “selects” all the layers. Then right-click and choose Duplicate Layers.

Look for whatever you’ve named (or not named!) your layout and choose it from the menu and click OK.

There, all three of my title layers are there and I can move them around individually, resize them, rotate them or whatever I think they need.

I couldn’t resist. I had to apply some styles to my title so you can see how easy it is to turn a font into an alpha.

Essentially, you want to have as much control over the things that make up your layout as you possibly can. These tricks have streamlined my creative process quite a bit – in addition to using all those keyboard shortcuts I show you each week. When I’m squeezing a little bit of time out of an otherwise busy day because the creative bug just won’t stop biting me, whatever will help me move things along is vital!

I hope this has helped with understanding ObiJan’s Golden Rule!

PDF Version: https://bit.ly/36C3YaN

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Tutorials Tagged With:

Tutorial Tuesday (Photoshop Elements)

July 6, 2021 by

Torn Paper: A Review

Last week, Glee asked if I could run another tutorial on digital paper tearing, and I’m only too happy to oblige. Since I wrote my first version of this tutorial I’ve streamlined the workflow a bit, which is always a good thing! Work Smart, Not Hard!! This technique uses only tools already embedded in the software and it’s easily achievable by even the very new learner.

Let’s think about scrapbooking paper – the physical properties of actual paper. The best-quality paper is weighty and has a white (or sometimes black) core. It might have a pattern on one side and a solid on the other. It may be smooth as satin or have a lovely texture. When I work with digital papers, my mind sees them as the very highest quality physical paper there is. So this technique will take that into consideration. The patterned paper I’ve used is from ADB Designs‘ Coastal Cottage kit. (It’s no secret that I LOVE Diane‘s papers.)

In past tutorials I’ve talked about “destructive” and “non-destructive” methods of altering digital images. With “destructive” methods, pixels are removed from the image and can only be replaced by CTRL/CMD>Z-ing back a bunch of steps. “Non-destructive” methods only hide those pixels by using a mask. They’re out of sight, not gone; they can be easily revealed again if needed. This technique is “destructive” but so is tearing paper! I’ll be using the Eraser tool with a hard, round Brush of a moderate (250 pixel diameter) size at 100% Opacity.

I don’t know about you but I can’t tear paper in a straight line without folding, creasing and using a straight-edge to tear it against. Good thing for this technique, perfect isn’t the goal. Since my imagination has told me this paper is thick and stiff, I already know the tear is going to be jagged and will expose some of the white core. With the Eraser tool, I just chewed off some of the paper.

I think I need a higher contrast between my paper and the transparent background layer, so I’m going to add a Fill Layer in black to help me see what I’m doing. You might not need this step. There are a couple of ways to Fill space: by clicking Layer>New Fill Layer>Solid Color or just by using the Paint Bucket tool.

If you choose the Fill Layer method, make sure that box I’ve indicated is NOT ticked. It’s not a big issue when you’re creating your torn paper as a separate project and then adding it to your layout, but if you decide to tear your paper within your layout, it will matter. Here, I want to fill the whole background with black for contrast. The layer is only temporary, but why make it harder for myself?

There. Now I can see that torn edge much better!

Now for the really creative part! Let’s add in the white core. To do that, I’m going to make a Copy layer of my torn paper. Again, there are a couple of ways of accomplishing that: Right-click on the layer and choose Duplicate Layer and then follow the prompts (I rarely use this method) or CTRL/CMD>J. [If you develop a habit of using keyboard shortcuts you’ll be amazed at how much time and how many keystrokes it saves you.]

Yes, we did JUST do this, but we’re going to do it again. Only this time I WILL use the Clipping Mask box. I want to Fill the original torn paper layer with white, but JUST the torn paper, not the entire layer. It’s easiest to just use the Paint Bucket tool, but I want to show you the options.

Yep, tick the box!

Then I want to Merge the Fill Layer with the torn paper layer (a step that’s eliminated when using the Paint Bucket… WSNH!) so I CTRL/CMD>clicked on each layer then right-clicked to open the layers menu so I could select Merge Layers. The keyboard shortcut for this step is CTRL/CMD>E.

The white core has to be visible (otherwise why have it in the first place!) so I nudged it up a bit with the Move tool. It’s a little too perfect, but we’ll fix that.

When a real sheet of heavy scrapbooking paper is torn, the white core will be exposed to varying degrees, with some wider bits and some much narrower bits. To emulate that look, I went back to my Eraser tool and nibbled away some of the white layer and some of the patterned layer too.

Okay, that’s more like it!

This step is entirely optional. Torn paper isn’t perfectly smooth, and I like to go for as much realism (with the fewest hassles) that I can achieve.  So I’ll show you how to add some texture to the white core layer using Filter>Texture>Texturizer.

There isn’t a perfect texture Filter in the toolbox, so I use Canvas. I just want a hint of irregularity on my white core and this’ll do it.

There are some decisions to be made when using Filters. Light Source is a big one. I tend to use Top Left more than anything, so that’s what I’ve chosen here. I Inverted as well, which isn’t as visible as it would be with the Burlap or Brick Textures. Scaling refers to the overall size of the deflections and Relief is how much of a vertical deviation the Filter provides.

On a computer screen this effect isn’t in-your-face-obvious, but trust me, it pops when you print your layout.

AGAIN? Why?? That torn edge of the patterned paper will cast a hint of shadow. The easiest way to add a new Layer is to click on the sheet-of-paper icon. To add a new layer this way UNDER the currently active layer, hold down the CTRL/CMD key when you click it and it’s done. Otherwise, Layer>New Layer or CTRL/CMD>SHIFT>N will add a new layer above the currently active layer, but it’ll then have to be moved under the torn paper layer.

I’m telling you, the Paint Bucket tool is such a nice shortcut! But make sure you’ve Selected the edge of the torn paper by CTRL/CMD>clicking inside the layer’s thumbnail (that little “photo”) before you dump your paint.

Just as I did for the white core layer, I used the Move tool to nudge the shadow layer up and out from under the torn paper layer. It’s pretty obvious in the image below, but I’ll Blur it a tiny bit and it’ll look much more natural.

Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur… is the ticket.

If the shadow layer is Blurred too much, it’ll just make the area where the paper and the core meet look dirty. So don’t go too far!

Now all that’s left before I’m finished is to Delete the black contrast layer and Merge the three paper layers together.

And now my torn paper is ready for use on my layout! It’s literally a 10-minute technique that really adds some interest to the image.

Thankfully the heatdome has moved on and we’re only worried about wildfires out here in the west part of North America. The eastern part is having the opposite problem, with a tropical storm dumping water and creating tornadoes. And still… COVID. I had my first vaccine last Wednesday and knew I was going to react – having had the virus I had antibodies already. I felt pretty awful for about 36 hours, and then magically felt better. The vaccine is proving its worth; 99% of the people who have died from COVID since May have been unvaccinated. Pretty good stats!

See you next time!

PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3xrgE06

 

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Digital Scrapbooking, Tutorials Tagged With:

Designer Spotlight (July 2021)

July 4, 2021 by

Polka Dot Chicks and Memory Mosaic!

I apologize for not getting this out to all of you on the first, but it’s been a bit nuts around here, what with the incredible heat and the wildfires burning all around us. My parents and siblings are prepared to evacuate, should it come to that. But I have some time right now and nothing pressing to drag me away, so let’s chat with Tammy (Polka Dot Chicks) and Joy (Memory Mosaic). Let’s start with the basics and then get into the more interesting stuff! (Today I’ll be “O“, to make it easier to keep the conversation straight.)

O: Ladies, how long have you been designing?

T: Since 2008

J: For me it’s been about 6 years.

O: And what tools do you use to create your designs?

J: I use photoshop, and I am learning to use Procreate.  I hope soon to be able to incorporate things I have done in Procreate in my kits.  I use templates and photos that I extract images from.  Some photos I find on free sites like Pixabay, and some I take myself, depending on what the subject is.  I also use a lot of different styles in Photoshop.  I enjoy putting styles together and creating new ones.

T: PhotoShop Elements 21 for Mac  on 27” iMac desktop computer.

O: Ooh, I love Pixabay! It’s a real treasure trove, isn’t it? Sorry Tammy, but I’m not an Apple fan. I’ve had nothing but glitches with their products, but my daughter LOVES her iMac, her iPhone, her iPad, all of them. Anyway, nobody is asking me… Now we know what you use, tell us a little about where you create.

T: I have a craft room/office on our finished lower level with plenty of space to design and set up my craft tables for crafting/sewing/silhouette etc.

J: I work on a laptop, so my “work space” is wherever I want to go.  My husband and I are working on getting an office space fixed up in what used to be a storage shed/cabin on our property, and once that is done, I will have a more stationary work area.  Right now, I have all my “stuff”… notebook with ideas, and calendars, external hard drives, pens, iPad, etc, in a pretty tote that I move from place to place… sometimes, it’s the living room sofa, sometimes the dining room table, sometimes in nice weather,  it’s out on the deck enjoying the birds singing and the fresh air.

O: I’ve been trying to get my craft space organized but it’s such a huge job and I never know where to start. Joy, I love that idea of putting all the pieces/parts in a tote to keep handy. I might have to steal that. Tammy, which of your amazing kits in the GingerScraps store is your favourite?

T: Family Tree – I really like family tree stuff and seeing how names were picked etc.  for example: my husbands middle name, Parker has been a family name since the late 1700’s and is always the first born middle name. (narrator: It’s on sale right now, ladies!)

O: I’m a family history buff too! It’s such a fascinating and absorbing pastime. A few months ago I finally figured out where one of my husband’s middle names (he’s French… 5 names!) came from: an uncle who was killed in action in France long before he was born. There were a lot of revelations in his service records. On the subject of history, and given that today is the Fourth of July, let’s talk about vacations for a sec. Joy, what would your dream vacation look like?

J: A week at the beach.  Preferably in a condo/beach house… not super crowded, able to sleep in, days spent walking the beach, collecting shells and rocks, lying under an umbrella, listening to the surf, reading a good book, spending the evening, watching movies, or playing games with my family.

O: That sounds like bliss! Is that what you’d do if you won the lottery?

J: Sort of. I would make sure any pressing needs of my family were taken care of, fix up my house, maybe take that vacation to the beach I mentioned above, and give a good portion of it to a missions project.

T: I’d buy a big enough house to house my kids/family/grand-babies but everyone could have their own space but we would all be together, Hire a chef and cleaning person. 

O: Oh yes charitable donations and to the cleaning person! Tammy, what one word would your friends and family use to describe you?
T: Happy, loves to hug and always willing to help!
O: Okay, more than one word. Joy, if time travel was possible, would you go ahead, or back, and why?
J: I would go back… I lost my Mom about 3 years ago, and I would love to go back and just have one more day with her, to ask and do the things we thought there would be time to do later.
O: Oh, I’m so sorry! It would be a perfect day, wouldn’t it? I find such peace when I’m outside, with dirt on my knees and under my nails. Gardening has been my therapy for years. Are either of you green thumbs?
T: I do not EXCEPT for Phil my philodendron that I have kept alive since 1992 when I received it after my grandma passed away. He has moved many times and still alive and kicking…
J: NO, but it doesn’t keep me from trying. LOL!  Every year, I try to plant an herb garden, flowers, and tomato, cucumbers, and pepper plants.  Some years it goes better than others.
O: Along the line of hobbies again, Tammy, are you more likely to dance or sing in the shower?
T: Sing – badly. But all my kids can sing… go figure.

O: Yeah… I can relate. So Joy, what did you want to be when you were small?
J: I wanted to grow up, get married, be a mommy and teach school.  I did all of those things. 🙂
O: NICE! Tammy, What’s the best compliment you ever received?
T: That I don’t look old enough to have 3 grown kids and 4 grand babies.
O: That would be a sweet thing to hear, for sure. We entertained our son-in-law for his birthday recently and when I asked him what I should make for dinner, he told me he’d never have enough of my ribs. Joy, If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
J: Rib-Eye Steak cooked med. rare, loaded baked sweet potato and salad with a balsamic dressing.
O: Yum! Last question for you, Tammy. Since my last tutorial was about colour theory, what are your most favorite and least favorite colors?
T: My favorite color is RED, plaid and polka dots.  MY least favorite color is yellow (at least in clothing on me).
O: I don’t love yellow either and it looks ghastly on me – a sad fact for someone who spent half her career in a yellow isolation gown. And last question to you, Joy. If you had a warning label, what would yours say?
J: Approach with caution when under pressure… explosions can happen.
O: Duly noted!! I ended this conversation with Joy because she’s generously provided us with a coupon for July! This is on top of the Daily Download. (And don’t forget the Designer Spotlight challenge these lovely ladies are hosting too.) I really hope she plans to make her home at GingerScraps when her guest stint is done.
Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking

Tutorial Tuesday (Potpourri)

June 29, 2021 by

Let’s Talk about Colour!

Is it hot where you are? Looking at the thermometer on my deck, it’s reading 42°C… or about 108°F – a smidge cooler than yesterday, but it’s likely to climb some more before the sun goes down. With a slight breeze and only 24% relative humidity, stepping outside is like walking into a pizza oven. (I’ll take that over a sauna.) Our poor dogs can’t be outside and it’s making them a little stroppy. They’re camped out on the tile floor in front of the A/C vents. It’s going to be a long week… we’re not going to cool off until next Wednesday.

Several recent tutorials covered how to add colour in one way or another but it occurred to me that we’ve never really talked about COLOUR itself.  We all have our own preferences when it comes to colour; I recently printed some layouts to frame for my gallery wall and noticed that ALL of them are either mainly green or have a significant green presence. I really don’t like yellow or orange, but they may appear on my layouts as accents. Have you ever thought about why you choose the colours you do, whether in your wardrobe, your home decor or your layouts? Have you ever wondered how designers choose the colour palettes they work with (where they have a choice)? Well, colour theory may offer some clues.

The very first colour wheel was created by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666! I bet he drew his inspiration from the rainbow. If you remember your middle school science, you’ll recall that rainbows are a product of light refraction through water droplets, and each colour has its own visible wavelength, red being shortest and violet longest. Our perception of colour is dependent on sensory cells called cones that are found in our retinas. Most animals don’t have a large number of cones and therefore don’t have the same degree of colour perception humans and other primates do. Insects have some colour perception but are less likely to actually perceive reds. It’s said that humans can distinguish very subtle variations in colour, unless they have the misfortune to be that 1 in 12 males or that 1 in 200 females and have a genetic deficiency in red-green-yellow colour perception. They’re not truly “colour-blind” but have difficulty differentiating between red, green and yellow. The rest of us are so lucky!

There are about a million terms, concepts and definitions relating to colour theory so we’re just going to scratch the surface here. We’ll start at the most basic: PRIMARY colours. All of us learned about those in kindergarten. They’re red, yellow and blue.

SECONDARY colours are derived from equal parts of two primary colours: orange, green and violet.

Anybody know what TERTIARY colours are? They’re blends of a primary colour and a secondary colour! Are you confused? Here’s a visual.

Now let’s discuss how to combine colours to make a pleasing image. The most basic combinations are called ANALOGOUS colours, three shades that are similar to each other and are found side-by-side on a 12-slice colour wheel, like red, red-orange and orange. These combinations have a serene feel to them and are visually pleasing. This scheme is one often found in nature, which makes it very harmonious. The only pitfall is not having enough contrast, so saturation matters. Some possibilities are shown below.

COMPLEMENTARY colours that are diametrically opposite to each other on a colour wheel provide maximum contrast and stability. Their vibrance is tempered by the degree of saturation of each. This scheme isn’t great in large doses but is perfect if you want something to stand out; it’s NOT good for text – too hard to read. They’re not my favourite combos (except at Christmas!) but a lot of people love them.

SPLIT-COMPLEMENTARY schemes use a base colour and the two colours immediately beside its complementary colour. Its strong viusal contrast can be very pleasing, since the colours don’t fight with each other as much as the complementary ones do.

TRIADIC combinations are composed of three colours equally spaced around the 12-slice wheel together. The primary colours of red, yellow and blue form one triadic combo. This can be a tricky scheme to pull off; one colour should dominate with the other two as accents. Balance is key; the combo will tend to be quite vibrant, even when saturation is toned down.

TETRADIC (or Rectangular) schemes make use of complementary pairs to provide a rich look. They work best if one colour is the star and the others are supporting actors. Balance between warm and cool is important.

QUADRATIC combinations are created with four evenly-spaced colours. As with all these combos, one colour should dominate and balance between saturation and contrast are crucial.

The last thing I’m going to talk about is context. The background colour will have a great impact on how different colours look to the eye. Red, for example, tends to look more vivid against black than it does white. It becomes muddy-looking when on top of or immediately next to a yellow-orange and appears more brilliant with sharper edges against turquoise. Each of the red squares in the image below is identically sized. But the one on the black appears slightly larger, at least to me. What do you see?

It’s also possible to confuse the eye by putting a colour on top of a very similar colour. The way our eyes perceive them changes. In the upper image below, the narrow rectangle appears to have a bluish hue against the red-violet background, and a reddish hue against the blue-violet background. Would you believe me if I told you they’re exactly the same violet? In the lower image I’ve butted the two background colours and stretched the smaller rectangle over both. See what I mean?

Each of us has our own style and preferences, but some of what we like relates to colour. Something to think about as you create your layouts!

The new laptop I ordered arrived – and it didn’t work. I thought it was a new machine, but they sent me a used one that hadn’t even had a factory reset. The screen continually froze whenever I tried to sort it out, so I sent it back and ordered one from another supplier, coming right from the plant. It probably won’t be here until some time in August so I’m crossing my fingers that this one doesn’t completely fail before then. I’m babying it along. If it does cash in its chips before I’m running on the new one I’ll let y’all know!

PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3hhnBdj

 

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking

Tutorial Tuesday (Photoshop Elements)

June 22, 2021 by

Exploring Uncharted Territory (Elements Features)

Something about Elements popped up on my Pinterest feed the other night that had me scratching my head. How had I not explored this before? I’m talking about the Graphics menu. It’s a treasure trove! And I think it’ll be really useful for those new-to-digiscrapping who are still building up their stash. I know when I was first finding my way, I downloaded a lot of freebies – because they were free, I had nothing and I was on a budget – that I ended up never using. The things to be found in the Graphics menu will be a bit like that for a lot of us, but without having a look we’d never know. So let’s explore!

If your workspace doesn’t look like mine, you might not have that Graphics button down in the lower right corner. Not to worry. You can find the goodies by clicking Window>Graphics (or by clicking F7). The menu includes two dropdowns chock full of options.

 

I think top-to-bottom-left-to-right makes the most sense, so we’ll start with By Type: Backgrounds. You can think of Backgrounds as papers. There are a TON of them in this menu. They’re rectangular and in landscape orientation so if you prefer to scrap in a square configuration, you may need to move the Background to give you the section you want visible. They aren’t necessarily as elegant as designer papers, but they’ll do in a pinch!

 

Okay, so when you see this, don’t panic! Most of these Graphics don’t live inside your computer. You’ll need an internet connection so they can be downloaded into your software for the session at hand. Elements is a real resource hog already, so this is a bonus.

 

I’m not going to show you a lot of these. I liked the name of this one when I hovered my cursor over it, so I opened it.

 

Next up are the Frames. I WILL show you a few of these, because they’re pretty awesome! I don’t often use frames of any kind for my layouts, but I may start now that I’ve found these! It took me a minute (or ten) to figure out how to make them work but once I got it, I ran with it! For them to work properly, your photo CANNOT be a “Background“, it has to be a “layer“. Right-click on your photo layer in the Layers panel and select Layer from Background and you’re on your way.

 

This is the composite photo I created awhile back in the tutorial on compositing. I’m going to use it as my example.

 

Once you’ve selected a Frame from the menu and clicked on it to apply, you’ll see this. See the transparent background around it? No need for cropping or cutting it out with the Marquee tool! The slider lets you make your photo bigger or smaller so that the area of it you want in the frame can be fine-tuned. And the circular arrows are for rotating the photo 90° left or right.

 

After you’ve tweaked, hit the green checkmark and carry on!

 

I tried a few of these Frames. I like the look of this black glossy one for panoramic photos… like the millions of sunset photos I have.

 

This one didn’t excite me much!

But the collage Frame? I LOVE it!!

This rustic one would be great for an Old-West layout, or a heritage layout of pioneering ancestors.

The late 1950s and early 1960s were the heyday for deckle edges. There’s another one right next to it on the menu that also has a postmark, to give the photo a postage stamp appearance.

Then there are the two stitched borders. Quicker than sorting through my stash to find some stitches…

I do actually have a bin full of vintage photos. These four vintage Frames could be lovely additions to the ones I’ve scanned and cropped.

The Graphics group is also huge. There are all sorts of goodies in here!

Like this fabulous gold filigree photo corner (or is it a corbel? I’m watching DIY shows on HGTV as I work).

If I cropped out those brilliantly-lit houses in the lower left corner of my photo these filigrees would be even more amazing.

Looking for something more traditional? My mom had a box of black paper photo corners. Bet yours did too!

The white ones are a bit more modern-looking, but still traditional.

The Shapes menu is exactly the same as the Custom Shapes/Cookie Cutter one.

The Shape layer is under the photo, with the edge Selected by CTRL/CMD>clicking on the Shape thumbnail. The photo layer is the active layer and I’m going to add a white stroke to the outline.

Cheesy? Yeah, a bit. But it was fun to turn the moon into a flower! If I put this Stroke on its own layer I might Erase the parts of the petals that overlap the trees. What do you think?

The Text options are many! Several variations of effect in every colour. Only drawback is there’s no choice of font.

I think this might look equally “right” if I’d gone with one of the soft yellow gradients like the one two spaces down to the left. But the grey pulls its look from the moon.

Here are a few more samples.

So let’s recap a bit by going over the categories one by one, starting with By Type. Each of the categories will include all the Graphics from each of the groups that correspond to the tag.

Then By Activity.

And By Color.

By Event offers some great choices!

Which of us isn’t moody at times? All the appropriate Graphics here are sorted By Mood.

It might be quicker to find exactly what you’re looking for by choosing By Object.

So many people scrap by the season so this By Season sort takes the guesswork out of finding all the right stuff.

Here, By Style means something different than the usual Elements Styles. There are literally more than two dozen Graphics styles here.

You may never use any of these but isn’t it nice to know they’re there?

The saga of the crumbling laptop continues. The replacement I ordered arrived but it doesn’t work! Turns out it isn’t new (as I thought it was) and hadn’t been factory reset. I’m a bit tech-savvy so I did a factory reset but wasn’t able to go any further. I’ll be shipping it back and waiting on a different machine I ordered that might not be here until some time in August – it’s coming right from the plant. Meanwhile, I’ll limp along with this one, hoping it doesn’t completely die before I have a functioning replacement. Sigh.

PDF Version: https://bit.ly/2SXRK99

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Tutorials Tagged With:

Tutorial Tuesday (Photoshop Elements)

June 15, 2021 by

Selectively Colouring your Photos

This month’s Color Challenge is a bit different; instead of being presented with a swatch and asked to use those colours, Ivonne (Craft-tastrophic) has asked for layouts in black-and-white, with just some pops of colour. The examples she shows in the Forum are great inspiration, but what if you don’t know how to achieve “selective colour” in your photos? That was what Glee asked me. I thought I had a tutorial on the subject, but turns out I didn’t. So I set out to remedy that. I’m going to show you three different ways to accomplish it, at least one of which should work for you regardless of which version of Elements you have.

Some advice: This task is a lot easier if you have a photo with a lot of contrast between the item(s) you want to colour and the rest of the image. Let’s get started!

I chose this Pixabay photo for my example, a choice I came to regret just a little. More about that later. The first method I’ll show you is the Guided Edit version. I tried to find out when it was added to Elements, but didn’t succeed. I think it was likely Elements 14 or 15, but can’t confirm. I tried it first using the B&W Color Pop edit, which allows you to select a colour from the photo and it’ll automatically convert the rest of the photo to black-and-white, but it’s a lot restrictive. Super easy, but only good for a single colour. So I went on to use the B&W Selection edit.

The Edit comes up with this interface, and it literally tells you what to do first. The B&W Selection brush goes on the part of the photo you don’t want to stay in colour. For this step you can use a pretty big brush to make quick work of the bulk of the background.

The cool part of this Edit is that if you oops and accidentally desaturate some of the part you want to stay coloured, you can toggle from Add to Subtract and just return the colour to the image.

Yep, I got carried away with my big brush and messed it all up.

With a smaller brush I put the yellow back into the chick. But it’s not quite getting all the details… those darned little feathers! So I’m going to go on to Refine Edge.

You’ll be able to see what effect the Edge Dectection slider makes on the photo. Did you notice there’s one fingertip in colour?

Next I’ll use the B&W Detail Brush to fix up the beak and feathers.

I ZOOMed in a LOT so I could be more precise, and used a small brush.

If you want to check your results, you can Invert the effect and it’ll show you where you’re still not quite there. When all the details have been fine-tuned, revert it so your coloured area is the actually desired area, and click on the Next arrow. Then you can Save it for later, or Continue Editing.

The second method I want to show you uses the Magnetic Lasso Tool, first seen in Elements 12. It’s a bit less automatic, but can give you great results. Not familiar with the Magnetic Lasso? It looks for contrast between the object you’re selecting and what’s beside it. Pick a spot to start from and click on the edge. You don’t have to hold down the mouse button, just draw a line around the edge of your object. Elements will add attachment points as you go. It won’t be perfect, but it’ll be pretty good. When you get back to your starting point, you’ll see the marching ants appear around the outline of your object. As you can see in the Tool Options box, there are many ways to tidy things up. I Added the tiny feathers into the selection area using a smaller tip.

The next step is to Invert the selection. Select>Inverse or CTRL/CMD>SHIFT>I will move the edges of the selection to the background, ignoring the chick in the centre.

To change the background to black-and-white, click Enhance>Convert to Black and White… or CTRL/CMD>ALT>B. If you don’t have that option in your version of Elements, instead click Adjust Color>Adjust Saturation and pull the Saturation slider all the way to the left.

Did you know there were a variety of B&W styles? If you have the time, try the options. It’s fun! Each of these styles can be further adjusted with the color channel sliders. You can watch what happens to your image in the After pane.

For a quick selection this isn’t too bad! If your object has very smooth edges, this method can work really well and be as effortless as the Guided Edit.

This final method is achievable with all versions of Elements. It’s the most labour-intensive, and if you’ve got a very irregular edge on your desired object, it’s the one that will give you the best results. First things first – make a Copy of your photo and do all your adjustments on the Copy. You can right-click on the photo and choose Duplicate Layer, or click Layer>New> New Layer via Copy or CTRL/CMD>J. Then convert the Copy layer to B&W as I showed you above.

I wanted this B&W layer to have an even higher contrast to make the Selection part easier, so these are the adjustments I made.

ZOOMed in you can see how much easier it is to see those little feathers. Now to add a Layer Mask.

The easiest way to add a Layer Mask is to use the Layer Mask button. (Duh.) It’s the one that looks like a circle divided into two halves, one blue and one white. When you click on it, the mask appears to the right of the photo. To be positive you’re working on the MASK and not the photo itself, look for the blue outline around the blank mask.

Layer Masks are considered non-destructive edits, because they don’t Erase the image, they only conceal it – even though I’m using the Eraser Tool! If the foreground colour is white, whatever I Erase will be concealed. If I make a misstep, I can toggle the foreground colour to black and un-Erase it. I like to use a Brush tip with the Eraser Tool when working on Layer Masks because the edges are softer. The Pencil tip is more pixelated. I’ve made the original photo layer invisible. See the transparent area where I’ve removed the bird? I prefer to do that for the initial scrubbing, where I can use a big tip and go as quickly as my laptop will allow.

For the detailed areas, having the original layer visible helps to see where more touching up is needed.

I ZOOM right in so I can see exactly what I’m doing, and bring all those darned feathers back into colour. The beak and feet need attention too.

Up this close, I can see a dark edge to the beak and some of the feathers. That tells me I’ve got the precise edge where the chick meets skin. It’s not going to be noticeable when it’s back at a more usual size.

Yes, I used a 3 pixel Brush tip on some of these feathers. I actually went all the way down to 1 pixel, because that’s how I’m made. In later versions of Elements Adobe has introduced a Refine Selection Brush that I haven’t mastered yet, so I still do it the hard way. Later…

Almost there!

And this is the final result. I do like this method best for really detailed images, but isn’t it great to have some options?

As I mentioned in my last tutorial, my laptop is literally crumbling, but it still lets me get things done. I have a new one coming next week; I’m dreading the setting-up but have backed up all my important files so it should be okay. If you haven’t backed up YOUR important files, you might want to do it now, so it doesn’t get forgotten. Who wants to lose everything?!

PDF Link: https://bit.ly/3cM8l6E

 

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Challenge Spotlight, Digital Scrapbooking, Tutorials Tagged With:

Tutorial Tuesday (Fabulous Fonts)

June 8, 2021 by

A Baker’s Dozen of Father’s Day Fonts

It’s been a while since I showed you some new fonts, and with Father’s Day coming up I thought I’d look at the selection at dafont.com to see if I could find some more great masculine fonts to share. I have so many frilly, scripty, swashy fonts, but not so many that are more suited to the men in my life. I found a dozen that fit the bill very well and have a bonus set of dingbats at the end. (I also downloaded <coughcough> fourteen others…) Each font name is linked to the dafont.com website so you can quickly and easily grab the ones you want. Let’s have a look at what I’m liking.

First up is this one that made me laugh out loud. Daddy Cartoon is cute, but still would work for those layouts where Dad’s being silly.

Next is this Indiana Jones-inspired font Adventure. Great for titles and easy to read, this could be your go-to for your manly layouts.

Pac-Font took me right back to the early days of my marriage, when we had one little person in our house. My husband has always had a deep and abiding love for video games, and this one would be right up his alley.

I like the grunginess of Campus. It makes me think of workshops, garages, paint shops and that sort of stereotypically male environment.

This serif-style font is pretty grungy too, but in a less formal way. It’s called Sketchzone and I could see it working well for both titles and subtitles.

For some reason, this one made me think of tree houses and forts with “No Gurlz Allowed” signs. Don’t you think Drift Type would fit right in?

Woodcut immediately made me think of chisels and carving tools. A bevel added to this would turn it into a stunning alpha and it’s already shadowed!

I could see Sherlock Press as a stand-out title font for heritage layouts, with photos of men with handlebar moustaches and neatly parted hair.

Sketchup is another font that looks hand-drawn and would look wonderful on any layout about creativity.

I think Rumble Brave has a steampunk look to it. I’d probably use it for layouts filled with gears, nail heads, staples, maybe a pocket watch… Yes?

To me, 1-2-3 Go! suggests car racing, with the checkered-flag bits embedded in the characters. With a little manipulation it could be a smashing alpha.

The last font on the list is one I HAD to include after my tutorial last week. Decaying Felt Pen just made me laugh.

Now for the one dingbat that has the incongruent name Tool Font. It’s not really a font… but the silhouettes are pretty sharp!

I’ll be making a Father’s Day card and some birthday cards soon for my grand-daughter, whose birthday is June 29th, and her big brother, birthday July 1st, Maybe I’ll make one for my son-in-law whose birthday is July 3rd……. we’re THAT family. You may see one of these turn up in a tut in the coming weeks, if inspiration strikes and it’s worth sharing.
Link to PDF version of this tutorial: https://bit.ly/2SCNmfD

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Fantastic Fonts, Tutorials Tagged With:
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