Tutorial: Using a Kit with Photoshop

There are many wonderful kits both in the store and as freebies.

A Digital Scrapbooking kit contains a collection of items (papers, alphas, embellishments, ribbons, etc.) that are designed to look and work well with each other using color, shape and style.

If you are new at using kits, follow these easy steps and you will have a professional page in no time.

Before you even download, I’d advise setting up a folder.

Find the Kits in the All Module Folders / Digital Scrapbooking Folder / FILES / KITS

Open ANY kit (the one I am using in this tutorial is my Brown Bags and Calico Kit) - labeled with the kits name.

 

Open a new Photoshop file the size you plan to scrap 8” x 10.5", 300 dpi. Just like on your first scrapping page.

Now in Explorer, take a look at the pieces you have in your folder, click on the views icon Views > Thumbnails – I find it easier to look there so I get an overall impression of what is in the kit.

 

Now in Photoshop File > Open and browse to the folder where you have your kit.
Double click on the background of your choice to open it in Photoshop.
Now select your Move Tool (or just type in the shortcut V) and drag it from the background file to the file you have made.
Label this new layer “Background” You may of course add a second piece of background overlapping as you’d like it to look.

Once I have a background I open the photos I’d like to use on my layout File > Open, browse to the folder where your pictures are.

Drag and drop or Select > All > Edit > Copy, click on your layout Edit > Paste,

Remember to name each layer as you drop it on and save often………DO NOT SAVE THE ORIGINALS - JUST CLOSE THEM!!!!

Often with the kit comes a layout sketch or a sample layout, which are very helpful to creating your layout. Follow this if you like, or simply move your photos around to the sort of positions you’d like them to be. At this stage it is also a good idea to decide where your title will be – maybe there is a piece of Word Art you’d like to use or you will type it yourself?

Now look at the elements included – following the steps above, open any you want to uses and position them on the layout, in the places where they look good, don’t be afraid to move them round until you are happy, and save often!

Very quickly you will have your competed masterpiece! This is the page I competed using this kit: