Font Mask

Try grouping photos or background papers behind a bold sans serif font for a new readable element. Recolor if you want. This technique I will use again. Fun and bold. (Thanks for the inspiration Spraground.) Credits: Grid and edge overlay- House of 3, Font-Kunstler & LL Rubber Grotesque.

Add Ins

First step, scan old photo. In Photoshop, make a brush after deleting some white spaces. Save that file to a .png. Add layers of papers, frames, scribbles, and text. This layout created in Publisher. Credits: Background element, torn strip, and frame: Katie Pertiet. Flower, and orange paper: Krista. Grid background: Andrea Victoria. Brown background: Melany Violette.

Tag,Your It

Making elements in Photoshop is a great way to learn the software. I'll walk you through it. Don't have a copy of Photoshop Elements? Download a trial copy here. Get tags pictured above and a custom photo tag free with a digital class. Credits: Brush on orange tag, House of 3, Patterned circle paper, Taylor Made.

Turn Brushes into Elements

Combine a brush design like the one above left with a color or background of your choice to create a simple element. For some pop add a shadow before saving it as a .png file. To see larger, click above image to enlarge then hit back button. You can download the Photoshop brushes shown above from Pixels & Ice Cream.

Photos make great stamped artwork

Check out this stamp art site for more inspiration! Wanna try it, but not sure how? Contact me. I'll help you out. Take it one step further and have a custom stamp made. They are more affordable than you might think. Credits: Background-Veralim Design

Frame Clusters Make It Easy

Say Cheese. Download a frame cluster like this by Raspberry Road Designs. Pre-made elements are an easy, quick way to do an invite, or holiday card. Add a photo and text and you're ready to print. Got questions? I can help you get your holiday printing ready. Credits: Font- Kunstler Script.

Giving you the brush off

Brush Art
For me Adobe Photoshop Elements is my creative outlet. I never really know what I will create when I start a session. Colors and textures just happen. I save as .png files as I go, until something says it's done. Brushes can be downloaded from various sites. Create unique graphics with a click of the mouse. Creidts: Brushes from House of 3.

Public Domain Clip Art

Vintage Art Has Good Bones. Download a vintage image like a label or scroll work. Take it apart in Photoshop. Use the magic wand tool to select and separate out the different spaces. Layer it back together. This once you have it layered, the object layers can be grouped with different backgrounds, shadows, colors, and embellishments. Save your creation file as a .png, and you have yourself a new piece of clip art. Credits - Scroll:The Graphics Fairy, Background: Eve Recinella, Raven: Little Miss Liz, Staples:Gunhild.

Book a Basic Class

Interested in a private or group class?
Contact me. We'll set it up. The Basics Digital Design class includes working with elements like the ones in this invite.
Credits: Font- Pea Lacy. Elements-Stacked Papers: Scrapkut Bianca Designs & Pri Rocha. Photo Frame: Gina Maria Spaghetti. Scalloped Tag: Sweet Shoppe/Sara Maria Designs. Round Tag: Nancy Cruse. Staple & Tape: Tara Dunstan. Flower Image: N33rd.

Free Photoshop Templates

Make is yours.
Templates are bit more work than a pre-designed quickpages (see 6.22.09 entry), but offer more design possibilities.These templates also make it easy to do a save as and keep working on the next page without extra cropping or editing. Credits: Template: Weed & Wildflowers, Background:Baers Garten Designs.

First Day

Got School Pictures?
Scan those old school pictures and create a keepsake. This project was designed with Microsoft Publisher, but you could use Photoshop or Powerpoint. I chose a new (favorite) alpha and a black background. These kinds of pages would make a great add-a-page gift for grandparents. Credits: Alpha, Background: Sweet Shoppe Designs & Robin Carlton, Sketchy Elements: Jackie Eckles.

Before and After

Making it pop.
In the 'after' photo I color burned the background using a gradient mask, and highlighted her eyes and teeth. Once you have a few tricks under your belt, you can save as .jpg file and use in any desktop publishing program. I'll show you how.

Sticker gift tags

Photos make great gift tags.
Keep them simple or jazz them up. Got pictures from a past occasions that would make fun tags for gifts or mailers? Try these for holidays or birthdays. Print them up before the rush is on. No more pre-printed store bought tags. Print a sheet to have ready for birthdays with your child's pictures on it. Slap it on the gift bag, you're good to go. Click image to enlarge. Then hit the back button.

Another Brush Sample

Cards for sending or e-mailing.
The brush is the white frame. (Thanks House of 3.) With a quick circle clipping mask and a background you can be more than a scrapbooker. credits: House of 3 font, blue cupcake.

Textures and Overlays

Try subtle textures and overlays.
Find out how to use layer masks, textures, and overlays for unique projects. It isn't as hard as it might look.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers

Go Vintage
Tweaking the hue and saturation layers and giving them a soft light blend can make out-of-the camera photos look artful.Click photos to enlarge. Then hit your back button.

EZ Brushes

Make a digital stamp.
I use Photoshop Elements to add stamped effects to photos and graphic projects. These types of brushes can be downloaded for free then loaded into your Photoshop software - or use my version and save your work to a .jpg file to take home. Look fun? Take a brush class. The choices for brushes and ways to use them are limitless! I'll show you how.
Credits: Brushes,House of 3, Alpha, Michelle Coleman

Black and White with a Little Color

Class Notes Photoshop Elelments software offers many ways to creatively edit your photos. I can teach you this gradient map and sepia tone technique in less than an hour. Great for framed gifts and photo books.

Fontastic

Sometimes the right font says it best.
Digital scrapbook or digital graphic designers offer individual characters in separate files to download. Many are free. You can also download text files and install them into your computer's font folder to use in many software applications. To learn more, take my font class.

Show Your Flair

Making Clip Art
If you like Facebook like a certain niece I know...then this flair making class could be for you. This class covers some basic layer grouping on Photoshop Elements. These concepts can be modified so you can make any kind of clip art you can imagine.
Credits: flair template-gunhild storide