Easy Hybrid Scrapbooking Tutorial
This is a super easy way to play with some hybrid scrapbooking! I posted a slightly different version of this tutorial on the Scrapbook Dimensions blog a few weeks ago.
The title pretty much says it all. A really cool and easy way to make not great photos look good, is to print them onto patterned paper.
STEP ONE: Create a photo grouping in Photoshop (I'm using Photoshop CS3, but this technique will work in Photoshop Elements too. E-mail me if you get confused). If you've never done this before, just open a new file (File>New). Then use the "Move" tool. It looks like an arrow and is at the top of your tool bar on the extreme left of the screen. Click on the arrow and then using your mouse, click on the photo you want and drag it onto the new canvas and "drop it" (i.e. let go of the mouse button).
You can resize your photos by using your mouse to click on the corners and pull or shrink them. Hint: hold down the shift key while you're pulling at the corners to maintain the same ratio (i.e. so you don't distort your photos).
Notice that I added a 5 pixel stroke outline (Edit>Stroke) and some drop shadows (Layer>Layer Style>Drop Shadow). You can also see that my photos are grainy and blurry with messy backgrounds, perfect for this technique!
STEP TWO: Print your photo grouping onto a light colored, lightly patterned piece of paper. If it's too dark or the pattern is too bold, you'll lose the photos entirely. I know it's hard at this small size, but trust me when I say that this made my grainy, blurry photos look so much better!
STEP THREE: All that's left is to finish up your layout!
You can see that I added my journaling (I used a black pen to create outline lettering and filled it in with a white pen), title (foam thickers with a black pen inline and then filled in with a white pen), and a doodled border (again a black pen outline and filled in with a white pen)!
This is such an easy technique! I hope you'll give it a try!
totally love this one- such a cool idea!!!
Posted by: nat | July 18, 2008 at 05:24 AM
cool idea Julie thanks
Posted by: melina {gingerkitty} | July 18, 2008 at 08:17 AM
Girl, shut up...I so want to be you witht hat funky cool layout. Sigh...I am soooo boring. thanks for the tut...going to try it out.
Posted by: Lily | July 18, 2008 at 10:34 AM
great idea julie-I've seen other people print on PP before, but I still haven't tried it yet-may have to now :)
Posted by: Bobbi in KY | July 18, 2008 at 10:49 AM
NOW that is BRILLIANT!! Love that idea, im so gonna hve to use it:)
Posted by: patty | July 18, 2008 at 04:22 PM
Very cool idea there!
Posted by: Denine | July 18, 2008 at 04:37 PM
That is pretty dang neat. Thank you for posting.
Posted by: Christy (a.k.a. Krissynae) | July 18, 2008 at 05:13 PM
This is so awesome Julie, thanks for the tips...I'll be trying this one for sure!
Posted by: jen davis | July 18, 2008 at 06:45 PM