Help New and VERY Confused

[sheloveswine]

I've seen and used sites online to make scrapbooks but I am having trouble figuring out the digital scrapping... and have several questions

I see many of these are for the 12 x 12 pages that I use.... how to you print them out? Or do you do them online and order a finished book or pages that are sent to you?

Where are the best tutorials for learning? ( I have a PC and have never used brushes or done layers etc)

When you purchase a kit, what are you purchasing? A one time use or something that can be used and over?

I have tons and tons of scrapbooks and want to move into the digital age and use what I need as I go as opposed to years of hoarding supplies I may never use.

Thank you in advance...

Jan

[Harmonystar]

Hi Jan!

Welcome to the digital scrapping world, you may find it a bit overwhelming to begin with but I bet in time you'll wonder why you ever did it any other way.

12x12 printers are available, but I usually get mine printed at scrapbookplease.com or I print out a book at blurb.com Here's a thread with some sites other people print from http://forums.gingerscraps.net/showt...ighlight=print

For learning you need to start out with some kind of editing program such as photoshop, paint shop pro, gimp, or there's a few others, do you have an editing program? what one do you have? this will determine what kind of tutorials you'll need to begin with. The first thing with digital scrapbooking is learning how to use your program.

Once you bought a kit you are good to use it forever! I made a whole 20 page book with 1 kit! It was great! Definately a benafit over paper scrapping. keep your eye out for free kits too.

So welcome again and we'll try to help you all along you transition!

[Juliemomof4]

Welcome to digi! Rachel had some great tips! Please ask away if you ever have any more questions! We love to help.
Oh and if you dont have a photo editing program, you can DL Gimp for free and I think Paint Shop Pro might be free too. Just google them and you will find links to DL them.

[GingerScraps]

welcome to the digital world for sure!!!
I know once I went digital I never looked back

Digital is sooooo fun! Anything you dream up you can do!
I know it is overwhelming when you start- but the web is full of great sites.. of course GingerScraps is the friendliest place in all of digi land he

I recommend you get Photoshop Elements. This program is user friendly and the most widely used digital scrapbooking program. And if you ever get into designing.. a switch over to the CS photoshop line is much easier!

We had a scrapper bootcamp for beginners- last year- but we might do it again.. so be on the look out for that!

Feel free to ask questions- we have lots of wonderful ladies ready to help you

[Jodi]

Welcome! So glad you are interested in digi scrapping! It's so much fun, no mess, easier to crop pictures and make them smaller or bigger, no hassle way to scrap!

Paint Shop Pro is software that you have to buy from a store. It's also harder to learn than Photoshop Elements and more like the Photoshop CS versions.

The free programs are Gimp, and Paint.net and there are a few more I just can't think of off hand.

I agree with Ginger though and recommend Photoshop Elements (PSE) as your first program. Or you could download a free program to start you off, just to see if you like it. And then upgrade to PSE.

Of course photoshop elements isn't just for scrapbooking, it's a photo editing program! So you can also use it to edit your photos! I like to edit my photos before having them printed or printing them up on photo paper.

[aevans96]

Ginger I think Boot Camp again is a wonderful Idea.
There are quite a few new digi scrappers around that would really benefit.

Would it be possible to have a section of tuts. Subbed into different programs. something like this
Need help getting started?
----->PS elements
----->Gimp
----->etc.
And then when people have questions there would be a ton of info just waiting to be read.

[terimayo]

Thats a good idea Angela.. I will check into this.. Thanks T