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Digital Scrapbooking - Why Should You Consider It?

Software editing, layout design and embellishments create the basis for the use of digital scrapbooking. The Internet now enables all kinds of users to upload personal digital images and create online albums starting from them, even with diverse elements such as quotes for scrapbooking. There are people who prefer traditional activities copy-pasting photos into regular albums, yet, digital scrapbooking has grown more and more popular in recent years. There is quite a long list of advantages we can identify for digital scrapbooking:

-people make savings as they no longer have to buy scrapbooking supplies such as calligraphy pens or more expensive scrapbooking armoire ;
-the finished pages can be shared with lots of people on the Internet;
-the page elements allow for advanced adjustments and manipulation options;
-the number of accessories used is definitely superior;
-you put no stress on the environment;
-the pages do not deteriorate in time;
-it appeals to different categories of users.

Digital scrapbooking makes use of a large number of visual elements. Computer layouts are very similar to regular paper layouts. You can create very rich albums by inserting backgrounds and wallpapers depending on the features of the web-based scrapbooking program. Moreover, you can reposition all the decorative elements as you see fit, with applications varying from user to user.

There is hardly any limitation to digital scrapbooking, once your album is ready, you can decide whether to print it or store it in digital format. There are professional printing and binding services dedicated especially to digital scrapbooking and they usually depend on software that allows for a good work-flow and a really nice finite product. At the beginning of digital scrapbooking, album making consisted of uploading albums on various web pages.

People generally prefer to conduct digital scrapbooking online to escape the trouble of downloading software programs and installing them on their personal computers. Users can create their digital albums online and then they can print them on demand, thus substituting for traditional scrapbooks. Thanks to digital technologies, scrapbooking makes the integration of pages and layouts much easier: albums look fresher and unique.

Digital scrapbooking is not too difficult, and you don’t have to be an Internet guru to create some nice personalized pages. The layouts are ready, and you just add several elements onto them. Plus, unlike paper and glue albums that follow traditional scrapbooking, you have the possibility to experiment with all various kinds of layouts, patterns, decorations and styles. You can carry on following some step by step instructions to cover everything in detail, or you can learn just the basics.

Are You Looking for a Digital Scrapbooking Designer Job?

If you love scrapbooking and have some computer skills you may be wondering how you get a digital scrapbooking designer job.  Many people who are into digital scrapbooking don’t mind paying for premade templates and pages that someone else has put together, and very often they’re willing to pay quite a bit for those things.  This can make a digital scrapbooking designer job very tempting for many since there’s no end to the designs and layouts you can create.

Of course you can get a freelance digital scrapbooking job where you simply create layouts and templates and try to sell them to distributors and manufacturers.  This may be the most difficult way to make a living in this industry since there is no guarantee as to who is going to like your work or who will want to purchase it.  Most who freelance will instead become associated with a digital scrapbook manufacturer and receive assignments from that company - they may be required to come up with certain themes or color schemes each month.  One month it might be school-related, the next it may be holidays, and so on.You are more likely to have steady work with a digital scrapbooking designer job by staying open to these assignments rather than assuming you can create your own work and it will sell.

Sometimes you can get a full-time digital scrapbooking designer job with a scrapbooking manufacturer or supplier but these are usually very difficult to come by.To do graphics or advertising, you usually need a degree in graphic arts or previous experience with a company.  As with any other job, your portfolio is like your resume - a potential employer needs to have proof of your work and abilities before they’ll consider hiring you.  And remember that to get a digital scrapbooking designer job you need not just designing skills but computer skills as well, and this may mean technical abilities with different digital scrapbooking programs.  You would do well to brush up on software like Photoshop; taking a class is always recommended.If you can get certification in any of these software programs that will add to your resume and increase your marketability.  Of course you need samples of templates and designs to show potential employers but technical knowledge is always appreciated.  These things are imperative for any digital scrapbooking designer job.

Digital Scrapbooking Has Benefits

Now that digital scrapbooking has hit the mainstream, the market for cut and paste scrapbooking could suffer.

If you have made both types of scrapbooks, you already know what the differences are and I don’t plan on discussing these differences here.  However, my aim is to speak to you about digital scrapbooking and how you can use digital scrapbooking as an alternative.

The goal when creating a scrapbook is not simply placing several photos on a page.  However, the point is to be very creative by decorating the page and including your own personal touch.  multiple of decorations used in traditional scrapbooks.  Though the embellishments are digital, the use of things like stickers and characters is still part of the scrapbook page.  However, instead of creating the mess of cut paper, glue spillage and some of the hand drawn lines that can not be erased, digital scrapbooks are easy to edit or hit the undo button}.

What sets the two apart is the method of achieving this principle. As mentioned, traditional scrapbooking uses material such as papers, pens, letter cut outs, adhesives, and other embellishments. Digital scrapbooking on the other hand uses computer graphics that replaces these traditional materials. You may say it is harder to work on the page design on the computer than on the actual page (traditional scrapbook). But, to be honest, it is almost the same.

Take the following for example:

The traditional scrapbook will work on a background or layout (sometimes called a template), pictures, texts, and embellishments. The process goes like this: you place the pictures on the background, place some embellishments of your type, and write some texts.

The digital scrapbook will work on software with all the available digital embellishments and texts. You have scanned pictures or digital images from your camera to be placed on a chosen background. Put some texts and add more design. Then, with some more editing on the colors and borders, you have created a scrapbook page.  Another great thing about digital scrapbooks is that you can use the same template for more than one page.  By simply changing the colors and moving some things around on the page, you have a new template without the cost.

Oftentimes, it is much easier to create a digital scrapbook than a traditional one. This is because software that lets you create digital scrapbook with ready to use templates for texts and backgrounds, not to mention the editing tools you need. These features make it easier to create one unique page. Downloadable templates are readily available over the internet to widen up your choices on text, embellishments, and background. This is unlike traditional scrapbook that every thing is yours to make; from the background to the cutting of the decoration.

To further illustrate how does a digital page is created, here are the steps to follow:

· Create a new image from a blank canvas

· Define the size of the page you will use.

· Enter the settings you want to adapt.

· Add the photo

You can use the colors in the pictures to help you determine what colors you will use on the page scheme of the layout, therefore, you may want to see first what picture you want to use scheme of the layout, therefore, you may want to see first what picture You can use the colors in the pictures to help you determine what colors you will use on the page scheme of the layout, therefore, you may want to see first what picture you are interested in using in the page before determining the mat of the canvas.

To add a photo, you must first save one on a file. If you are creating your scrapbook with old photos, you can use a scanner to bring the images over to your hard drive. However, if you are using recent photos, you can simply insert your memory card from your digital camera and download the digital photos to your hard drive. This is usually a simple task though some camera makers have still not caught up with technology and may be more difficult. I recommend trying to purchase a digital camera with a removable memory card because of the ease of use.

· Create the background

Now that you have a determined canvas and photo, it is time for you to select your background. Here, the choices are endless. You can download images from the internet or use your photos to be the background itself. You can edit the texture of the background to match the scrapbook theme you want to achieve.

· Create the photo mat

Photo mats let the background and the photo meet on a certain point.

· Add the text and embellishments

Ready made texts and embellishments are one good feature of digital scrapbooking software. This helps you to put important touches fast and easy.

· Apply some finishing touches

Final editing is as important as placing everything in order. Make use of built in features such as shadows, emboss, effects, and others. This would help your page look more attractive as it highlights whatever you want to be highlighted.

If you are the type of person that likes to scrapbook with others, digital scrapbooking is not as much of a group activity.  I have never heard of a digital scrapbooking weekend or digital scrapbook retreat.  However, there are scrapbook crops, scrapbook retreats and scrapbook weekends scheduled around the country all of the time.  If you enjoy this type of event, you may want to visit a site that lists scrapbook weekends to locate an event in your area.