[Gavin's Grandma]

I was looking thru the SG University for a good basic tutorial on how to use these. Bought an assortment last week and using PSE. I did print out the psd doc that came with them but am still floundering. I have opened ASO_SSEmb_MaskClusters_Natural_2 and have all these .png layers in my layers palette. If I look at the file folder going left to right there are 5 files...a grey squiggly thing that looks to be decorative, a grey rounded corner rectangle, an identical black rectangle,a 110 kb blank? Image, and a fifth and last one showing the black rectangle on top of the squiggly decorative thing on top of the (maybe) blank file. What do I do with them? Yesterday I did successfully manage to use a creative grunge mask, get it over a photo, and some paper underneath. I just know that there is a good set of instructions somewhere. Just can't find it. Thank so much.

[tinkerbell11]

Are there psd files too?

[Syndee]

I am sure Amanda can help you out with this, you can send her a private message here:
Amanda's Profile page

[Gavin's Grandma]

tinkerbell11, on 14 December 2011 - 08:20 PM, said:

Are there psd files too?

Yes,there are also .psd versions of all the .png files. I'm sure I could do something fabulous with them if I could just figure out how to use them.

[Gavin's Grandma]

Syndee, on 14 December 2011 - 08:31 PM, said:

I am sure Amanda can help you out with this, you can send her a private message here:
Amanda's Profile page

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestion. I contacted her and am hoping she is a good "explainer."

[AmandaFace]

Hey! It's easiest to use the PSD files. They contain the same files as the PNG ones, but they are all layered neatly together.

Here's the template you're talking about. I opened the PSD verion of: ASO_SSEmb_MaskClusters_Natural_2

 masks1.jpg (117.66K)
Number of downloads: 15

I opened up a paper I wanted to use and selected the layer called "mask" in the PSD. I dragged the paper OVER this layer. And hit CTRL+ALT+G. This "clips" the paper to my mask.

 masks2.jpg (156.06K)
Number of downloads: 26

Here's what it looks like with the paper attached. Do the same thing with the layer named "photo". Drag a photo OVER this layer and clip (CRTL+ALT+G)

 masks3.jpg (163.47K)
Number of downloads: 25

You can add a style to the "Frame" part, recolor it, or leave it as is. All these templates work the same, some just may have more layers than others. Hope that helps!

(By the way, that "blank" file, really isn't blank, it just looks that way in your preview b/c it's entirely white )

[Gavin's Grandma]

When I clip my paper to the mask, I end up with the grey mask on top of a page of decorative paper. In Amanda's explanation, it looks like her mask has actually changed colors. I did get a photo on top of the whole production, used the magic wand to select the grey part and filled it with a different color but the little decorative squiggles are still grey. Is there a way to get them to match the rest of the mask in color?

[anemone1983]

Gavin, on 15 December 2011 - 10:18 PM, said:

When I clip my paper to the mask, I end up with the grey mask on top of a page of decorative paper. In Amanda's explanation, it looks like her mask has actually changed colors. I did get a photo on top of the whole production, used the magic wand to select the grey part and filled it with a different color but the little decorative squiggles are still grey. Is there a way to get them to match the rest of the mask in color?

It sounds like you have your layers out of order. If you look at Amanda's last screen shot (click it to make it bigger), you'll see that the selected layer (highlighted blue - called Layer 1) is the decorative paper, and it's above the bottom layer (the grey swirly bit). You're clipping the layer above (pretty paper) to the layer directly below it (cool shapes). You know it's clipped, when you see it indented and the grey part takes on your paper color.

Once you master clipping masks, you'll be amazed at how quickly you can pull things together by using the .psd files with everything already positioned - just add your papers/colors/embellies!

[AmandaFace]

Yep, the paper needs to go OVER the grey mask area. It clips down to the layer below, so make sure your paper, or photo is over the mask.

[Gavin's Grandma]

Ok, I think I've got it. This feels like practicing the piano when I was 6... really work! At least the baby turned out on top of the squiggly thing (that is now a pretty color) and all that is on top of a nice paper. Even got one of the free be embellishments in. Just one last question. Why are the corners of the bottom-most scrapbook paper rounded? I squared them off b4 posting.



My thanks for all the moral support.

[BarbaraC1977]

CUTE layout--congratulations on getting this figured out.

The rounded corners are so the the paper could be layered above a "full square" of a contrasting color, and leave a rounded edge. This gives a framed effect. Your solution is fine if you don't want to stack it.

[tinkerbell11]

So glad you figured it out, Amanda gave you some great help! What a fun product to play with!!!

[AmandaFace]

Glad you figured it out! It looks like that paper was designed with a rough more paper like edge. Just depends on the designer. You can certainly square it off like you did Personal preference.

[Gavin's Grandma]

OK, it's me again and I am back with a new computer. Have always been a windows gal until Santa gave me a new Mac. I can't get my clipping of paper over mask to work anymore with the old ctrl+alt+g ......is there a different command for Mac? Working in CS6 now.

[Gavin's Grandma]

Gavin, on 21 January 2013 - 06:27 PM, said:

OK, it's me again and I am back with a new computer. Have always been a windows gal until Santa gave me a new Mac. I can't get my clipping of paper over mask to work anymore with the old ctrl+alt+g ......is there a different command for Mac? Working in CS6 now.

After fooling around, I found that right clicking on the top (paper) layer and then choosing "create clipping mask" does the trick. Not being real patient with the learning curve!