November Forum Game - Week One

[ValerieT]

Welcome to Week One of the November Forum Game

 

A quick reminder;

• This week’s four mini challenges will be introduced one at a time, Monday to Thursday.

• You gain one point for each mini challenge you include in your layout, with a bonus point awarded if you include all four.

• You may create more than one layout each week, however, only your highest scoring layout will count for the prize draw.

• You can not mix challenges from different weeks.

• There are no weekly time limits, you can create each layout in your own time. However points will only be awarded for layouts posted by 11:59pm EST on November 30th.

When you post your layout in the gallery, your description must include the following;

1. Which week your layout is for.

2. Which mini challenge/challenges you have included in your layout.

This week’s mini challenges will be hosted by……….

Monday - Jody

Tuesday - Valerie

Wednesday - Anna

Thursday - Melanie

[jode2771]

Hi and welcome to Week 1 of our November Game! I am excited you are here!

 

I am posting an outline of my technique which is a simple photo edit as well as some more advanced techniques for you. Feel free to use whichever you wish in your layout. If you have any technique or challenge related questions please post them here in the specific challenge thread and we will reply as soon as possible. I have also decided to pop a copy in Dropbox which you can download here as I personally like to have a hard copy next to me to follow... :-)

 

PHOTO EDIT TECHNIQUE

Week 1:

Photo Editing

We all have photos that capture an important event that are less than perfect. We don’t have any others and these are pretty poor. Seems a shame to waste them and we want to tell the story, so can these photos be saved? The answer is yes!

Let me share with you some of my favourite steps to save a photo that needs a bit of TLC J

 

1. Make a copy of the photo. Turn the lower layer off to preserve it. Work on the copy only.
2. Before we edit this photo we need the colours to look the best they can, so we need to adjust the levels:
   1. In the LAYERS palette click on the little half circle icon = Create adjustment layer
      1. Click levels
         1. In the pull down menu select red, then adjust the arrows so they are at the edges of where the histogram starts and ends
         2. Do the same with green and then blue

** do each colour separately as this gives the best effect

1. Now all the colours are a little brighter we are going to apply an UNSHARP mask. Go to the top menu and click ENHANCE. Near the bottom is unsharp mask:
   1. This will defog your photo… click on unsharp mask, and set it at 10/50/0… this will take that soft blur off your photo.
2. At this stage you could make a combined copy of all the layers below by clicking Ctrl + Shift + Alt + E for pc (Cmmd + Shift + Option + E for Mac) so they are on a single layer to work with…

 

1. NOW… let’s do the fun stuff… J
   1. Duplicate the photo…. And change to SCREEN
   2. Now duplicate the SCREEN layer and change it to SOFT LIGHT…. These layers can be fiddled around with until you like it… Sometimes SOFT LIGHT will be too dark and you will need just the SCREEN layer or even 2 SCREEN layers, play around until YOU are happy J
2. NEXT… flatten down if you want to manipulate a bit more or use for another page, save what you have if you want it… I tend to save as “Image####_edit” and in the same folder as the original.

So by now the photo should be looking pretty good… here are 2 more variations you may want to try:

 

1. Soft Blur: Duplicate your photo and rename the top layer to Blur and the lower to Sharp, this is the Orton Effect… turn off the Blur layer… with the sharp layer go to enhance on the top menu and choose ADJUST SHARPNESS… somewhere around 265/.5 radius is good but it depends on your taste…. Turn the blur layer back on… change the blend to Multiply and add Gaussian blur…under Filters – Blur – Gaussian… you can adjust the blends or amounts… works beautifully with trees and water photos…
2. Smarter B&W: With your single layer photo up go to Create Adjustment Layer… Select Gradient MAP… You will get a box showing the gradient map, if you double click this you get a range of options: CLICK B&W option… you can always adjust amount with opacity and adjust levels if you need to… It also looks good some times to put the black and white over a coloured photo and reduce the opacity ever so slightly… or you can erase some of the black and white to reveal colour underneath… there are so many options.

 

So there you have 3 of my favourite photo edit techniques. Please be aware that not every technique works on every photo and sometimes the results will not be what you wanted, just undo and use the steps that DID work for you. Trial and error is a large part of good photo editing!

 

***My challenge to you is to select a photo you love and make it BETTER. Rescue a treasure!

If you want to describe what you did in your layout notes we would all love to see your process.

Remember the rules above: include the Week of your challenge and the actual challenge(s) completed in your title eq Week 1: challenge 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The Gallery can be found HERE and my layout HERE.

Have fun and enjoy!

[scrapgran]

This sounds great Jody. Will have to try it.

[ValerieT]

Wow, just had a play. Got to save these instructions.

[ValerieT]

Don't forget everyone, you get one point for each mini challenge you include in your layout. So if you want to get the maximum of five points wait until all four challenges have been posted this week before you post your layout.

[Belle]

If we get challenges for Monday to Thursday, how do you get 5 points? Sorry, reread the instructions but don't quite understand. Just Belle being blond again.

[ValerieT]

If we get challenges for Monday to Thursday, how do you get 5 points? Sorry, reread the instructions but don't quite understand. Just Belle being blond again.

 

You get a bonus point if you include all four challenges in your layout.

[Belle]

Oops, thanks.

[princessrunningfingers]

Sounds like this is going to be a lot of fun. I'll work on my photo later today.

[Florida granny]

Thanks for the dropbox link! This is going to be a lot of fun to try.

[princessrunningfingers]

I must be dense this morning. I can't find the unsharp mask. Can you help?

 

Never mind - I found it.

[GrannieEv]

thanks for putting it in dropbox, Jody... saved it!

[CRS]

I want to play along! I'll work on a photo later today. I took a bunch on Saturday!

[mbc72]

Great photo editing tips, Jody, thanks!

[princessrunningfingers]

I have edited my photo, playing around with the different techniques. I use CS5 and a couple of the things are found in different places, but I managed to find them.

[LauraYB]

Very cool, Jody, to help us 'amateurs' feel like pros! These tips are great---actually got a great version of a photo that I thought was doomed ! Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the powerful tools PS has and can't quite get the right correction combinations. This tutorial helped in a big way! I'm off to find some photos to use for a LO.

 

And, thanks for the Dropbox instructions!

[jode2771]

So delighted to hear you are all getting some good results, I can't wait to SEE them!!!

And Joyce, I am so glad you managed to find the equivalents in full Photoshop.. If you DO get stuck some of the girls watching this thread also use it so they may be able to help... I just have PSE :-(

 

Looking forward to the next challenge being posted :-)!!

[ValerieT]

Today I would like to talk to you about my favourite layout style, white space.

 

I could go in to lengthy detail about white space but I'll just stick to what it means to us in scrapbooking.

 

White space refers to any space on your layout that has nothing on it, no photos or embellishments, just the background. Usually a layout is described as a white space layout when more than half of the page has nothing on it. White space doesn't have to actually be white.

 

When I first started as a paper scrapper, I tended to create quite busy layouts. I thought I had to fill every last inch of space with something. I would often add things that really didn't work with my photo, just to fill the space. Even when I changed to digital my first layouts were quite busy. Then I did a challenge here at Scrap girls on white space and quickly found it to be my favourite style.

 

It can be very hard to leave empty space on a layout but as the saying goes sometimes less is more.

 

Here are some of the things I do to create white space;

• Use just one or two photos. The more photos you have the harder it is to create white space.
• If you find doing white space hard, limit yourself to just a couple of carefully chosen papers and embellishments.
• Use a template.

 

My favourite method is to use the guides to help. I put one guide at the half way point, both vertical and horizontal, to divide the page into four equal bits. (click image to see it larger)

 

With the guides in place, I create my layout in just one of the four boxes. You can spill over the box if necessary.

Once I am happy with the arrangement of my photo and embellishments, I then move them to a more pleasing spot on the page.

Finally I add anything extra I might feel the layout needs.

 

For example, for my layout I followed these steps;

1. Used the guides to create my grid.
2. Created the paper layers with my photo in one box.
3. I added a few embellishments and word art.
4. I turned off the guides and moved everything so it sat more centrally on the page.
5. I added another paper strip, a title and some journalling, making them all line up across the page.

 

So my challenge to you is to create a layout where at least half the page is white space.

 

My layout is here Week 1 Challenge 1 2 3 4 and the November gallery is here November Styles And Techniques Gallery

 

If you have any questions, please ask.

[ValerieT]

Belle commented in her comment on my layout that she has often wanted to scraplift one of my white space layouts. This is another good way to help you do white space if it is something you find hard to do.

 

Here are some links to my more recent white space layouts. You can use these to help in anyway.

Week 1 Challenge 1 2 3 4

Scrap10 - Template Chat 3

Scrap10 - Diamonds are a girls Best friend

The Sutton Sisters

Slow Scrap September LO2

Fishing for CrabsWorld Tour - Chocolate

 

If anyone else would like to share links to their white space layouts for everyone to see, please do so.

[Florida granny]

Auughhh!!! White space!! This should have been in the "scary" challenge section,( at least for me. ) I only do occasionally do a layout with white space, so I appreciate your tips, above, as well as the inspiring links. I'm going to give this a go; it will be a fun challenge

[Belle]

Belle commented in her comment on my layout that she has often wanted to scraplift one of my white space layouts. This is another good way to help you do white space if it is something you find hard to do.

 

Here are some links to my more recent white space layouts. You can use these to help in anyway.

Week 1 Challenge 1 2 3 4

Scrap10 - Template Chat 3

Scrap10 - Diamonds are a girls Best friend

The Sutton Sisters

Slow Scrap September LO2

Fishing for CrabsWorld Tour - Chocolate

 

If anyone else would like to share links to their white space layouts for everyone to see, please do so.

Thanks Valerie, depending on how the rest of the tasks go, I will be scrap lifting one of these lovely layout.

[zebidee75]

Challenge 3 - Geometric Shapes

 

Hi, welcome to the third challenge for our first week of the November Forum Game. My challenge today is all about Geometric Shapes.

 

If you take a wander through the digital scrapbooking world, you will find that geometric shapes are ‘hot stuff’ at the moment. This trend started with hexagons, but now includes diamonds, triangles and circles. In some places you see these shapes as a regular pattern across the whole of the layout background, but what has really caught my attention are the layouts where a ‘scattering’ of the shape are used across the background. Sometimes the shape is always the same size and orientation across the page. Sometimes the shape is of varied size, and one or two may be rotated slightly to add interest. Sometimes the shape is filled with a single colour or paper. Sometimes different papers/patterns are clipped to each individual shape. Sometimes one of the shape is larger and used as the photo frame. Sometimes several of the shape have photos clipped to them.

 

 

However these shapes have been arranged, what I love about these layouts is the combination of the strong geometric shapes with plenty of ‘white space’ around them. It catches your eye and adds an extra dimension to your layout.

 

My challenge to you today is to use geometric shapes in the background of your layout.

 

1. Pick a geometric shape – hexagons, triangles, diamonds or circles

2. Place at least 3 of your shape on your background

3. Have fun! – keep them the same size - make them different sizes, clip one paper to them - clip several different papers to them, enlarge one of the shapes and use it as your photo mask/frame - just use them as a background and have a ‘normal’ photo frame on your layout over the top – you choose!

 

Here are some products that fit this theme well:

Value Pack: The Shape of Things

Brush Set: Shape It Up ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Hexies Nip & Tuck Paper Super Mini Brush Set: Circles Couture Biggie ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Punched Circles ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Page Wraps

ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: Geometry Mini

 

Post your layout in the November Styles and Techniques Gallery, but remember to wait until tomorrow's challenge has been revealed to complete your layout so that you can get maximum points for your layout this week. My layout for Week 1 is posted here.

 

If you have any questions, post them here, or send me a PM. Can't wait to see your layouts over the weekend!

[LauraYB]

This will definitely be a challenge and a good one. I never use them in my LOs so will be fun to see what I come up with.

[jode2771]

The challenges this far should be making some wonderful pages!! Loving the info provided and the ideas and tips... Everyone doing ok?? Questions about challenges are welcome here :-)

[mbc72]

Welcome to your final challenge of the week!

 

For this challenge we will be focusing on ScrapSimple Embellishments. I have gathered several links from various tutorials, newsletters and YouTube videos to give you some tips on re-coloring ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates.

Some of my personal favorite methods of recoloring my templates are:

*Use the color picker to choose a color from the collection I am working with, then apply a color overlay and use blending modes (usually Overlay or Color) to get my final color.

*Apply a style to my template.

*Use Ctrl+g to clip a paper to my template.

 

Links:

ScrapSimple Club Tutorial: How to Wear Your Flip-Flops

5 Tips for Using ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates

Coloring ScrapSimple Digital Templates Using Custom Styles

Using Gradients in Photoshop Elements to Color Papers, Embellishments, and Photos

1 Scrap Girls ScrapSimple Instructions Handbook (Free ScrapSimple basics eBook)

Brandy's You Tube Videos

Digital Scrapbooking Photoshop Tutorial: Blending Photos into Backgrounds using Brushes as Masks

Blending Modes

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Adding Color to Digital Scrapbooking Embellishment Templates

 

 

Challenge:

Use 3 Scrap Simple Embellishments on your layout using 2 different methods to recolor them. Methods may include, but are not limited to: Clipping a paper, replace color tool, gradient tool, color overlay, use a style, etc. Embellishments may come from the same set, but they need to be different templates.

 

Post your layouts in the November Styles and Techniques Gallery and don't forget these tips from the opening post:

When you post your layout in the gallery, your description must include the following;

1. Which week your layout is for.

2. Which mini challenge/challenges you have included in your layout.

[mbc72]

Another great source for ScrapSimple tips was this article from April:

 

We Put the Simple in Digital Scrapbooking!

[Belle]

Week one. 1234

[princessrunningfingers]

Here's my layout for Week 1

 

Keegan

[mbc72]

Barely finished and saved this just before PSE shut down- whew!

 

Sweet as Candy

[Boatlady]

Done...wow...here is my page...happiness---camera and the sea