Hi friends. I have been scrapping with paper for over 20 years. I started in HS and love it so much to this day. Hubby and I will be doing some extensive long term traveling in a couple years after we retire and I would like to downsize and work with more digital so I can keep scrapping then. I would like to find out more about this hybrid thing. However, I don't even know where to start. I bought a few items but now I think I need photoshop. I don't know how to get photoshop or how to use photoshop but I would really like to learn. Where and how did you all start? What photoshop do you use? How do you learn how to use it? Thanks for any suggestions you have on where to begin!
Hi Kim! Welcome! There are a lot of programs that can be used for digital and hybrid scrapbooking. Photoshop Elements (aka PSE) and the full Photoshop Creative Cloud (PSCC) are some of the more popular ones. You can get a free trial of either at Adobe. You just need to set up an account. PSE is available here and PSCC here. (There's a free trial link to the left of the blue "buy now" button near the top right of each page.) I use full Photoshop (now CC) because that's all I've ever known, but I know others love PSE as well. I started using PS long before I'd ever heard of digital scrapbooking. To get the basics down, I followed some simple lessons I found online, and then just gradually got more comfortable and picked up more skills over time. You could start with the support tutorials at Adobe to learn the mechanics of the program. (PSCC here or PSE here). For other more digiscrapping-specific info, there are loads of tutorials here in the Learning Pad. One of our designers here, Cheryl (aka @gonewiththewind) of Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs, also has YouTube channels here and here with loads of videos that could give you more inspiration and examples. Another designer here, Elif Sahin (@esahin), has a lot of info geared towards the hybrid side of things on her blog. I hope that helps. Feel free to ask anything else. Folks around here love to help!
Welcome Kim! I love how KimJ addressed PSE and PS and PSCC. I just wanted to welcome you and say that if you have any questions the community here is great at helping each other out!
Welcome to The Lilypad! So... to answer your question with a question... How do you want to scrap? There are bunches of different ways to incorporate digital products into a hybrid type of scrapbook. If you are planning to use your hybrid scrapbook to capture your travels, as you travel, you might want to look into a pocket scrapbook type approach. There are 3 ring binders you can buy that have plastic sleeves inside them with different arrangements of 3x4" and 4x6" pockets. You can print 4x6 pictures and slide them into the bigger pockets and then use the smaller pockets for either journal cards or decorated cards. If you get a portable 4x6 printer and then print a bunch of journal cards ahead of time, you could scrap on the fly. Check out Maribel's amazing gallery for some great samples of pocket type pages. She is creating these all digitally, but this is the same type of page you could create in a 3 ring binder and slide the individual cards inside: Another option is to do a more travel journal type approach. I've been using a journal daily for about 2 years now. I write the random stuff we do each day and I have 2x3 sized Sprocket printer that I add a picture or two for each days' entry. The Sprocket printer doesn't use any ink cartridge, just Zink (zero ink) paper and they have a sticky back so you can plop them straight into a journal without any tape runner. I love my journal for daily stuff, but this would work awesome for traveling too. Here's an older sample of my TN (Traveler's Notebook) sized journal: And here's a thread that talks about the sprocket printer that I love! Sprocket Thread And here's a thread that talks about what a traveler's notebook is... which I also love!
Also... I wanted to add that a lot of our designers create printable files that would not require you to have photoshop at all if that scares you. They include a .pdf file that you could just print out and then cut out the pieces you want to use with scissors. @Kim S OR you could go crazy with the crafting and get a cutting machine and print and cut the pieces out with something like a Silhouette or Cricut. I have a Silhouette and I'm slightly obsessed with printing and cutting bits from my digital scrapbooking stash. I especially love to make stickers for my journal. I could chat about this all day! Ha ha!
OMG you guys! That was so helpful and so welcoming! You all rock! I am going to look at all the goodies you all shared. I have been scrapping mostly 12x12 layouts but I have done a lot with pocket 12x12 too. I am finding myself drawn to travelers notebooks and small 6x8 layouts recently. There is so much to look at now. I got me all excited to learn all this stuff. I do have a cricut that I love to use for cut files but I am ready for more!
Hello Kim! I too started as a paper scrapbooker moved into digital but also do Hybrid. I use PSE and love it! Any questions just ask. I will put what I want onto a 8..5 x 11 sheet in PSE and then put it on a flash drive and head to Fed Ex to get it printed there. I personally don't have a printer. We haven't been active in the Letter Swap this year..... for a couple reasons, wonder what those would be!? LOL BUT they are SO MUCH FUN!!! You will have to participate when that starts back up. Letter Swap information HERE examples of ones I've done. HERE is an example of a couple cards I printed off then I added what I wanted with paints etc....
Welcome to The Pad, Kim! I’m a 100% paper, hybrid and 100% digital scrapper (I love it all). I’m happy to help if you need it or get stuck. Everyone has given great suggestions. I took classes, watched a million YouTube videos, bought PS books and basically devoured everything I could to learn. I would suggest starting off with digital templates. A huge chunk of the work is done for you, and our awesome designers do have some free ones in the shop. Scrapaneers used to have free tutorials, and The Pad’s Educational Thread offer lots of info. As far as the software, I’m a FSS (full set syndrome...LOL) girl, so I started with PS CC because I knew I didn’t want to be limited by my software. If that’s you too, I would go with PS CC. If you just want to get started quickly, then I would try Elements. The fundamentals of both are the same. Since you use a Cricut, you can easily print & cut digital scrapbook kit elements. I use a Silhouette, and it works great. Happy Scrapping!
Welcome to the pad Kim.. I see you got a lot of answers already Hope they help. If you need more help just holler.. we are all willing to help
Hi Kim and welcome to The Lilypad! I'm glad everyone has popped in to give you info so you can get started. I paper scrapped for 10 years before switching to digital, and right now I'm working on a travel notebook digi style for pandemic stuff. Don't hesitate to ask more questions if you need more help!
Hi Kim! There are so many great tips here and I just want to give you one more suggestion, if you want something easy to bring when you travel. If you have an IPad you could use the Affinity photo app, it’s very similar to PSE and you can use .psd templates with it.
I use Affinity Photo. It doesn't use Photoshop actions and that kind of thing, so if those are a critical part of your process, it might not work for you. But it's WAY less expensive than Photoshop and almost as powerful.
