How to Learn Photoshop Elements for Scrapbooking

Book Review with Julie Ann Shahin

Part 2

"Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking

& Card-Making with Photoshop Elements"

Author: Patty Debowski, The Digital

Scrapbook Teacher

How could anyone not find nuggets of useful information in this book that weighs almost 4 pounds? I'd like to show you one thing that I learned that was new for me from Patty's informative book - using the selection tool to create a stamped image within a shape.

Now, I've taught myself a ton about Photoshop Elements out of necessity through having this blog. Even I am learning lots of new things from Patty's book. Here's an example - I've created a step by step sequence as I learned it from her book (pp 104 - 106):

Now if you think you already know all there is to know about "selections" and the tools that make them...you might think again. Just take a look at this excerpt from her index:

Select

• All, 74, 106
• All layers, 107
• Deselect layers, 107
• Layer Contents , 196
• Modify Border, 108
• Reselect, 107

Selection, 104-12, 105

• Add to, 107
• Border, 104, 105
• Move Border, 86, 112
• Boundary, 105
• Clean-up, 105
• Contract, 110
• Delete, 111
• Esc Key, 116
• Expand, 110
• Fill, 111
• Grow, 110
• Hide/Unhide, 112
• Intersect With, 107
• Inverse, 105, 107
• Load Saved Selection, 111
• Move, 112
• Paste Into, 111
• Save, 105, 110, 261
• Select From, 107
• Similar, 110
• Smooth, 110

Selection Brush Tool (A), 78, 105, 121024, 122

• Add to Selection, 121
• Brush Presets, 122
• Brush Size, 122
• Clean up Selections, 121, 123
• Crop With, 142
• Feathered Selection, 122
• Hardness, 123
• How to Use, 123
• Mask Mode, 122, 123, 124
• Overlay/Mask Opacity, 122
• Overlay/MaskColor, 122
• Selection Mode, 122, 123, 124
• Smooth Edges, 110

So you might ask "Am I getting paid to promote this book?" I could easily sign up for Patty's affiliate program and make a few dollars, however I have decided that I'd rather gain your confidence with my reviews of her book by not accepting any money for giving her a good review.

So check out her site and her book! You will find it has a permanent spot next to your monitor!

Resolve to Learn "Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking & Card-Making with Photoshop Elements"

Book Review with Julie Ann Shahin

Part 1

"Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking

& Card-Making with Photoshop Elements"

Author: Patty Debowski

A Must-Have Complete Reference Guide with

Step-by-Step Instructions in Plain English

Add a new skill or improve your skills in 2008 with this amazing book by Patty Debowski! Patty mentioned to me that this book is written for the beginner, however I think she might be selling herself short with 384 pages and almost 4 pounds of information - sure to please all levels of digital and hybrid scrapbookers.

I truly believe hybrid scrapbooking will make the whole scrapbook industry stronger with the right marketing techniques. This book will play a vital and essential role in strengthening this industry as well. Digital is pervading quietly and silently, and almost without most of us even realizing it consciously. This book helps with the learning curves of all that is digital in scrapbooking.

What is most amazing:

• 384 pages and almost 4 pounds
• 20 page Index!!!! Can you imagine?
• 6 pages= Table of Contents - WOW!
• Written for Photoshop Elements and easily used by Photoshop Users as well
• What Did I Do Wrong? Troubleshooting section
• Not one of those books that has hundreds of gorgeous layouts but no instructions, instead the focus is on the words and step-by-step explanations!!!! Images that have been included illustrate the instructions
• Want to know how to organize? This is explained for easy setup!

Extra's on the Book DVD

• More than 1000 pieces of digital scrapbooking art from more than 30 designers! *This alone recoups the cost of the book
  
• Coupons from 15 digital/hybrid scrapbooking websites
• Tags file (use to organize your supplies)
  

Part 2 of this review coming soon!