This is a book review that I wrote for Craft Critique. It appeared on that blog last week.
If you have ever thought about doing anything with Photoshop Elements, you must buy Patty Debowski’s book, Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking & Card-Making with Photoshop Elements.
It’s a long and inelegant title, but this is the first book I’ve ever seen that covers absolutely everything in plain English.
The monster manual-style book (it’s 384 pages) comes with a DVD, which is packed with digital elements, actions, brushes, and coupons for lots and lots of discounts. In her introduction to the book, Patty writes, “Learning to digi-scrap, for me, was a very long and frustrating experience. I spent many hours surfing the web and reading anything on the subject I could get my hands on….After buying every book available on Photoshop Elements, I finally found a Photoshop Elements Adult Education class. The books and class taught me how to edit my photos and make slide shows, not how to make a scrapbook page or a card.” Thus, this book was born.
Here’s what you’ll find in the book:
• Beautiful color screen shots.
• Easy to follow step-by-step directions.
• A comprehensive index.
• Keyboard shortcuts.
• A scrapbooker’s perspective.
The book is divided into the following sections:
• Questions Every new Digi-Scrapper Has
In this section, Patty covers topics such as “Why Photoshop Elements” or “If You’re Using a Mac.”
• Getting Started
Patty covers the basics on installing Photoshop Elements.
• Equipment
Patty covers Cameras, Computers, Scanners, Printers, and Wacom Tablets.
• Organizing Your Photos, Digi-Kits, Ideas, Time & Extras
This is just what the title describes.
• The Really Technical Stuff
In my opinion, this is the beginning of what sets Patty apart from other authors. She explains it all: “What’s a Pixel?” “How Big Are My Images?” “How Do I Resize a Scrapbook Page To Upload To A Online Gallery?” And so on.
• The Photoshop Elements Editor
This section is all about shortcuts.
• Tools, Commands, & Tips
Sections in this chapter include “Tools That Move You Around” and “Tools That Make Shapes.” Patty really thinks the way a scrapbooker does and so each chapter is organized that way. And it’s great as a reference book because I can just look up, “Tools That Erase” or whatever else I’m having an issue with.
• Layers
Patty covers absolutely everything you would ever want to know about layers in this chapter, from linking layers to clipping masks.
• Filters & Blending Modes
Through lots of helpful screenshots, Patty shares what every single Filter and Blending Mode in Photoshop Elements does!
• Fixing Your Photos Quickly
This is a very brief section on the “Quick Fix” feature in Photoshop Elements.
• Design, Color, & Journaling
This is a brief overview of some common sense design principles and contains some helpful links to a variety of scrapbooking and card-making sites.
• How to Do The Basics
As you might expect, this section covers how to create a basic scrapbook page or card.
• Templates
This sections opens with “What is a Template?” and continues by explaining how templates work, how to create a template, how to use various templates, etc.
• Cool Stuff to Do With…
Love the title of this section! Basically, Patty covers, “Cool Stuff to Do With Text, Shapes & Mats” – such as multi-colored text and embossing words in a photo – “Cool Stuff to Do With Brushes” – such as make your own brushes and how to make a rubber stamp looking brush – “Cool Stuff to Do With Color” – such as change a color photo to black and white and tinting a photo – “Cool Stuff to Do With Photos” – such as change your photo into a puzzle and how to make a magazine or book cover.
• Shopping, Downloading, & Installing
Among other things, Patty takes you through the various steps involved in downloading scrapbook kits and installing them on your computer.
• Printing Your Pages & Cards
Patty reviews the pros and cons of printing at home or commercially.
For the sake of full disclosure, I feel that I should share that this book was sent to me by Patty when I became a member of the Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine Dream Team. I already knew the basics of digi and hybrid scrapbooking, but she really took my work to a whole other level. I use this book as a desktop reference and whenever I get stuck, I use the index to un-stick myself.
Patty has a great website and she offers free weekly tips and tricks on the Scrapbook Dimensions blog.
I highly recommend Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking & Card-Making With Photoshop Elements ($39.99). It is the most comprehensive digi-scrapping book I have ever read.
Here are a few digi pages that I recently created:
