Digital Scrapbooking Basics - Setting Up Your Document

From understanding resolution to what color mode to use, this tutorial walks you step-by-step on how to set up a document to start a new digital scrapbook layout.

The most common sizes for a digital scrapbook page are 12" x 12", 8" x 8" or 6" x 6". I like starting with a 12" x 12" page because I can always decrease the document to a smaller size later if I want. Remember that you never want to increase a document size after it's created because it will not look good and you'll be disappointed with the results.

I am using Photoshop Elements to describe the steps in this article but the instructions given here will apply to just about any digital imaging software. So to start, navigate the mouse cursor to select File => New => Blank file to open the dialog box for creating a new digital scrapbooking page.

The first thing we want to do is fairly intuitive and that is giving it a name. So enter whatever you'll remember easily into the name field.

Setting the Resolution

Now let's talk about resolution a bit. To set the resolution correctly, we need to know if we are going to print this digital page. The minimal resolution for good print quality is 200 and most people choose 300 as a standard resolution. A higher resolution contains more color information thus producing a better quality print.

Notice that increasing the resolution also increases the size of the image. So if I set the resolution to 72 pixels per inch, which is sufficient quality for images viewed on display screens, the image size is 2.14 MB. By upping the resolution to 200 PPI, the image size is now 16.5 MB. And taking the resolution up to 300 PPI makes the image size jump to 37.1 MB. (MB stands for megabytes and each megabyte is just over a thousand bytes of information.) And this is still a blank image file! Adding photos, embellishments, textures, backgrounds, brushes and text will swell the image size even more so don't be surprised at how large your document becomes as you add more and more digital scrapbook elements.

Setting the Color Mode

The next thing we want to set is the color mode. The three selections to choose from are Bitmap, Grayscale and RGB Color. Bitmap is not the greatest color mode to select and I never use it. Grayscale describes an image where black, white and all the gray tones in between comprise the entire color palette of the image. You can experiment with these two as you wish, but for now RGB Color is the selection we want to make.

RGB is an acronym for Red, Green and Blue and refers to the method in which these three primary colors are combined to create a broad array of colors. The RGB method is the primary basis on how your digital camera takes photos and it's also the way most of your scanners, televisions, computer monitors and LED screens work. I recommend you work in RGB Color most of the time.

Setting the Background Contents

The last item to select is the Background Contents and the choices are White, Background Color, and Transparent. Some people get confused by what background color is. Looking at your color selection palette, you will see two small colored squares representing the current settings of the foreground and background colors. The background color is the little square that sits slightly behind and slightly overlapped by the square representing the foreground color. If you have already selected the color that you want to be your background color, then you should select Background Color as your background contents. I personally prefer working on a transparent background myself.

Now click okay and your new blank page is ready for you to start adding photos and whatever other elements you choose to design your digital scrapbook page layout.

Document and Photo Preservation

Do you have a lot of old pictures or documents? Are you a genealogist? Do you hold photos that no one else has of your family? Taking your precious old documents and storing them folded in a box is not a good way to preserve them for future generations.

Are you the repository, for old information, in your family? If you have been successful in finding old documents and photos you need to go the extra mile now and get them preserved. You can spend a lot of money in this preservation process, or you can do things a little simpler. Either way you will be saving these original documents for future generations. If you are interested in the process keep in mind that you may be the only family member who is.

If you have come across old certificates that have been folded, open them very slowly and lay them down flat on a clean surface. Do not refold them. If any pieces fall off of the paper, do not tape them back on or throw them out, just leave them with the document. Take several pictures of it. If the paper is not so fragile, put it on a scanner and scan it into your computer. Make certain your hands are clean, or wear white cotton gloves when handling old paper. Contact a custom framer who knows how to preserve old documents. Framing is the best way to keep dust off and prevent mold from growing on the paper. You do not need to use expensive framing, it is the preservation that is important. The framer will use archival safe materials and seal the dust out.

Photos can be easy to scan if they are loose. If they are in a frame, once again take them to an archival framer. The photo may be stuck to the glass and removing it may damage the photo. Scan the photo along with the frame, and also take pictures of the photo prior to removing it. If you prefer to not reframe, be sure to keep this original in an archival box and store in a cool dark place.

Like any works of art, it is important to keep them out of direct sunlight. Hanging documents in a hallway is the best way to prevent damage from the sun. Preserving documents and photos may seem expensive, but it isn't going to get any cheaper. If you aren't willing to do it, it may not ever be done.