dsa18 handouts lesson06-PSE - Amazon S3...Select the Type Tool and type the text. Toggle the Horizontal Type Tool in the Tools panel. Draw a text box within the layout and type a 5-word

Digital Scrapbook Academy June 2018: Lesson 06 The Stylish Scrapper for Elements Users

Page of 1 16© 2018 Scrapaneers LLC. All Rights Reserved

LESSON 06: THE STYLISH SCRAPPER

FOR PSE USERS

COMPANION BOOK


Table of Contents

Table of Contents 2

Welcome to Lesson 06 for Elements Users 3

1: The Brush Tool & the Substrate 4

a. Create a New Workspace 5

b. Add and Temper a Background Paper 5

c. Convert a PNG into a Brush Tip 5

d. Paint-In a Patterned Paper Using a Layer’s Mask & the Brush Tool 5

e. Add Smears (Artistic PNGs) to the Background 6

f. Add Flat Ephemera to the Background 7

2: Photo Masks & the Distressed Title 8

a. Open the Photo Masks & Photos 8

b. Build the Distressed Title 9

3: Dimensional Embellishments & Colored Lenses 11

a. Add Dimensional Embellishments 11

b. Create Colored Lenses 12

c. Save Your Layout 13

4: Addendum — The Brush Options Bar 14



Welcome to Lesson 06 for Elements Users

Welcome to the fifth page-building lesson of Digital Scrapbook Academy! We’ll

continue to use Adobe Elements® 2018 to build increasingly complex, digital

scrapbook layouts.

You’ll see that most of what you’ve learned thus far for traditional layouts has

prepared you to also create artistic/digital layouts with a few exceptions. We’ve yet to

talk about two MAJOR tools available to digital scrapbookers that traditional

scrapbookers may have a tough time mimicking with precision. And that’s the Brush

Tool and masks including page masks and layer masks.

We’ll accomplish the following objectives:

• Discover the Brush tool

• Learn how to transform a .png file into a brush file

• Discover page masks and how to apply them to photos

• Discover layer masks and their basic mechanics

• Uncover how to stamp brushes using the Brush tool for an endless variety of

looks

• Create a distressed, artistic title

• Add Tiffany’s calling card: colored lenses

Let’s get started!



1: The Brush Tool & the Substrate

Most artistic pages begin with a substrate — a substance or layer that underlies

something, or on which some process occurs, in particular. For our first artistic page,

we’ll utilize the Brush Tool, layer masks and organic shapes to paint-in a dynamic

patterned paper into a substrate.

Supplies you’ll need:

• Frankie kit from the Lesson 06 supplies

• 2 photos

• Bebas Neue Regular Font (free): https://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/bebas-neue.

Please install this font BEFORE starting this project. Not sure how to install

fonts? Find instructions for Mac Users here and for PC Users here.


https://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/bebas-neue

https://www.fontspring.com/support/installing/how-do-i-install-fonts-on-my-mac

https://www.fontspring.com/support/installing/how-do-i-install-fonts-on-my-windows-pc


a. Create a New Workspace

i. Start with an empty workspace. Go to File > New > Blank File. Create a

custom workspace sized 12 x 12 inches; Resolution: 300 pixels/inch;

Color Mode: RGB; Background Contents: White. Click OK.

ii. Save your file. Go to File > Save. Give your file a name. Click Save.

b. Add and Temper a Background Paper

i. Open and add the background paper to the workspace. Go to File >

Open and navigate to mdl_frankie_sp3.jpg. Click Open. Drag the paper

into the newly created, empty workspace.

ii. Blend the background paper into the white background. Reduce the

Opacity slider to 50%.

c. Convert a PNG into a Brush Tip

i. Open the right PNG file. Go to File > Open and navigate to

mdl_frankie_ep_smear2.png. Click Open.

ii. Convert the PNG into a brush tip. Go to Edit > Define Brush. Name the

brush. Click OK.

d. Paint-In a Patterned Paper Using a Layer’s Mask & the Brush Tool

i. Open and add the background paper to the workspace. Go to File >

Open and navigate to mdl_frankie_pp2.jpg. Click Open. Drag the paper

into the workspace.

ii. Create a Layer’s Mask on the patterned paper. Click on the Add Layer

Mask icon in the Layers Panel.



iii. Conceal the Layer’s Mask (turn it to black). Target the layer’s mask and

use shortcut keys CMD/CTRL I to invert the mask.

iv. Change the Foreground Color to white. Double-click the top block in

the Color Picker. Select white in the top right corner of the dialogue box.

Click OK.

v. Select the Brush Tool. Select the Brush Tool from the Tools Panel or use

shortcut key B.

vi. Select the right Brush tip. Click on the Brush Preset picker in the

context sensitive menu. Navigate to the newly created brush tip and

target it in the menu.

vii. Stamp on the mask. Verify that the layer’s mask is still targeted in the

Layers Panel — a white (or blue box) should outline the mask. Click on

the workspace to “paint-in” the paper. Continue to click in the same

spot to reveal some, or all, of the brush.

viii.Add more stamps. Return to the Brush Options Bar, click on the Brush

Settings and rotate the brush angle for a different brush tip orientation.

Reposition the brush tip within the workspace and click and stamp

again until the patterned paper is filled to taste.

e. Add Smears (Artistic PNGs) to the Background

i. Open the additional smears. Go to File > Open and navigate to the

other smears in the class kit. Click Open. Drag each to the workspace.

ii. Decorate the background with the smears. Select the Move Tool. Use

the Move tool to reposition the smears to compliment the artistic

background.



f. Add Flat Ephemera to the Background

i. Open additional kit pieces. Go to File > Open and navigate to

mdl_frankie_ep_ephemera1.png and mdl_frankie_ep_ephemera3.png in

the class kit. Click Open. Drag each to the workspace. Use the Move tool

to reposition the ephemera to compliment the artistic background.

Move the ephemera layers within the Layers Panel for a different look.



2: Photo Masks & the Distressed Title

With the artistic substrate complete, we can now decorate our layout using photo

masks to define an organic shape around our photos plus use brushes to ‘destroy’

portions of our title.

a. Open the Photo Masks & Photos

i. Open the right PNG files. Go to File > Open and navigate to

mdl_frankie_ep_photomask1.png and mdl_frankie_ep_photomask2.png.

Click Open. Drag the page masks into the workspace.

ii. Position the photomasks. Select the Move Tool in the Tools Panel. Use

the Move tool to reposition the photo masks decoratively within the

workspace. The photo masks can overlap the substrate layers or other

photo masks.



iii. Open your photos. Go to File > Open and navigate to your photos. Click

Open. Drag the photos into the workspace. Layer each photo above one

of the photo mask layers in the Layers Panel. Use the Move Tool to

reposition the photos over each photo mask within the workspace.

iv. Clip the photos to the photo masks. Target the first photo. Go to Layer

> Create Clipping Mask. Repeat for the second photo. Adjust the photos

as necessary.

b. Build the Distressed Title

i. Select the right layer. Target the background paper layer in the Layers

Panel.

ii. Select the Type Tool and type the text. Toggle the Horizontal Type Tool

in the Tools panel. Draw a text box within the layout and type a 5-word

(or longer) phrase, statement, or group of related words. Click the

checkbox in the context sensitive menu to confirm the text.

iii. Modify the text. Change the text font to Bebas Neue Regular; Size: 155

pt; Leading: 75 pt; and apply the HEX code #cfc8c4.

iv. Add a Layers Mask. Click on the Add Layers Mask icon in the Layer’s

Panel.

v. Change the Foreground Color to black. Double-click the top block in

the Color Picker. Select black in the top right corner of the dialogue box.

Click OK.

vi. Select the Brush Tool. Select the Brush Tool from the Tools Panel or use

shortcut key B.



vii. Select the right Brush tip. Click on the Brush Preset picker in the

context sensitive menu. Navigate to the newly created brush tip and

target it in the menu.

viii.Stamp on the mask. Verify that the layer’s mask is still targeted in the

Layers Panel — a white (or blue box) should outline the mask. Click on

the workspace to “erase” portions of the text. Continue to click around

the text to conceal some, or all, of the text.

ix. Duplicate the text (optional). Use shortcut keys CMD/CTRL J twice to

replicate the text. Use the Move tool to reposition the text around and

below the substrate layer.



3: Dimensional Embellishments & Colored Lenses

While we could stop right now with a completed, artistic page, I prefer to add a few

dimensional embellishments and ‘calling cards’ to all of my artistic layouts.

a. Add Dimensional Embellishments

i. Add scatters. Go to File > Open and navigate to

mdl_frankie_ep_beads.png. Click Open. Drag the scatter into the

workspace. Use the Move Tool to position the scatter. Duplicate the

scatter using shortcut keys CMD/CTRL J and use the Move Tool to

reposition the duplicate.

ii. Add basic shadows.



iii. Navigate to the Style Panel. Click on the Styles Panel icon in the

Workspace Options or go to Window > Styles. Select Drop Shadows

from the pull-down menu.

iv. Toggle a default basic Drop Shadow. Select the Low drop shadow

preset.

v. Adjust the Drop Shadow settings. Double click the fx icon located on

the layer and change the settings to: Angle 120º; Size 32 px; Distance 8

px; and Opacity: 60%. Click OK when done.

b. Create Colored Lenses

i. Select the right tool. Toggle the Ellipse Tool.

ii. Draw a circle. Hold the SHIFT key and draw a circle between 2 - 4

inches wide.



iii. Add a Stroke Style. Toggle the Styles Panel. Go to Strokes and apply a

Black Stroke 2 px. Double-click the fx icon to open the Style Settings

menu. Apply the following settings: Size 6 px; Position: Inside; Color:

White. Click OK.

iv. Change the color using HEX code. Double-click the thumbnail of the

circle layer. Apply the HEX code #2d221b with the Color Picker dialogue.

Click OK.

v. Blend the circle lens into the layout. Reduce the Fill Opacity of the

circle to 20% by using shortcut keys SHIFT 2. Change the blend mode

from Normal to Vivid Light.

vi. Add a second lens. Use shortcut keys CMD/CTRL J to duplicate the

circle lens. Use the Move Tool to reposition the second lens to a different

part of the layout. Increase or decrease the size of the second lens

appropriately.

c. Save Your Layout

i. Re-save your file. Go to File > Save. Click Save.



4: Addendum — The Brush Options Bar

A list of terms to remember while using the Brush Options Bar — the context

sensitive menu when the Brush Tool is active.

Access the Brush Tool. Select the Brush tool icon in the tools panel or use keyboard

shortcut “B”.

Brush Options Bar. With the Brush tool activate, the cursor transforms into the

current brush tip and the context sensitive menu changes to the Brush tool options

bar.

Brush Preset Picker. Displays the current listing of active brush tip shapes. The small

number underneath the tip-shape image represents the original size of the brush

measured in pixels. The menu controls the listing for saving, renaming, replacing,

deleting tips, and accessing the Preset Manager.

Size determines the overall width and height of a brush tip in pixels ranging from 1 to

2500.

Opacity affects the maximum transparency of a brush. The lower the percentage

value, the more transparent the brush stroke.



Painting Modes. Customizes the behavior of a brush by manipulating the brushes

blending options. The painting modes only blend brush strokes into the target layer.

Blend effects are not applied to other layers and the mode cannot be altered once

you apply the stroke.

Brush Dynamics Menu. Control and change the details of a brush. Here we can

customize the fade, hue jitter,

scatter, spacing, hardness and

roundness of any brush.

Sliding any brush option slider to

the right maximizes the effect on

the brush. Sliding it to the left

minimizes the same effect. You

can mix and match these settings

and some brush tips are already

programmed with these values in

mind.

• Fade identifies the amount of steps it takes for a brush to completely fade to

transparent.

• Hue Jitter randomizes the quality of foreground and background colors

together.

• Scatter increases the occurrence and spacing of a brush tip in any given stroke

or axis.



• Spacing controls the distance between brush marks from stroke to stroke. You

can disable spacing by un-checking the option in the Brush panel.

• Hardness is available only for standard round brushes. Higher percentage

values create a crisp edge, while lower values feather the edges of the brush.

• Angle arbitrarily rotates a brush 360º using an invisible slider. You can also turn

a brush using the arrow on the preview dial.

• Roundness controls how circular, elliptical, or linear a brush. A value of 100%

indicates a circular brush; a brush set at 0% roundness is linear. The Roundness

can be adjusted using the slider or the two circular points on the preview dial.


Documents

dsa18 handouts lesson06-PSE - Amazon S3...Select the Type Tool and type the text. Toggle the Horizontal Type Tool in the Tools panel. Draw a text box within the layout and type a 5-word