I have received a few emails recently asking how to make a quick page template for digital scrapbooking. A “quick page” (also called a digital scrapbooking template or premade layout by some), works because it contains a transparent area. When you layer one over your photos, the photos are then visible through the quick page’s cut-out areas.

To make your own quick page, or premade digital scrapbooking layout, you first need to have access to graphics editing software that will open and save files in transparent .PNG format. This includes free web-based applications, such as GIMP, commercial applications like Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, CorelDraw, and Paint Shop Pro.

Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro may be the most commonly used for digital scrapbooking, especially among hobbyists, while professional designers tend to prefer Photoshop’s full range of capabilities. Continue reading »