Welcome to a “Special Edition of The Groove” with Guest Author and Scrapbook MAX! Kit Designer Sandrine Boarqueiro-Verdun! Thank you Sandrine for offering your creativity and your insights into using Scrapbook MAX! software.
Below you’ll learn a bit more about Sandrine, see some of her gorgeous designs, pick up some handy Scrapbook MAX! shortcuts, and get invited to a very intriguing “blind” challenge. Plus, there is a one-week, 20% off sale going on in Sandrine’s category in the Scrapbook MAX! kit store – the coupon code and all the details you need to get your discount are found at the bottom of this post.
Thanks Sandrine -and enjoy, all!
KapiScrap & Art Bio
Let me introduce myself to those of you who don’t know me yet. My name is Sandrine aka KapiScrap. I am French and I am living in the South West of France. I am the mum of two adorable boys, who are a great source of inspiration.
I created my own company in 2000. I work in the development and testing (quality) software area. Three years ago I created KapiScrap & Art, which focuses on the digital scrapbooking industry. I discovered digital scrapbooking at the end of 2009.
KapiScrap & Art has designed a great collection of kits based on various themes (baking, vacation, kids, holidays…) and with different styles, ranging from vintage style kits like Baking Memories and Once Upon a Christmas to whimsical and more colorful kits like Winter Fun Penguin Style, Tropical Holidays and Monsters on the Loose.
Before starting to draw the items of a kit or to create the papers, I think of a kit as a *whole*: the style, the palette, and I list all the items. We are two people designing at KapiScrap, so we often share the tasks as we draw everything from scratch and some items require several hours to be designed. We have developed Best Practices to ensure high quality products.
I am an active member of the Scrapbook MAX community. I share as I can my knowledge of Scrapbook MAX! 2 on the forum and I offer challenges on a regular basis. Take a look at the 52 Project Life challenge. Even if you have not joined it from the first week of the year, you can always join it from now.
Challenge: Blind Scrap
For this special edition of The Groove I offer you a new challenge, which is a “blind scrap”. It means that you are going to discover the final rendering of your page layout once your page is completed. I hope that you will have fun in making your page layout.
What you must know before starting…
Before giving you the instructions for the challenge, I would like to share some Scrapbook MAX tips with you.
Shortcuts
Scrapbook MAX! 2 provides different keyboard shortcuts. It’s a great way to perform quickly actions. You can see the shortcuts when you click on a command (File, Edit, Align, Page…) in the menu bar (menu commands). When you click on a command, a dropdown list of options appears. Click on Align… You see the different options and the associated shortcuts.
For the command Align to Left the shortcut is: Ctrl+Alt+1. That means that if you press simultaneously the keys: Ctrl and Alt and 1 on your keyboard you align the selected objects to the left.
Of course, Scrapbook MAX! supports the most common standard shortcuts like Copy-Paste (Ctrl+C – Ctrl+V). When you copy paste an object, the object is copied with its settings. For instance if you set the shadow for the object, the object will be copied with its shadow.
But Scrapbook MAX! also offers additional shortcuts and here are the three ones that I use all the time!
If you type the key S on your keyboard, you can set the size of the selected object. You only have to enter the values in the box which brings up and to press the button OK to validate.
If you type the key A on your keyboard, you can set the value for the angle of the selected object.
If you type the key P on your keyboard, you can set the value for the position (x – y) of the selected object.
Example – If you set the position to 0 for x and 0 for y the selected object will be placed in the left top corner of the page.
So keep in mind: A for Angle – P for Position – S for Size
These shortcuts are very useful for getting accurate page layouts.
How to add a photo in a custom shape
When you apply a custom shape to a selected photo or paper scrap, this allows you to achieve effects.
To apply a shape to a photo, add your photo on your page. Then double-click on the Photo. It brings up the Photo Properties dialog. In the Settings tab check the Custom Shape box and then click on the Select… button.
You can select a shape in the Select Shape dialog; they are classified by Category.
Once you have selected the desired shape click on OK to close Select Shape dialog, and on OK to close the Photo Properties dialog.
Please note that you apply a shape to a paper scrap in the same way. You can also add your own shapes (a shape is a .png file).
About the Shadows
Keep in mind that the Shadow settings will not result in the same rendering according to your page size.
Take a look at this post for further details about the shadows…
What You Need For The Challenge
Before starting select a photo and a kit.
Step By Step Challenge Instructions
1. Launch Scrapbook MAX! and open a new project.
Select the menu Page > Settings and then click on the Size tab of the Page Settings dialog box to set the page size:
Size: 3600 x 3600 pixels
Resolution: 300 pixels/inch
2. Add a Background paper with no pattern.
3. Add an Embellishment that you will use to decorate your background paper. Place the embellishment (Embellishment A) on the left top side of your page and set a transparency between 50 and 75.
4. Copy-paste (Ctrl+C – Ctrl+V) this embellishment and place it on the right middle side of your page.
5. Add a patterned Paper Scrap (Paper A) and use the shortcuts S (for size), P (for Position), A (for Angle) to set these values:
Size: 3100 x 3100
Position x: -265
Position y: 600
Angle: 356
Enable the Shadow (Check the Shadow box).
Important: Set your Position, and THEN the Angle.
6. Add a second Paper Scrap (Paper B) and set these values:
Size: 3100 x 3100
Position x: -530
Position y: 744
Angle : 354
Enable the Shadow.
7. Add a Photo in a custom shape on your Paper Scrap B and set the Angle: 354
You can set a transparency for your Photo… so it looks like it is merged with the paperscrap.
8. Add a Caption text under your photo.
You could add two Caption texts with a different font. Use the picker to set the same color than your Paperscrap A on your texts.
9. Add an Embellishment on the Paper Scrap A on the right side, and enable the Shadow.
TIP: Select both the Embellishment and the Paper Scrap A and right click. In the popup menu select the item menu: Group. Now the Embellishment is on the layer between the Paper Scrap A and the Paper Scrap B. You can ungroup.
10. Add some additional Embellishments on the Paper Scrap A on the right side, and enable the Shadow.
They should be between the Paper Scrap A and the Paper Scrap B, but you should see them (see the screenshot).
11. Add some Embellishments on the Paper Scrap B below the Photo and at the right side of the Photo.
12. Set your default Shadow settings with the following values. What I call Default Shadow is the Global Shadow. Be sure to check the Global box.
Global Shadow:
Angle: 315
Distance: 35
Transparency: 40
Blur: 40
The new Global Shadow settings will be automatically applied to all the objects for which the GLOBAL Shadow option has been enabled.
13. And now make the page yours!
Latest Kits
And now let me introduce my latest kits and some page layouts made with them.
What happens in February? There’s Valentine’s Day and Carnivals galore! Hello February is a kit based on love and fun while celebrating the month of February. You will love this colorful and versatile kit, just another opportunity to make awesome layouts of the ones you love having fun.
Here are two page layouts made with Hello February that I definitively love… I made this first page layout, and the second one has been made by Wench (Kaye), CT member.
What is better than hot cocoa or coffee after a long day skating and playing outside? Take pleasure in the little delights of winter warming up. Cocoa and Coffee colors are highlighted by the blue tones.
Here are two page layouts made Cocoa and Coffee. I made the first one, and the second one has been made by Kim, my oldest CT member.
Mummy, Mom, Mother, Maman, Mum… any way you say it, they are super and they are ours! Shower your super mom with love on her special day. Hearts and flowers bloomed in the perfect spring tones to pay tribute to your woman of the year.
Here is a page layout made by Wench.
And in another style I just released Monsters on the Loose Album 1.
Enjoy these creative templates made with Monsters on the Loose, these are perfect for capturing the memories of your children into a professional photobook that can be preserved for generations. You will enjoy both the quality and the accuracy of each template as all items and shadows have been placed with precision. Simply place those “must scrap” photos and edit text to get beautiful and high quality layouts in just a few mouse clicks; perfect for those who want to scrap, but have too little time! The album is composed of 10 page layouts with the front and back covers. Size page: 12 x 12.
Visit my store to discover a great variety of kits!
How to save 20% Off on Sandrine Boarqueiro’s Kits until June 3, 2013
To get 20% off on Sandrine’s kits, please visit Sandrine’s category in the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Kits and Templates Store. Add a minimum of $5 worth of Sandrine’s kits to your cart, then type in the code CHALLENGE exactly as shown into the ‘Coupon Code’ field before checkout. You must type in the code at the time of purchase to get the discount. Hurry – offer is one week only and ends on June 3, 2013!
**Note: Offer applies only to digital kits and templates sold in the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store, on orders of $5 or more. Coupon code CHALLENGE must be typed in the coupon code field before checking out. Valid on new orders only, expires June 3, 2013. Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts.**