Quickpages With
Photoshop Elements

by Nicole
(California)

Q: I'm new to Photoshop Elements 8 and wanted the program for digital scrapbooking. Can you give me any information on how to create a Quickpage? Thanks!


A: Hi Nicole,
First of all, let me say I think Photoshop Elements was an excellent choice for your scrapbooking.

For the other readers who may not know, let me explain what a Quickpage is.

It's a digital page that is embellished with various elements such as decorative frames, shapes, patterns, backgrounds and type. Usually there is a space or spaces reserved for adding your photos.

Actually they can be broken down into two types. One type is basically a template with an area or areas reserved for your own photos. All you do is add your photos to it.

The other kind is a kit that has all elements as separate pieces that you use to design your own page, which you can then add your photos to.

If you are using a template Quickpage it's very easy. Just open the Quickpage and your photographs in Photoshop Elements.

Make sure your Quickpage is the Active Image by double-clicking on it. Then drag your other photo or photos onto the Quickpage one at a time.

Your photos will go on their own layer. Scale and position your photos so they cover up the cutout areas in your Quickpage. In the Layers panel just drag your photos Layers below the Quickpage layer.

Here's a link to some nice (and free) templates:
QuickPage templates

You can do a Google search to find a Kit for creating your own Quickpage. There are many free ones available and lots of great ones you can buy for just a few bucks.

These kits contain all the individual (usually coordinating) parts for creating your own Quickpage. Here's how to do it:

Step 1- Go up to the File menu and choose New>Blank File.

In the Dialog box that opens choose Scrapbooking in the Preset field. Choose the size you want your page to be from the Size field. Make sure the Background Contents field is set to Transparent.

If you have an older version of Photoshop Elements you won't have the Scrapbooking option in the dialog box so just make your page the size you want by entering the dimensions in the Width and Height fields.

Step 2- Open the images that you want to use from the Kit in Photoshop Elements.

Step 3- Drag your elements from the Project Bin onto the Workspace and move, size, or rotate them.

Use the Move tool to drag the elements onto the Workspace. Once in the Workspace they will be on their own layer and you can move them around and size them how you want.

A Transform box with 8 points will be around the item you drag onto the Workspace. To resize the item put your cursor right on top of one of the 4 points on the corners and move your mouse toward the center of the box to make it smaller or move your mouse away from the center to enlarge it.

You can also rotate your image when the Transform box is around your object. Put your cursor just to the outside of any of the 4 corners until it turns into a curved line with arrows on both ends of it. Then move your cursor the direction you want to rotate it. Once you have your item how you want it press Enter to commit the change.

Step 4- Flatten your file and make a "hole" for a photo to be added at any time.

Go up to the Layer menu and choose Flatten Image. This will merge all your Layers into one.

From the Toolbox choose the Rectangular Marquee Tool. Make a selection anywhere on your image that you want to place a photo and press Delete to make a "hole" for the photo.

Step 5- Save your file.

From the File menu choose Save As… In the Dialog box you can choose where to save it and give it a name. In the Format field be sure to choose PNG. PNG format will preserve the transparency of your file so that you can use your transparent hole to put a photo into.

That should do it. Now you have a Quickpage that you created yourself. Thanks for the question Nicole and enjoy your scrapbooking adventure!