Mother Wife and Artist: How to Make Easy Layouts

How to Make Easy Layouts with JIF 6 Kits

Tutorial created using Photoshop Elements 7.0 with Windows XP.

JIF Kits are one of the fastest and easiest ways to create a finished layout within minutes - literally. Because they come with the finished layout in a PSD file, it's super-easy for you to simply click-and-drag your photos and customize the layout to your preference. The finished product is a beautiful professional-looking layout in a fraction of the time it normally takes you to assemble a digital scrapbooking layout. Let me show you how easy it is.

Digital Scrapbooking Tips: Open PSD file.

First, open the PSD files that come with your JIF 6 Kit. I am using JIF 6: My Sunshine for this tutorial.

Digital Scrapbooking Tips: Layers of pre-designed JIF layout.

In your Layers Palette, you will see all the embellishments, word art, and papers that create this layout. Each layer can be deleted, moved, or altered to your liking.

Digital Scrapbooking Tips: Open the photo you wish to use.

Open the photo you would like to use on your layout.

Digital Scrapbooking Tips: Move your photo into place on the layout.

Move (click and drag) your photo into your software program. Move the photo up or down in the Layers Palette until it is directly above the round photo mask. I'm going to use the round circle photo mask with my photo so that it will focus just on my son and eliminate all the other extra background in the photo.

Digital Scrapbooking Tips: Clip your photo to the photo mask.

Make sure your photo layer is selected in the Layers Palette. By holding down Ctrl+G (Alt+Ctrl+G for PS users), you will create a clipping mask. A clipping mask makes the photo take on the shape of the layer below it. In this case, my photo takes on the shape of a circle. You will know that it created a clipping mask when you see your photo indented with a small arrow next to it pointing down.

Digital Scrapbooking Tips: Poor example of white space on a layout.

If your photo is still selected in the Layers Palette, you can easily move around your photo or resize it to get it exactly where you would like it on the photo mask.

You can also add a shadow to the black photo mask (if there isn't one already) to give it depth on your layout.

Adding a photo is as easy as that! Go ahead and try it! I know you'll be hooked with how easy and fast scrapping can be now.