How to Insert Photos into Scrapbooking Layouts
using Paint Shop Pro (7)
  1. Open a scrapbooking layout (that is already saved on your computer). Start by increasing the Color Depth.
    Highlight "COLOR" and "INCREASE COLOR DEPTH" then click "16 MILLION COLORS".



  2. Convert the layout to layer.
    From the top toolbar highlight "LAYERS" and "PROMOTE TO LAYER".




  3. To cut out the openings for the photos select the "Magic Wand tool" from the Tool palette.


  4. Open "Control Panel" located on the top toolbar. This will bring up a "Tool Options" window.

    To soften the edge of the photo
    set Tolerance factor to 10 and
    the width to 3 in the Feather box.




  5. Creating transparent openings
    Click onto the white area and delete the white background.
    (Press delete key on your keyboard.)
    Repeat this for all openings.


    6. Now you should have three transparent windows:



  6. ADDING PHOTOS

    Open the first photograph you want to use for this layout.
    Copy it. Highlight "EDIT" then click "COPY".




    7. Close the photo. (File - Close).


  7. Now paste the photo onto ONTO the scrapbooking layout.
    Highlight "EDIT", select "PASTE" and "AS A NEW LAYER".





    8. This is my result so far.



  8. Place the photo behind the layout.
    Highlight "LAYERS", then "ARRANGE" and select "MOVE DOWN".

    Click the Mover Tool on the "Tool palette" so you can move the layer/photo. Place the cursor over the photo, hold down the left mouse button and drag it to the opening. Experiment!

    The first photo on my end looks like this:



  9. I ALWAYS apply an Unsharp Mask as this increases the contrast and adds more intensity.

    Highlight "EFFECTS" select "SHARPEN" and "UNSHARP MASK".

    and fill the boxes with the following values:


  10. Paste in the rest of photos. Repeat the steps 9-11.


  11. Save your layout - FILE - SAVE AS.

    I recommend you to save it as a PNG file as it's an excellent file format for lossless storage of bitmaps.
    (In the Save as Type choose Portable Network Graphics (*.png).)


  12. PRINT - Start by setting the Page Setup Options (FILE - PAGE SETUP)

    Select "Portrait orientation".

    Select the "Fit to page" check box to cover as much of the page as possible.

    Print Preview and finally print your layout.





    13. If your layout already has transparent openings, open the layout and continue with step 6.


    LET'S EXPERIMENT



    TIP
    If the photos overlap, cut out the area with the Selection button" on the "Tool palette". After you cut it off, click the Mover Tool so you can move layers/photos again.