Scrapbooking isn't all photographs and words. Other visual elements really add a lot of appeal to layouts. You can get this visual appeal in a variety of ways, many of which we'll cover in different sections in this course. Among these are what are known as "printables." These are pre-made graphics files (some colored, some black-and-white) that other people have graciously made available for you to use in your scrapbooks, cards, and other projects.
Tip: Be sure to check your printer's ink cartridge to be sure that it is acid-free and photo safe. Most black inkjet cartridges are acid-free; most color inkjet cartridges are not. If you are concerned about archival integrity and your color cartridges are not acid-free, I suggest you print the element in black, then use markers, pencils, or chalk to color the image by hand. |
Printables come in a variety of forms. Some are individual image files. Others are full-size sheets of quotes, sayings, or definitions that you print all at once, then use as you need them. Still others appear to be fully embellished pre-made titles, tags, and other elements, though of course they would be two-dimensional when in your scrapbooks. Which printables you choose to use depends on your own personal style and preferences.
As always, you should be very, very careful when downloading files from the Internet to your computer. Many file types are susceptible to infection by viruses and trojans that can do damage to your computer's program and data files. Just as you would not open just any attachment that is sent to you in email, you should not just go about willy-nilly opening printables files that you find on websites. Even if those running the sites are ethical and scrupulous, they are just as vulnerable to hackers as the rest of the 'Net, and such should be treated with caution.
I recommend that you install a virus scanning program on your computer - one that scans files from the Internet as you download them - and keep it updated. Most anti-virus programs are automatically programmed to frequently check for updates themselves. Allow those updates to run, so that your virus scanner will be on the lookout for the most up-to-date list of "nasties" out there.
The sources for printables are (of course - what else?) ever-growing, but here are a few freebies to get you started:
Be sure you pay attention to each site's copyright rules. Some require you to use them only in personal scrapbooks (not those you might be selling or making on commission). Others allow you to only use each image a certain number of times. Still others require you to include a link to the site any time you post a layout using one of their printables to the Internet. Remember, folks are sharing their work with you (often for free), so it's very important to adhere to their copyright restrictions, or not use their printables.
If you find that you really use a lot of free graphics from one particular site, consider "tipping" them. Many of these sites have a virtual "tip" jar that you can use to send them a small amount of money (usually using Paypal) as a way of showing your gratitude for their service, and to encourage them to post more new graphics.
You can also purchase CDs with lots of printables on them that you can install and use. Check with your favorite scrapbook stores to see what they have to offer.
Most printables are ready for immediate use as soon as you download them. Just save them somewhere on your computer's hard drive, then open the file and print. If you are familiar with graphics manipulation software, you can resize the printable to fit your needs, in most cases. Some files are available from the site only in compressed (.ZIP) form, and you will need to extract them before you can use them. Review the directions for doing this in last week's Computer lesson.
Using one of the links above - or a printables site or source of your own choosing - find, download, and print a graphic (can be textual, as with a quote file, or graphical, as with an image) that coordinates well with the quote, lyrics, poem, or other saying that you printed in last week's Computer lesson. Use the same type of white cardstock for printing your graphical image as you did for your text, so they will coordinate on a scrapbook page. (See? I told you I was working up to some layouts!)
There is no supplemental reading for this section.
Please respect the ScrapMentor copyright in using this courseware. You are welcome to print a single edition of courseware for your own personal use, but you are not permitted to copy, distribute, or reproduce - in whole or in part - any of the courseware for others, without the express written permission of the owners of Scrap-Poodle. You may not charge for ScrapMentor courseware, nor present it as your own.
** This content was previously published at www.Scrap-Poodle.com . It is presented here for the convenience of former members of that site, and scrapbookers and stampers at large. Please do not reproduce this information in any format (except for printing a copy for personal use) without permission of Dana Jones, original publisher of this information. **