Articles : Tutorials - Digital

Make a Quick Page

Learn how easy it is to create a digi Quick Page

Quick Pages are pre-designed layouts with a space to add your own photos. Using quick pages is a fast and easy way to complete layouts when you are pressed for time or want a set of pages to coordinate, for example if you are creating a memory book.  Making your own quick pages is pretty easy too, I will show you how.
(I use Adobe Photoshop Elements but these instructions should translate to any digital editing program though the terms may be different)

Below is the sample quick page I will be demonstrating ... and the quick page with photo and embellishment layered underneath, and journaling added to top.

Begin by creating your layout as desired.  You can work with a photo or without a photo, whichever is most comfortable for you, you can remove your sample photo later on.  When your layout is complete, do not merge all the layers, this is where we begin to transform it into a quick page.  The following steps may vary depending on how many layers you need to delete or what type of program you are using.  Ultimately what you need to do is delete all the layers that can be seen through the frame so that you have a transparent background, where the photo can be slipped behind and show through the frame.

If you have many layers, as I have for this example, you want to merge all layers that are ONLY underneath the frame.  In the example below, I merged only the journaling mat and 3 background papers, NOT the frame, staples or flowers.  You can do this by linking the layers together or hold Ctrl and click on each layer to select many at once, and then click on Layer < Merge Layers (or Ctrl+E).

Click on the frame layer to highlight it.  Now select the Magic Wand tool and click on an area inside the frame. You should have a dashed selection box, like little marching ants, around the inside of the frame, as shown in the image below.

Now click on Select > Modify > Expand and for this example I used the value 20.

Click OK and the dashed selection box should move to overlap the frame just a little, as shown in the image below.. 

In the Layers Bin, highlight the layer of backgrounds that you merged in the steps above. Right click on the layout in the center of the frame with the dashed selection box and choose "Layer via Cut" to separate the portion of the background showing through the frame from the rest of the layout.  You can delete this cut-out layer, as shown in the image below, revealing the transparent background inside the frame.

* If for some reason you cannot merge all the background layers in order to complete this in one quick step, you can do the same actions to each separate layer instead.  You will need to highlight a background layer, use the magic wand, expand the dashed selection box, layer via cut, delete that cut-out layer and then repeat these steps with every background layer until you get the transparent background showing through the frame.

Finally, you will want to finish merging all layers; papers, frame and embellishments, so that you have one single layered quick page with a cut-out frame. 

Save your quick page as a PNG or PSD file to maintain the transparent layer behind the frame.

For creating this sample Quick Page, I used the ACOT Exclusive Cherry Bits - Revitalized Collection

About the author ...
Kristianne Swanson, known to most as MamaK321, began scrapbooking in 1998, discovered A Cherry On Top in 2003 and joined the ACOT CT in 2005. What Kristianne loves most about scrapbooking is that it’s a creative outlet. Kristianne has a weakness for trying new techniques and products and she finds joy in sharing her talents and passing on her knowledge to fellow scrapbookers.

Submitted by MamaK321