Getting Started: Making page templates

Crafty sewing ladies know that a good strong pattern goes a long way. It can save time and help you get the perfect results every time. This tip holds true for digital scrapbooking as well. To efficiently create layout after layout, start with a template. Here’s how:

Open your photo editor of choice – I’ve select GIMP here for demonstration. Select File > New. You should receive a prompt that asks for a variety of information. The important elements are size and resolution. You want to create a 12″x12″ page (or 8″x8″, 11″x8.5″, etc.) at 300 dpi resolution. Using a high number for the resolution is super important for getting high-quality results. 300 dpi works very well.

You should also select RGB for the color mode and begin with a white background. While starting from white is not essential, it can visually assist with your design process. Once all of these options have been selected, save your file as “12x12template”. Whenever you begin a new page, open the template and re-save with the desired file name. You’ll never have to worry whether your page is the right size or even more importantly, the right resolution to print beautiful pages.