best way to teach someone to digi-scrap

[jessica31876]

my 17 y/o daughter wants me to teach her how to digi-scrap. She has shown interest in the past two years to learn and I tried to teach her a few times but it was kinda hard. I was thinking maybe starting her on a template so she doesnt have to learn placement and all that right away?? One of the problems is she does not know my program well at all. I use PSP which is fairly simple to me. I taught myself to use it by trial and error (I do still learn new stuff all the time of course) so should I try to teach her the basics of the program before trying to teach her to do the scrapbooking? Anyone who has taught someone (especially a teenager LOL) to do this that could give me some advice on where to start would be great!!

[lisabranka]

I would try a template.. then she just has a few basic things to remember how to do on the program. I taught my dd when she was about 11 how to use a template and she is a master at it now I turn her lose!

[iJenny]

I taught Lizzy the ropes and I think we just sat at the computer while she watched me scrap a page. She asked a bunch of questions, wrote down a bunch of stuff, and she was off and running. I helped her learn the program (PSE) and she would call me if she couldn't figure something out. I think it was mostly trial and error as she learned. And asking lots of questions.

Oh, and FYI: she found templates VERY confusing to learn as a beginner and I agree. I didn't use templates until I was more comfortable with my program.

[lovely1m]

Originally Posted by Lilcameronsmommy

Oh, and FYI: she found templates VERY confusing to learn as a beginner and I agree. I didn't use templates until I was more comfortable with my program.

Ditto.

I tried to teach my mom and I just had her sit and watch me do a simple page. She ended up deciding she didn't have the time for it. lol

[Paula]

I would ditto what the others have said about templates. When I was learning, I found it hard to use a template.

[scrapperjade]

For me, I learned by trial and error. Bree showed me a page, and I happened to have Photoshop on my computer. She basically walked me step by step through my first layout (via yahoo messenger, lol). I found the first really hard, but as I figured out my tools a little better, it got easier.

As for templates - I pretty much started with them right away. I found them hard because I didn't know how to do clipping masks!! I used to (this is embarrassing, lol) rotate my paper and try to crop it in the same shape as the template piece. Needless to say, my pages were a mess. Once I was told about clipping and merging - OMGoodness - the freedom!!! I am pretty much a template only scrapper now. I was never good at the designing anyways.

[Serendipity]

Good luck. I'm an awful teacher and I have no real suggestions. People keep asking me how to do it and I just look at them like they're about to fall off the side of a mountain.

[Sarah8914]

You guys think templates are confusing?? Yikes! I have taught some ladies at church and usually start with a template, maybe I shouldn't!

How do you create pages from scratch? I usually create my own template as I make a page so I can always adjust size and position of papers and photos. If you want paper strips or mats, do you use the marquee tool and select the shape and move it over? What about pictures? do you just crop them before putting them on your layout?

[lovely1m]

Yep, I just do trial and error while creating a page without a template. I think a circle will look nice there, so I cut out a big one and put it on the paper and adjust the size. I use PSP though so there may be some difference as to what I do.

[livelys]

I found templates confusing until I got a lot more familiar with Photoshop too. I found (and still find!) the scrap lift challenges a great way to ease in to diy-ing and using templates. They encourage you to use your own choice of kits, but still with a reasonable idea of how the finished LO will look - and you learn how to use your programme too.

[aly321]

I have taught a community class, and start with basics about the photoshop functions and tools, and then I show them how to create a page from scratch. With the first lesson I did VERY basic. I have used various tutorials onlline to help in my classes as well.

[dabittymama]

Originally Posted by scrapperjade

As for templates - I pretty much started with them right away. I found them hard because I didn't know how to do clipping masks!! I used to (this is embarrassing, lol) rotate my paper and try to crop it in the same shape as the template piece. Needless to say, my pages were a mess. Once I was told about clipping and merging - OMGoodness - the freedom!!! .

Jae, I did the SAME thing!!!

[Rae's World]

I have to agree with the template. It was hard, in the beginning. Just too much to remember. It was easier to scrap lift something. This is what helped me:

goDigitalScrapbooking

I have PSE and was able to figure it out. It really helped getting me started. Then I just used trial and error along with asking A LOT of questions. Good luck t your DD and have her post her pages. I know we would all love to see them.