I've never been very fond of using alpha. If anybody has any magic tricks for easier placement/sizing please share. I can never get them "just right". It takes me longer to put alpha on a page than it takes me to make the page.
Oscraps
Do you have a least favorite/difficult thing when you're scrapping?
- Thread starter Cherylndesigns
- Start date
scrap-genie
Well-Known Member
I have acquired wonderful looking alphas over time but almost never use them. Partly I forget about them but also as you say, they aren't as easy as using a font.
Glad I'm not the only one. Hahaha
I'm starting to feel better here about not using alphas. I was hoping it wasn't just me.
Veronika
Well-Known Member
I love alphas - I prefer to use them as a contrast, as a "break" to the rest of the layout, or to emphasize something
Most of the time I use them large so that their power is maintained
but I rarely use them...
What I don't get along with are frames - I don't get along well with frames because I often think that they "swallow" the photo and it gets too much with elements......
That's why I hardly use frames and prefer to give the photos a small white border
Most of the time I use them large so that their power is maintained
but I rarely use them...
What I don't get along with are frames - I don't get along well with frames because I often think that they "swallow" the photo and it gets too much with elements......
That's why I hardly use frames and prefer to give the photos a small white border
Me too!!!!’ I don’t know how to use the big ornate frames !
Veronika,
I agree that many of the wide ornate frames "swallow" the photo... one of my solutions (if I like the material the frame is made with) is to place the photo on top of the frame so that only a small edge of the frame is showing. I also add a stroke to some photos in place of frame.
See : https://oscraps.com/community/media/be-spring-colors-xuxper.363081/ for example of placing photo on top of frame.
I work in PSElements. One solution when using Alphas is to not try to line the letters up in a straight line - I will stagger each one up/down and/or add an angle to them and overlap them slightly. I will work on a transparent blank page where I can see the checkerboard squares in the background. Add all the alpha letters in the right order, then move them over in a line one by one. I use the checks in the BG to line up and space the letters - if I want a straight line. I like to make the first letter of each word larger than the rest and use the checks as a guide to resize them. After I have them sized and placed as I like, I link them all together then drag them onto the LO and place/resize as needed. Note: if you drag them from the working page (not from the photo bin) they are still separate letters that you can unlink and resize if needed. If you move them from the photo bin you don't have that option.
See: https://oscraps.com/community/media/be-athens.356970/ for using alpha in a staggered line
See: https://oscraps.com/community/media/be-fire-and-ice.361065/ for example of using alpha in a straight line
I get it with the frames. I totally understand what you're saying. I have used numbers (mainly) like you said you do.
What a great idea, Kay!! I think I could do that - I stress so much over getting them perfectly lined up. That takes me back to my paper scrapping days - I used to do something similar then. I liked the cardboard alphas but in paper scrapping, I had way more control over them. Thanks for the reminder. Thanks for that link, too! I also use Elements - I have PSCC, but usually drop back to PSE - that's what I learned on.
Photo masks are tricky. The main thing to remember is that you can "manipulate" them. Somebody taught me that a long time ago - she said "pull them, push them, move them around". But, they ARE tricky! Some work better for me than others.
Oh, that list of things to practice. I have one of those too. I'll show you what I just answered in Eva's post:
you can "manipulate" them. Somebody taught me that a long time ago - she said "pull them, push them, move them around". But, they ARE tricky! Some work better for me than others.
I really like photo masks... and like Cheryl, I will "pull them, push them, move them around". I will use a brush to fill in areas of the mask that are empty or too light. I also will use a soft-edged eraser to erase parts of the mask that extend past the edges of a photo. Sometimes I will change the color of the mask from black to white - which will lighten up a photo or to another color so it blends into background better. I even will take an element like a large flower or a cluster or a torn piece of lace or doily and use it as a photo mask. And like to add a plain frame underneath or over a masked photo and erase parts of it to make a framed OOB look. The key to using a mask is to move the mask around under the photo until the main focus of the photo shows... then stretch/push/pull the mask around until you like how it looks.
See: https://oscraps.com/community/media/be-sweet-summer-day-01.364248/ - mask rotated, narrowed slightly, recolored to tan; ribbons element narrowed with part erased to make a frame and placed over the masked photo.
See: https://oscraps.com/community/media/be-beautiful-new-day-palvinka.363001/ - mask stretched side to side: frame moved and erased more of it so their heads were OOB
See: https://oscraps.com/community/media/be-sweet-summer-day-01.364248/ - mask rotated, narrowed slightly, recolored to tan; ribbons element narrowed with part erased to make a frame and placed over the masked photo.
See: https://oscraps.com/community/media/be-beautiful-new-day-palvinka.363001/ - mask stretched side to side: frame moved and erased more of it so their heads were OOB
Kythe
Well-Known Member
Photo masks
- I love them! I pretty much do what Kay said. I prefer to make my own so that they 'fit' the photo
Frames
- just use one side of a frame as a page border or a backdrop for a linear cluster
- a corner of a frame can be used for a page corner and you can hang things from the corner or add a small cluster to it.
Alphas
- can be used as the first letter in a word the use a font for the remainder of the word
- tuck a single letter in among a cluster like a tag
- resizing is easy if you line them all up.. link and resize all together
- personally I like them all wonky and different sizes with varying shadows to provide depth
- I love them! I pretty much do what Kay said. I prefer to make my own so that they 'fit' the photo
Frames
- just use one side of a frame as a page border or a backdrop for a linear cluster
- a corner of a frame can be used for a page corner and you can hang things from the corner or add a small cluster to it.
Alphas
- can be used as the first letter in a word the use a font for the remainder of the word
- tuck a single letter in among a cluster like a tag
- resizing is easy if you line them all up.. link and resize all together
- personally I like them all wonky and different sizes with varying shadows to provide depth
Great suggestions... And I love Alphas and "I like them all wonky and different sizes with varying shadows to provide depth"
What a great thread this is... so many fabulous ideas!!