What to prepare, where to start, how to organize. Necessities.
Digital scrapbooking is exciting and rewarding. But if you never scrapped before, you might feel overwhelmed with so many great scrapbooked pages you can see everywhere.
The best thing you can do is to focus on your goal and I will show you simple plan to help you start on a right foot.
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I am thrilled you choose to start this wonderful journey and I am here to guide you along the way, so that you feel comfortable knowing that you've ticked all the boxes.
As previously mentioned in Digital Scrapbooking For Beginners post, here are the things you need to get started:
- your computer
- photos
- software to edit photos and mix them with your imagery
- some scrapbooking kit
Best Device For Digital Scrapbooking
You can do digiscrap on many devices, from desktop, laptop, to tablet and mobile phone. Any device that would be able to support the software of your choice will do the job.
As a designer, I like to sit by my desktop because I find it easier to spot details, I am more alert when I am working on more complex stuff or when I am learning something new or trying new things that I am not familiar with. A bigger screen with more "real estate" space will always help for an easier workflow and that is why I recommend starting on a desktop until you are relaxed enough to work on any other device.
A laptop is also a great option and anything with a screen 15 inches and more will do the job.
In the beginning, I would avoid smaller devices, just so that you can familiarize yourself with software, working process, to train your eyes and perception. Think of it as when you give your child a big piece of paper; how happy they are because they have so much space to draw on. Well, I want the same for you.
Mac Or PC?
I am a PC girl and if you have Mac, you will find it is faster to work on, so go with it by all means! I love PC, love working on it and I find it fast enough for everything that I do. Yes, both are just fine.
When searching, look for a good graphics, as you will need a higher resolution for faster workflow. Working with high-res graphics might freeze your computer, so go for 6 GB RAM at least. Gaming machines have more speed for workflow and as long as they have a good graphic card, they are a good option.
Monitors For Digital Scrapbooking
Having a big screen is important in all stages from beginner to an expert, so look for at least 15 inches for a laptop (if you are just buying, look for 17" or 19") and 21.5 inches for a desktop. Smaller sizes of either monitor will frustrate you as it will be hard to see what are you working on. A good option for desktop is to have two monitors so that on the main you can place your layout and on the second you can place chosen supplies. No need to go wild at the beginning, just start with one and see what works for you.
Monitor Resolution should be at least 1920x1080 (Full HD). If you want more, go for 2560 x 1440 pixels, but keep in mind that these monitors are around 30 inches (mostly 27"). Unless you have poor sight, there is no point in buying a 27" monitor with 1920 x 1080 resolution, because you will have a huge monitor that will take you a lot of space and your graphics will look the same as on 21,5 inches monitor. If you do have poor sight, this might be a good option for you, though.
Digital Scrapbooking Software
What to look for? You need software that can edit your photos and that you can write in. They can be online or installed on your computer. There are some that you can use online and save on your computer when you finish. Softwares can be paid, free, or membership-based. So what do you choose as a beginner?
Online services might be tempting because you put everything there and there is no need for you to clutter your computer. If you opt for them, read carefully how you can retrieve your stuff, because on some you need to pay for that. I am not saying you shouldn't use them, but if you are a beginner, you might want to go back to some finished pieces to perfect them and you might have to download, meaning to pay for your work to be able to edit it.
You probably heard of Adobe. Most people use their PDF Reader and it might be the only familiar Adobe program to you. They have many products and they are used by both hobbyists and professionals. For the last several years, everybody can use their software.
I like to keep an open mind and I don't like to generalize things, but inevitably, Adobe has some programs that set standards for industry and for image editing mostly used by digital scrapbookers are Photoshop and Photoshop Elements
