December 30, 2010

Creating a Scrapbook Page with Google Picasa - Step 1


Picasa is a free photo editing and organization software from Google.
Once installed, Picasa finds and organizes all of your photos on your hard drive
(disclaimer- when creating with Picasa, make sure you are NOT using photos from your thumbnail folder. They will look great on screen, but not in print)
I work in PS CS5, but I use Picasa when I need a quick collage.
It's so fast and easy- anybody can do this!







1. First of all, let's install Picasa-
Download the software here.

TWO THINGS TO KNOW
The Picasa software provides a simple way to view, edit, and organize the photos on your computer. As you get started, there are two things you should always remember:
  • Picasa does not store the photos on your computer.
    When you open Picasa, it simply looks at the folders on your computer and displays the photos it finds. It displays the file types that you tell it to find, in the folders that you tell it to search.
  • Your original photos are always preserved.
    When using editing tools in Picasa, your original files are never touched. The photo edits you make are only viewable in Picasa until you decide to save your changes. Even then, Picasa creates a new version of the photo with your edits applied, leaving the original file totally preserved.





Digital Scrapbook Pages created from Cinzia Loosemore's Holiday Cheer Papers & Elements kit from Oscraps.com


MORE PICASA TUTORIALS (written)
 by Sarah at Clover Lane


 > Continue onto steps 2 &3!

Step TWO: creating
Step THREE: adding paper and ordering prints

*Persnickety Prints is not affiliated with Google or Picasa. Picasa support can be found here.

4 comments:

  1. This is invaluable! This visual learner thanks you very much!

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  2. Hello! Julie over at Leelou sent me this way with a question that I had asked her. This is what I sent to her...
    "I love your website and especially your desktop backgrounds. I recently started playing around with Picasa and following the tutorials. I downloaded the March background and for the first time I did the customized one. I was just curious. When adding my photos to the frames is there a way to make it transparent? So that elements, like the shamrock, doesn't get covered by the photo? Any advice or info is greatly appreciated! Thanks!"
    She said you were the expert and might be able to help me out with that. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

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  3. Hi Julie,
    Email us anytime! A .png file is used to make elements "transparent" (without a white background)- unfortunately, Picasa can import a .png, but it will "flatten" it with a white background. We have been harassing google to update Picasa and make .png files compatible, but we haven't heard anything yet. In order to design what you are wanting to here, you will need another software program. (photoshop, creative memories)
    Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions!

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  4. Thank you so much! And thank you for all the beautiful ideas and papers and elements! I'm hooked!!!

    ReplyDelete