Whether you’re a paper scrapbooker who has decided to make the move from traditional scrapbooking to digital, or you’re completely new to the concept of digital scrapbooking, there are a few things you should know before you get started.

First, you need to find a good digital scrapbooking software program to use for your projects. Not all digital scrapbooking software programs are created equal, so you should definitely keep a few important points in mind when selecting a program.

1. Your digital scrapbooking software should be easy to use, but it should also have many creative features that help make your pages shine.

2. It should be affordable, but beware of products that are too inexpensive as well. As with most things in life, “free” isn’t always the best value. A good rule of thumb is that the best products will cost under $60, but you should be able to find a sale and get 20% off if you look around.

3. It should include high-quality scrapbooking content. Lots of “clipart” isn’t the same thing. Quality is much more important than quantity when it comes to digital scrapbooking.

4. Its included page templates should be editable and customizable. You don’t want to get locked into a page you can’t change! Also make sure your can expand your software with more digital scrapbooking content – that way you’ll always have fresh inspiration.

5. Make sure the company has a free trial version available for download on their website. That way you can take it out for a “test drive” and make sure you love it before you buy it. If there is no trial download available, you should ask yourself “why?”.

Once you have found an easy-to-use program that lets you make great looking pages, it’s time to start learning and creating. The best programs out there are intuitive and quick to learn, and you can easily begin making pages and figuring out the features by playing around. However, here are the 3 most important tips to follow when learning how to use your digital scrapbooking software:

1. If you’re the kind of person who like to know everything, start by reading the User’s Guide. Look on the Help menu from within your software for a link to an electronic “PDF” version. It should have great information that covers all the features.

2. Look for digital scrapbooking tutorials on the company’s website. The best products have both scrapbooking videos and instructional articles available to help you master the software’s features.

3. Check to see if your chosen program has an online digital scrapbooking community forum. This is where fellow users and software staff provide answers to software-related questions, tips and tricks. Digital scrapbookers from all over the world will be there and you can advice 24/7.

Armed with the basics about the software, you can begin experimenting with laying out pages by beginning with a pre-made template, if your program includes these. Hopefully you’ve chosen a scrapbooking program that offers both fully-editable, pre-made templates plus the option to start with a blank scrapbook so you can design “from scratch”. A top-quality software product will let you click on an item, and then add, delete, move, resize and rotate elements with your mouse. Play around to get the feel for the program. This is one of the great advantages of digital – you can’t make a mistake. If you make a change to your page that you don’t like, simply choose “undo”. You can’t do that with paper and scissors!

Once you master the features of your digital scrapbooking software, you can really get creative and start making beautiful pages from scratch. Are you the type of person who loves working on a blank canvas? Your scrapbooking software should let you fully express all those great ideas! You’ll be making unique pages in no time.

But what if you’re the kind of person who admires other people’s scrapbook projects, but don’t know where to begin in creating your own digital scrapbooking pages? Once again, here is where a great online digital scrapbooking community comes in handy! Look for one that has a free members layout gallery, where you can not only post your own pages when you’re ready, but you can view other people’s work, too. Taking a look at the way other scrapbookers lay out their pages is a terrific way to inspire your own creativity (in fact, “scraplifting” – basing the layout of your page on someone else’ page – is a time-honoured practice among scrapbookers! – just make sure you give credit where credit is due!).

Another way to hone your digital scrapbooking skills is to participate in the fun challenges offered in some online communities. These challenges often center around a technique or scrapbooking program feature, and are a great way to learn. Plus, look for challenges that offer freebies; it’s a fun way to develop your skills and get free stuff for your projects!

Getting started with digital scrapbooking is much easier than most people think! If you choose the right digital scrapbooking software, it certainly is! Remember to look for a program that offers a full-featured trial, a User’s Guide and online tutorials, a helpful and fun online community, and fully-editable templates to help you get started. You’ll be an expert digital scrapbooker in no time!

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