Learn how easy it is to use ScrapSimple Digital Scrapbooking Templates.

There are a handful of different ways you can use ScrapSimple Paper Templates in PaintShop Pro (PSP). The templates can be used by selecting and filling the designs and transparent areas, or "as is" with Blend Modes. I'm going to go over both methods here. I use different methods for different templates depending on the designs, but it's really about personal preference.

Selecting Technique 1 (best for templates with large solid areas):

If you're using a template that has large areas of solid black (such as this ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Stacked), the easiest thing to do is use the Magic Wand and click on any part of the black. This will select all the black area on the whole template.

Now that the black area is selected, you have multiple ways to fill it.

Filling Technique 1: To fill with color/pattern/gradient, you can use the Flood Fill Tool with the color, gradient or pattern of your choice to replace the black with a single click. Pick your color, pattern or gradient from the Materials Palette and click inside the selection.

Filling Technique 2: To fill with a patterned paper, there are two ways you can do this:

Filling Method 2A: Keep the black area selected. Then open the paper you want to use as another image (not as a layer on the template). In the Materials Palette, pick "Pattern." In the Pattern window, scroll to the very top and you'll see small thumbnails of all your open images, one of which will be the paper you just opened. Select the paper and click "OK." Then use the Flood Fill Tool to fill your selection. Voila!

Filling Method 2B: Keep the black area selected. This method does not require you to have the paper file open, but you need the PSP browser open. With this method, you simply drag the paper thumbnail from the browser onto the template. PSP will place it as a layer over the template. Move the paper unil it's centered and covers the whole template.

You will see the selection you just made from the black template layer is now on the paper layer, which is currently the active layer. But the paper has covered the window/photo area. You need to delete the "window/photo" area from the paper layer. Click Selections> Invert. Now only those window areas are selected. Click Delete. Voila!

Selecting Technique 2 (for more intricate templates):

Some of the ScrapSimple Templates contain designs that do not cover the whole page or touch one another, such as this one from ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Asian Tranquility.

If you want to have the design in a color/gradient/pattern or patterned paper, you need to select it. There are two easy ways to select what appears to be many intricate designs.

Selecting Method 2A: Using the Magic Wand, click anywhere in the transparent area. This will select all the transparent background. If you want to fill this area with a color, pattern, gradient or paper, you can do so now with it selected. If you want to change the color of the design, simply click Selections> Invert and now the design is selected and ready to be filled.

Selecting Method 2B: With this method, select the Magic Wand and click on any black part of any one design. Part of that one design will now be selected, but not the whole template. Click Selections> Modify> Select Similar> Discontiguous. Click OK and you'll see that all the designs on the whole template are now selected.

Once you have the design selected, you can proceed to fill it by any of the methods described in Selecting Technique 1.

Selecting Technique 3 (for complex designs):

In complex designs, such as this one from the ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Christine Biggie, you will see they contain more than just black and transparent areas. These contain shades of gray as well.

To transform these templates in multiple colors, use the Magic Wand to select a single color then click Selections> Modify> Select Similar and make sure you have the discontinuous option selected. When you return to the template, you'll see that all areas of that color are now selected. Now you can use any of the fill methods described in Technique 1 to fill those areas.

Once you have the first color done, deselect, then use the Magic Wand to select a second gray color and continue on with as many colors, pattern, etc. that you want. In this example I've used four colors on one template.

Selecting Technique 4 (for Tear It Up Templates):

The ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Layered: Tear It Up series give the illusion of a paper tear. You can use these templates with any patterned paper of your choice using any of the above methods to select and fill. You also get a "tear" that you place under the paper with just a bit of it showing through. Because of the very subtle gradients in these templates, if you try select them like with the other templates, you end up with a mess like this...

Despite its appearance as a solid white layer, it doesn't select one white shape.

The answer to selecting it is to use the Magic Wand with the match mode set to "Opacity." When you do so, you get a nice clean selection.

Using the ScrapSimple Templates in other ways (getting fancy!)

ScrapSimple Paper Templates can be used "as is" for even more creative looks. Look at this sample I made using a paper from the Black and Tan Collection Biggie and two templates from the ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Asian Tranquility.

I put down the brown paper as my bottom layer. Then, I dragged the "Love" template onto my image and centered it. Next, I dragged the flower design template on to the image and centered it. I now have three layers: the brown paper and two black templates. But as you can see by the example above, my template design images are not black.

I got this look by simply playing with the Blend Modes and opacity slider in the Layers Palette. I scrolled through all the layers and decided I liked the look of the middle layer best on "Overlay" which turned it that reddish-brown color. I changed the top template layer to "Soft Light" and then reduced the opacity to 27 to have it sort of blend into the brown paper. Voila, done. I now have a paper that is a one-of-a-kind creation and the perfect colors to complement a certain photo I want to use with it. How simple is that?

I hope this tutorial helps get you started with the ScrapSimple Paper Templates. There's really no limit to the looks you can create with them. Have fun!

Tutorial written by Lori Cook