The Tiled Series of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates was created out of shapes for you to fill. By selecting sections of the template, you can fill one or more sections with your own papers or pictures. The instructions for filling the templates are included with each set, as well as Layout Ideas.

To add depth to your layout, it is fun to add edge effects to your tiles. This can be done in many ways: by adding a darker color, or contrasting color to the edges, similar to inking in paper scrapbooking; using a brush to erase part of the edge, giving a grungy or distressed look to the tiles; or by using decorative brushes over several tiles to add a decorative effect.

Open your Tiled Template and begin to fill your sections according to the directions for your program. When you are done filling your sections it will look something like this.

If you used the method of copying and pasting in the instructions, your original template layer should be intact behind all of your other layers. Bring this layer to the front. Go to Layers> Arrange> Bring to Front. This will cover up all of your picture layers. That is okay. It is only for the purposes of making another selection.

Use your Magic Wand to select all of the sections. (If you can turn off "Contiguous" selections, turn it off and you will be able to select all of the sections at once.) Your marching ants should be marching around each square. Now you can move this layer to the back. Go to Layers> Arrange> Send to Back. Your marching ants should now be marching around all of your filled sections.

Create a new layer, this will be the layer where you will do your brushwork. For the next example, I used Lori Cook's Inked Edge Brush to show you how you can select edges to paint on. Only what is inside your marching ants will take the paint effect. These are heavier so you can see the effect. You can soften or create any effect you desire with your brushes.

For this next example, I used a more decorative brush and softened my paint color to a brown that matches the effect on my photos. Since you are doing your brushwork on a separate layer, if you don't like it, just delete that layer and start over!

To use your brushes as an eraser uses the same technique, except instead of working on a new layer, you must choose the layer with the picture or paper you wish to edge. (Make sure to merge the picture layer with the mask layer, or when you erase, you will only erase to the mask and not the background.) With this technique, you have to work on each layer or photo separately. In this example, I used Lori Cook's Grunge Brush as an eraser and edged the top left and bottom right photos. See the checks in the background? Those are the areas I erased that are now transparent.

When I add in the background you can see the full effect.

For my layout, I used a simple round soft brush and just lightly edged between the photos for a soft effect, just to add a little depth. I then added quote brushes and text on top to finish it off. This tutorial is written in Photoshop, but most of the techniques can be duplicated in other programs as well.

Layout by Melissa Renfro
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	Note: Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Tiled - Bricks and ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Sage are also available.

Tutorial by Melissa Renfro