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Scanning Scrapbook Layouts With Paint Shop Pro

By Wendy Kennedy

To scan a 12 x 12 layout:

Put your layout in your scanner lined up against one side. Open the Paint Shop Pro program. - Turn on your scanner. - Click on "File". - Click on "Import". - Click on "TWAIN". - Click on "Acquire". My scanner starts to scan the layout at this point (yours may bring up a box with choices). - Save the scanned image as a .jpg file in a folder on your hard drive (I called this file "source"). I give the image a name and then call the scans `a', `b', etc so snowa, snowb, etc for a layout called `snow'. - Line up the other side of the layout & scan it (if your scanner is 8.5 x 11 you'll have to do 4 scans to get the whole layout). Save this image to source as well.

Resolution:

I scan my layouts with a high resolution (200 - 300 pixels/inch) & save them in my source file. Then I reduce them to put them online or email them to someone. That way I can use the scans for printing if I decide to. Images should be 72 pixels/inch for websites.

Finishing:

Open the images that you scanned in the Paint Shop Pro program (if you've closed them!) - Working with one of the images - click "Image" and then "Resize". The Resizing window will pop open (yours may be slightly different than mine). - Click in the circle beside "Actual/Print Size". - Change "Resolution" to 72 - At the top change the pixel width to 300 - 400 (the height will automatically adjust). This is the size I like layouts for my website. - Click OK - the image will shrink.

If you'd like it bigger to work with click on the magnifying glass (one of the icons down the left of your screen). Now click on the image to make it larger. - Repeat with the 2nd image. RESIZE IT TO THE SAME HEIGHT!! - Click on "Selections" then "Select all" (to select the 2nd image). - Click on "Edit" then "copy". - Open a new image that is the same height and about 1.5 times as wide as your images. - Click "edit" then "paste" then "as new selection" to put the 2nd scan in your new image. - Click on the 5th icon on the left side for the tool that moves your selection around. Position the scan where you want it. - Click on the first image.

Click on the 6th icon down the left side of Paint Shop Pro for the selection tool. Use it to select most of your first image (you want to cut off a little of the side that will be `merging' with your other image so there isn't a black line). Click on the top left corner of what you want to copy. Hold the mouse button down and move the cursor to the bottom right corner of the image. Release. Click "Edit" then "Copy". Now paste the first image beside the 2nd image. Use the 5th tool down again to move the image around until they are lined up correctly. - Trim any excess off the image with the Selection tool.

If you aren't happy with what you've done you can click "edit" then "undo".

Saving the Image:

I save finished images to a file called "Images". - Click "File" - Click "Export" - Click "Jpeg file" - Click "Use Wizard" - Move the Better Image Quality bar close to the top (about 1/4 down) - Click "Next" - Click "Finish". (Wait until the pixel size appears so it will save compressed.) - Fill in the image name & save.

Watch the image in the Wizard when it is compressing - you will be able to see how much quality you lose. If it's too much compress it less.

Your two images may not fit together well and you'll have to rescan one or both of them. The color may be a bit different on each scan - you may be able to correct that by working with the color tools in Paint Shop Pro or rescanning. The more you work with Paint Shop Pro the better you'll get at creating great pictures for the web!

You can get a shareware copy of Paint Shop Pro at http://www.jasc.com to try. After 30 days it will stop working unless you pay for it.

By Wendy Kennedy who owns and operates www.CanadianCountryGifts.com .

Visit her site for free layout ideas and more.

Reprinted with permission from Zongoo!