When I create a page there are so many little tricks crammed in the back of my brain that I use automatically without thinking about it. Maybe it’s because I’ve made like 900,000 pages since the beginning of time? (Don’t ask how many are printed...ehhh!) People see my pages and ask me how I do x or y and, more often than not, my answer involves one of these three tricks. So, here they are! I’m sure most of you have already done this but for those who haven’t (and might feel slightly overwhelmed with them) if you just start I promise they will become second nature soon enough!
So this layout shows off the next three tricks I will go over very well:
1. DROP SHADOW OFF!!
One of my first blog posts explains how to turn off the drop shadow and create seamless pages (please refer to my post for an in depth discussion). My drop shadow has been turned off basically ever since!
On the second half of the layout if I had kept my drop shadow preference on I would be able to see light grayish lines outlining each pocket like this:
Totally kills the illusion of a solid background huh!
PS—the drop shadow option has to be turned off BEFORE you start the page!! You can’t turn it on and off mid process.
2. EXPORTING (or saving) CARDS
I use this process all.the.time!! So much so that after a long session creating in the app my camera roll is filled with miscellaneous app stuff that needs to be deleted. It’s totally worth the effort, however, because doing opens up more uses for the cards.
The two cards I chose for this layout had different orientations than I wanted and were made for different sized pockets. Because they are journaling cards I also don’t have the ability to rotate* them directly in the app. Being able to bring them into the page with the app recognizing them as photo allows me to do what I want with them. I can rotate* and zoom in on the cards like I can a photo. And now, with freeform text, I can still journal on them.
*I know Android users do not have the option to rotate cards in the app. Once your card is saved you can use your phone’s photo editing software to rotate the card in the direction you want before bringing it back into the app again.
Follow the next couple steps to export a card! Once you do it a couple times it will become second nature.
1. First I find the card I want to use (finding is 90% of the battle right!) then I follow these steps to export cards into my camera roll.
2. Open the collage section.
3. Choose the appropriate collage for the card you wish to export (I needed a landscape 3x4 so I used 4x6D). Find your card in the kit and fill a pocket with it. If you have an empty pocket it’s fine. When you export it the pocket will fill in with white.
4. Now we Export! Follow the next couple pictures.
[this warning won’t show up if your collage doesn’t have any empty pockets]
*if you are an android user you should change orientations now before the next step
5. Return to your page and select the photo input icon in the pocket you want the saved card.
6. Select your saved card to fill the pocket. Then, if you need to rotate it in the app, select the editing icon.
7. I needed to rotate and zoom a little to get the height I wanted.
8. You can add your text now if you want it in just this pocket. If you prefer to have your text go over multiple pockets then we move on to my third essential.
3) TEXT OVER MULTIPLE POCKETS
So we know the app won’t let put ANYTHING in the gutter (the space between two pockets). Those white lines are like a serious no fly zone! To cheat the system we need to trick the app! In my layout you will notice that both the title and the text go over multiple pockets. For design purposes it is sometimes necessary.
All I did was save my whole page without any text (follow step 4 above) then open the collage section (step 1 above) and select the 12x12 collage.
Your only option with a 12x12 is to fill it with a photo The app now recognizes your exported page as a large photo!! Perfection!
Now, if you purchased the option for freeform text, you can add your text or title anywhere you want it!
And you can end up with something like this:
Lookie there!! All three techniques in one sweet page!!
Just FYI: The first page of my layout followed all the same techniques but with a different card. When everything was in place, I saved my page, then I added a large rotated title in the collage section. So my card was this:
And here is the final page:
I hope this helps in your page making endeavors!!
We can rotate cards and photos now on Android. :)
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