By Rex Allen
Digital Scrapbook templates with Photoshop elements
STEP ONE: Go under the File menu, under New, and create a new Blank File.
STEP TWO: The size you make your pattern will be the same size it will show up in your final product. In the example to the right, the pattern will be about 1 inch square. The Resolution needs to match the resolution of the final project to keep the size accurate. The standard resolution is 300 dpi, but for most scrapbook pages, I would recommend 200 dpi because you will have a lot of layers and your file sizes will get very large. When you are finished press OK.
STEP THREE: Your pattern could be as simple as a line down the middle of your new document, but for this example, use the Custom Shapes tool to get a more intricate pattern. Click on the Custom Shape Tool or press "U" on the keyboard. Click on the Shape drop down menu and notice there is a small triangle to the upper right of the menu. Click on the triangle and you will see many different shape categories. Choose the category "Ornaments." This category contains a lot of shapes that are easy to repeat in a pattern. Choose the shape "Ornament 6" as shown to the right.
STEP FOUR: Press "D" to set your default colors to Black and White. Click in the upper left corner of your blank file and drag your shape down to the lower right corner. Leave a little bit of room at the edges, because this particular pattern will need a little space when it is repeated to look consistent.
STEP FIVE: The custom shape tool creates a more advanced graphic that can be resized easily - before it can be used as a pattern, it must be simplified. Go to your layers pallet and right click, to the right of the icon, on your shape layer and choose Simplify Layer or from the Layers menu choose Simplify Layer.
STEP SIX: Now you are ready to make your shape into a pattern that can be used to fill a background. Go to the Edit menu and choose Define Pattern. A dialog box will open up asking for a name - type in any name that will mean something to you later and click OK.
STEP SEVEN: Now try out your pattern by creating a New Blank File - try 4 inches by 6 inches at 200 dpi (the resolution we created the pattern in) and press OK. Now with your new blank document open, choose Fill from the Edit menu. When the dialog box comes up, choose Pattern from the drop down menu - the pattern you just created will be at the very bottom of the Custom Pattern drop down menu. Click OK and you will see how your final pattern looks!
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