What’s a Digital Collage / Sticker Sheet and How do I use them?

See some of our Digital Collage Sheets Here

Good question, grasshopper!  Some may think it obvious; some may wonder the same thing!

Traditionally, when I think of a “collage” sheet, I think of the collages we used to make in school, where we pasted all sorts of items and pictures onto a page, overlapping items and mixing up textures and mediums creating a masterpiece!

Like this:

pictures from http://images.yourdictionary.com/collage

or This:

According to http://www.yourdictionary.com/collage

col·lage (k? läz?h?)

noun

1. an art form in which, variously, small objects, bits of newspaper, cloth, pressed flowers, etc. are pasted together on a surface in incongruous relationship for their symbolic or suggestive effect
2. a composition so made
3. any collection of seemingly unrelated bits and parts, as in a photomontage

Origin: Fr, a pasting < colle, paste < Gr kolla, glue

So, it would make sense that a DIGITAL collage sheet is a collection of digital images pasted onto one page.
Like this:   (click on pictures for more info)

or like this:

Digital Collage Sheets can be in many forms and sizes, but most common is

8 1/2 ” x 11″ letter.

Why? Because that is the most common paper size that all home printers use.

File types:

PDF — usually cannot be edited and can only be viewed with Adobe products, such as Adobe Reader which is a free download at Adobe.com

JPEG–can be viewed by just about any computer with a photo-editing program or viewer . While jpeg is very universal, you still have to have some sort of software to view and print it to the correct size and resolution.

As in any digital product, you can’t just put it in your email and print it.  It will not come out the right size.  It has to go through another program.  Check the “help” menu on your computer to see what software/program you have for viewing JPEG files.

What’s the difference between “collage sheets” and “clip art”?

Another good question, grasshopper!

Digital collage sheets are  sized and formatted for you.  They are ready to print and use just like they are. Clip-art, however, must be manipulated in some way before you can print it.  You need to  place clip art on a page or project yourself  using a photo-editing program like Photoshop or MSPaint.  You get to change the size, color, and orientation of clip art as it “floats” to where you put it, unlike collage sheets which are already “locked” in place.

What do you use collage sheets for?  Why do I want them?

Silly grasshopper!  EVERY girl needs collage sheets!  They are fun to play with!

They are especially handy when you need a lot of smaller images pre sized for things like:

* jewelry crafts

*card making

*scrap booking

*kid’s crafts

*party favors

*cupcake toppers

*Holiday decorations

*tags

*stickers

So now that you know what Digital Collage Sheets are, and how to use them, give some of these a try!  Read the descriptions on each set for more ideas of how to use them!

Happy collage-ing!  (that’s my made up word for today)

Tammy

What’s a Digi Stamp?

by Tammy DeYoung –who illustrates rubber stamps AND digital stamps and loves them both!

(Note: many of the red words below are live links–click on them for more information.)

A Digital Stamp is just a “clip art” or an  “image file” that has been printed from your computer and applied to a craft project–like a card, scrapbook page or tag.  Think of “rubber stamp” but stamping with a computer program and a printer instead of rubber and an ink pad!

Digital stamps come in several forms:

Line Art: this is what MOST people refer to when they say “digi stamp” and it is usually black and white like a digital version of a rubber stamp and is used like a coloring book page.   You can add color in your computer and then print, or you can print it and then color it with crayons, markers, watercolors, colored pencils, etc.

Pre-colored: like the line art, only it has already been colored for you.  Sometimes colored by hand by the artist and then scanned into the computer;  sometimes colored by a computer program like Photoshop or MS Paint.

TO ME, this type of digital art file should really be called “clip art” or “graphics”.

Digital Stamps are IMAGE FILES so they can come in several formats:

Transparent Stamps have no backgrounds or “white” around them.  Common file types are PNG, GIF, and TIF.

What do you do with them and why?

Just about anything you do with a rubber stamp can be done with a digital stamp…and more!  Once you print your digitally stamped image, you cut it out, color it, embellish it–just like you would with a rubber stamped image.

BUT ALSO–VIRTUAL CRAFTS! You can use digital stamps to dress up your email, e-cards , digital scrap book pages etc. without ever using a printer!

BUT BE CAREFUL!!  WARNING!  STOP!!  PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER:

Click blinkie to read more

Always read the TOU (terms of use) that comes with your digital stamps or is posted on the website where you found it.  They are COPYRIGHTED and many have restrictions on how they are used (for example, you usually cannot pass the digital image around to your friends, or resell the digital file, or share the file/image with other people.  This is called PIRATING and is illegal.  Show your friends where you got the image and how they can buy their own.)

DON’T BE  A DIGITAL PIRATE!  They are smelly, ugly, talk funny and no one likes them  Always pay for your digital stamps, unless it is given to you FREE directly by the artist.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled program!

WHY use digital stamps? Variety, cost, availability & personal preference! Not all images can be placed on rubber stamps!  It’s expensive to manufacture and ship rubber stamps.  Some people live in areas with no rubber stamp stores, but the internet is easy to shop from.  Some people love to work with tangible supplies like rubber stamps.  Other people like to work with computers instead.  Some people like to mix and match the two!  And for some, it’s just whatever you are used to!

What are the advantages of a Digital Stamp?

–I can re size and reverse a digital image! To me, that is the biggest advantage.

–A digital image is not messy like ink. There is no clean up.

–Instant gratification (almost!)  If I  need a cupcake image, but don’t have the rubber stamp, I can buy it online, download and print it more quickly than having a rubber stamp shipped to me.

What are the disadvantages?

–Rubber stamps are quicker to just stamp onto your paper and go.  You don’t have all the extra steps of downloading, printing, cutting, etc.  You just pick up the stamp and stamp it on your card paper.

–You have to have a computer  and a printer to use a digital stamp. However, you only need very basic knowledge.  If you are reading this right now, you are already halfway there!

–If your printer or computer messes up, you can’t use the digital stamp.  A rubber stamp will always be your friend!

How do I get a digital stamp onto paper ?

This might be the trickiest part. You have to have a printer if you want a tangible product. There are many kinds of papers, weights of papers, inks  and printers out there (good content for a separate article!).  You might have to do some testing to find the right paper for your ink jet or laser printer. It will depend what you want to DO with the stamp. If you want to watercolor it, or use markers you will need to use a non-glossy, non-coated paper that will absorb the ink when printing.  Let the print dry before coloring to avoid smudges.  If you use colored pencils, it doesn’t matter quite so much.

All the rest….

Here are some great links to tutorials and video presentations to get you started!

And if you don’t see what you need here, then GOOGLE your question and you can find it somewhere else.  For example, if you need to know how to use Photoshop, you can google (search) “how to use digital stamps with photoshop”.  If you need to know what kind of paper to use in your printer, google “what kind of paper to use in the HP for digital stamps”.

The best way to learn?  Just try!!!  Ask questions and have FUN!

Happy digi-stamping!

Tammy
More tutorials (click the redish words below to go to the source)

Basic blog tutorial The Frugal Crafter talks about coloring and printing digital stamps, such as how to keep the ink from smearing, what kinds of paper to use, etc.  She uses VERY BASIC, easy-to-find supplies.

Making a Cupcake card with a digital stamp, colored with Copic Markers