Every registered user of the Scrapbook.com Neighborhood automatically has a personal photo and layout Gallery. Your Gallery is the place where you will display your layouts and photos. On your My Place profile page you'll also notice that your layouts and photos rotate through on a slide show loop. Your Gallery is a very robust tool. You can upload images of your layouts or photos to the gallery, comment on them, then post them to the gallery where others will be able to see them and comment on them. You can even group your layouts and photos into "albums." There is a Gallery FAQ that you can reference at any time. Many of the more common Gallery "how to's" are spelled out below.
Post Photos and Layouts to your Gallery
The simplest method is to take a photograph with a digital camera. For the best results, work in a clear, well-lit area. Remove any surrounding objects that may cast shadows on your layout, or lighting that will cause a glare on your pictures or embellishments. Another common method is to scan your layout with your scanner at home and then upload the resulting image. For best results, make sure that your layout is placed evenly in the scanner. If your page is "lumpy" or contains many embellishments, you may wish to place a dark towel or cloth over the scanner while scanning. This prevents shadows from creeping in through the sides of the lid. If you don't have access to a camera or to a scanner, many stores that specialize in printing (such as Kinko's or Staples) will scan your layout and then put the image file on a CD which you take home. You can then upload this file into the gallery.
If you are scanning your image and your layout is 12x12, but your scanner isn't that large enough, you have some options. The best option, in our opinion, is to scan the two sides of the layout as separate pieces, and then "stitch" them together using graphics software. The tips section in our Resources area has helpful advice on stitching with several popular programs:
http://www.scrapbook.com/tips/tech/131.html
If you don't find directions for your program in our Resources area, you can also post to the Technical Support Forum in the Forums, and someone may have directions or advice for your specific program:
http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showforum.php?fid/14/
Scrapbook.com's gallery supports .JPG, .JPEG, .PNG, .GIF, and .BMP. The file type JPG generally allows a good use of image size and resolution. The maximum file size is 10MB for a single image upload.
If you are uploading more than one file at the same time (up to 10 at a time can be uploaded), the combined file size that can be uploaded is also 10MB. No single uploaded image can be bigger than 6,000 pixels wide or tall. The optimal size for the gallery is 600 pixels by 600 pixels, so images above this size will automatically be resized by the gallery software. Now that you have images you want to upload to the Gallery, you'll need to upload them.
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Please note that the speed of your connection will affect your ability to upload multiple files, especially large ones. This is not limited to dial-up users - most "high speed" connections have upload speeds that are significantly slower than download speeds. If you're experiencing issues uploading your file, try to upload 1-2 files at a time, and increase this number until you find the comfortable limit for your connection.
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To upload your images, do the following:
1. Go to the main site menu, at the top of the screen, and click on Gallery. Or, go to My Place, and click on Gallery in the upper right.
2. You'll see a list of menu items - click on Add Images, to the far right. Now click on the Browse button, below the menu. Select the file on your PC, and click on Open to add the file to your upload list. You can upload a maximum of 10 files at a time - we recommend uploading no more than 5 files at a time for Neighbors with slower connections. If you change your mind about uploading a file, simply click the X to the right of the filename, and it will be removed from your upload list.
3. When your upload list is complete, click on the Upload button and your files will be uploaded.
4. You'll now view a 2nd screen where you have several different options to choose for your layout or photo. To the left, you'll see a thumbnail of your picture. Below this thumbnail, you'll see Main Album, and listed below that are any personal albums that you have created.
5. In the center, you'll see options for classifying your picture. You can choose Layouts, Photographs, Digital Layouts, or Other Projects. You'll also be given a 2nd chance to change your mind about the upload - simply click on Delete, then click on Submit Image.
6. To the right, you'll see a column with the last set of choices regarding your picture.
a. Title - the title of your creation or photo.
b. Description - what you would you like to tell viewers about your layout, photo, or project.
c. Keywords - words that can be used to search for files in the gallery. For example, if your creation is an altered paint can, you may wish to enter "paint can" in the keywords area.
d. Products used - click on this button to search for products in the Superstore that were used in your creation. When you've found a matching product, simply click on the Add To List button. When you're through selecting products, click on the Done adding products link to the left to return to the upload window. If you find that you've selected a product in error, simply click on the X to the right of the product name to remove it from the list.
e. Other products used - this box can be used to list products that aren't carried in the Superstore.
f. Categories - this is the area to select the specifics of your layout. Click on the X to the left of any main category to expand the subcategories and select the subcategories that best reflect what your creation expresses. This will put your creation in searchable categories that will help other artists find inspiration.
7. You're almost done! Click on Submit Image to finish uploading your picture - if you're working with multiple pictures, scroll to the bottom, and click on Submit All Images.
Now, you might want to create some personal albums and group certain layouts together.
To create an album, do the following:
1. Go to the main Gallery screen, and click on My Gallery, to the right of Community Gallery. From the menu below My Gallery, click on Albums, then click on the Manage Albums link.
2. You'll see any existing albums listed, and below that will be the option to add a new album. When adding an album, you'll need to make several choices.
a. Name - in the box to the left, enter the name of the album that you'd like to create.
b. Privacy - this option has several choices. Public means that anyone viewing the Scrapbook.com gallery can view your album and the images that it contains. Friends means that only registered users who are on your Friends list can view the album and contents. Best Friends means that only registered users on your Friends list that you have designated as Best Friends can view the album and contents. Password means that only individuals with the password can view your album and contents. If you'd like to choose this option, enter your chosen password in the box to the right of this selection.
3. When you're done configuring your album, click on Update in the lower left, and your album will be created. You can create multiple personal albums.
If you decide that you'd like to change any of these options in the future, simply return to the Manage Albums link, make your changes, and Update again.
If you wish to delete an album in the future, return to the Manage Albums link, and check the box to the right under Remove. Then, click Update at the bottom. This will delete the album only, not the layouts in the album. The layouts will default back into your main album.
To move an image into a personal album or to change the categories that I chose when I uploaded, do the following:
1. Go to the image that you'd like to work with, and click on Edit Image & Details - this button is to the lower left of the picture.
2. From this screen, you can change any of the initial options, select a personal album, and/or delete the image.
3. When your selections are correct, click on Submit in the lower left.
Now you can share the album you've created with anyone you want! These albums will also be available for individual viewing at the Gallery page in your My Place web space. Once you've uploaded images to your gallery, you'll also notice that there is a running slide-show that will appear on your My Place homepage featuring your layouts.
You can also select your favorite layouts for easy viewing later. Simply browse the layouts gallery to find layouts you like, then select the add to favorites button. You'll be able to store them in your favorites list for future reference and inspiration.
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