Template Workshop 2025

[MoniqueN.]

2 hours ago, Ann Seeber said:

Monique, I love your Outlander layouts! I think you need to correct the spelling on Scotland. 

Thank you, Anne!🙂

Schotland is the Dutch version of Scotland 😇

[Corrie Kinkel]

16 hours ago, Cassel said:

@Jenny MacKay Simple but effective. Such a nice memory with that 14 year old photo! Is the shadow missing on the scalloped circle in the second project or maybe it is due to resizing?

@Carolyn Rye That wooden "paper" is very interesting. Did you adjust the color of the paint or was it already blue?

@Jean Naumann That starburst paper really puts the focus on the photo!

@Cristina Have you considered using the "text on different surfaces" for the datestamp? Since it is "printed", there should be some "misses" on the edges of the papers/photos.

@fiona cook I hope you don't have any more issues with the sites today. Yesterday, there was an issue with the Campus but the store is on a different server so that is surprising me (unless there was too much traffic due to the birthday sale!).

@bina greene Did you use a kit with wordart for the kitties title? It is cute!

@MoniqueN. You are correct: sometimes, resizing will blur, but there is even a better way (that I discovered afterward): when you export a jpg version, you can set the size to 600 directly on that dialog window so you don't have to resize separately. There might be a way to handle the resizing in a better way, but at this point, adjust the size in the Export command and it will even save time.

@Sue Thomas Interlacing is so much easier to do in PSP. Once I find a satisfactory way to do it in Affinity, I'll do a tutorial for it. So far, I find it still convoluted.

@Euka Which font viewers are you using? For me, TheFontThing allows me to see fonts in Affinity, and others use NexusFont.

@Jacques Your titles/taglines make me smile. I can just imagine Brian exercising. I heard once, of an instructor who copied all the moves of a 2-year old as a workout: she had a hard time keeping up with the toddler!

@Leslie Pugs When you have small text, avoid contrasting stroke as it tends to distort the main color and makes the text much harder to read.

@Donna Sillia The circle almost appears like a path going from one image to the other!

@Hank Sobah Paste from Clipboard is only available in the Affinity program. In PSP, we don't need it.

@Sharla Great choice of a font for your title.

@Deana Davis Did you end up getting the emails? Even if you registered late, you should have received the emails with the lesson links. On the other hand, as a DIAMOND member, you can access all the lessons in the Workshop Index. For NexusFont, check out this article.

@Bonnie Ballentine Hey, you find heat where you can!! This type of photo with a story can be a conversation starter over time!

@Jeni Simpson Since your title as a nice outline, you could likely add a shadow to it as if it is cut out of cardstock. Especially when you have your title overlap the edge of a 3D element (with a shadow), it would be more consistent as it would give it also a 3D effect. If you want it to look like it is painted (no shadow), you have to make sure it does not touch the edge of any element.

For anyone who wants to START using Affinity and you want to have more than the regular 7-day trial, let me know (someone emailed me but I lost the message so I don't remember who it was). I was given permission to give anyone participating in these workshop, a 90-day trial (of course, you can only use it once!)

@Cassel Carole I send you that email which gave permission, I can see if I can find it and resend it to you 

[Hank Sobah]

[Jacques]

2 hours ago, Julian Adams said:

 hope this isn't considered off topic. I'm wondering about Affinity. I assume people are getting into it because PSP will not be updated. How does it compare to PSP? Any significant limitations?

I can easily understand that "young people like you" have the ease of learning to use new software.

For my part, I have been using Paintshop since version X5 mainly to improve my photos.

I still have the 2019 version which uses "People" and "Places" (I developed programs to update the Paintshop database).

It is difficult for me at my age to start learning another software again.

Good luck to Affinity users.

But I can assure you that I will continue to follow Cassel in everything she does with PSP.

[Donna Sillia]

Day 3 -  2 more photos from Tuscany. The background is a grunge brush, and the flowers and leaves are from watercolor brushed. The CF font is botanical flowers with a style added from Adobe Express. The striped background is mine from playing with my new cass script gradientstripes.

Edited Thursday at 09:02 PM by Donna Sillia
additional information

[fiona cook]

4 hours ago, Ann Seeber said:

I finally finished Day 3's template. More Kosovo Opera House - exteriors close-up. I duplicated the photo area as I have a lot more to show you. Elephant font, no papers, just patterns and textures.  

Wonderful architecture. Your page looks good.

[fiona cook]

Lesson 4. It was good being able to create a page of memories so quickly. I enjoyed this one. My background photo had strange colouring at the edge so I used the Warp brush on the Mask to cover it up.

I hadn't heard of the 14 stations of the Cross before I went up that mountain in Dubrovnik. Elating walk back down the mountain with a sculpture on each corner of the zig zag path. Croatia being a Catholic country each 'station' represents the crucifixion and events leading up to it and afterwards. 

[Jeni Simpson]

3 hours ago, Julian Adams said:

 hope this isn't considered off topic. I'm wondering about Affinity. I assume people are getting into it because PSP will not be updated. How does it compare to PSP? Any significant limitations?

I love PSP, and when it was mentioned that PSP would not be updated, I did Carole's Affinity Workshop and enjoyed using that programme. I still use PSP, however, when there is a chance of creating using Affinity, I go for it. I am also enjoying learning heaps in online tutorials for Affinity. It is different, and I enjoy using Affinity.

[Jeni Simpson]

5 hours ago, Ann Seeber said:

I finally finished Day 3's template. More Kosovo Opera House - exteriors close-up. I duplicated the photo area as I have a lot more to show you. Elephant font, no papers, just patterns and textures.  

Ann, the Opera and Ballet Theatre of Kosovo is beautiful. I can understand having so many photographs of such a stunning building.

[Jeni Simpson]

Template 4
Affinity 2.6
Gethsemene Gardens was an interesting garden created in 1957 by a Christian couple on their Clifton Hill property high above Christchurch.
After many failed attempts to sell the gardens, and sadly, with the passing of the husband, Ken Loader, the property has since been subdivided and sold.
The gardens were offered as a venue for functions, and Noah's Ark, opened in 2004, is still being used for this purpose.
There were prayer gardens, a small church, scriptures spelled out in shrubbery, a nursery, and Noah's Ark. 

The kit used is Rachel Martin's PS September 2020 Blog Train, and the font is Niagara Solid.

[Susan Ewart]

On 4/23/2025 at 6:03 AM, Sue Thomas said:

Here is my Day 3. I used Infinity for the most part.  The title was done in PSP.

So cool what you did with the ampersand (I love ampersands and this is a beautiful one)

[Susan Ewart]

Lesson 2 Diamond Template used (PSP)

the blue paper is from my 2024 Build a Kit as is the brown template with the cracks and on that I used a paper from Digital Scrapbook.  Behind is some rusty metal I had in the PSP patterns folder, with a filled color above and a blend mode, then I also used the eraser tool to take some of the layer away (same goes for the vertical wavy line, I also added a bevel.  the photo (mine) was shot on mid grey background then several papers (blended) from Riley B Graphics (Creative Fabrica) and I masked the subject.  The Title looked good in black but was just flat looking so I used "Selection from Vector Object<modify<expand"  then on the blue paper layer I promoted the selection to a new layer from there I added a small bevel.  The same was done the heart at the bottom of the quote so it would stand out a bit better.  

I'm seeing some really beautiful and inspiring layouts.  And as usual I'm behind.  it's my crazy work week with all the extra jobs that aren't in the normal week.

[Julian Adams]

5 hours ago, Jacques said:

I can easily understand that "young people like you" have the ease of learning to use new software. For my part, I have been using Paintshop since version X5 mainly to improve my photos. I still have the 2019 version which uses "People" and "Places" (I developed programs to update the Paintshop database).

It is difficult for me at my age to start learning another software again.

Good luck to Affinity users.

But I can assure you that I will continue to follow Cassel in everything she does with PSP.

Young people like me?  I'm 74 and have been using Paint Shop since v 8.

I've used it almost exclusively for photos until I started taking these scrapbook tutorials. I've learned a lot which has come in handy when editing sheet music.

Edited Friday at 02:32 AM by Julian Adams

[Julian Adams]

8 hours ago, Sue Thomas said:

Not at all, I create,  all sorts of word art, even subway art all within PSP. 

Do Tell. At least enough to get me started please.

8 hours ago, Sue Thomas said:

I have been using Affinity for  a fortnight now, and I'm  finding many of its tools and techniques, especially within  the layers section, dragging and dropping is much easier to use.  I for one will be  using Affinity, in order to learn more. So far I would say Affinity is on parr with PSP. If not  more user friendly, simplifying  and making many techniques quicker and easier.

I watched a couple of Affinity tutorials and I see what you mean. It does look more streamlined in several ways.

BTW, I loved 💖the last page you posted.

[MoniqueN.]

9 hours ago, Jeni Simpson said:

I love PSP, and when it was mentioned that PSP would not be updated, I did Carole's Affinity Workshop and enjoyed using that programme. I still use PSP, however, when there is a chance of creating using Affinity, I go for it. I am also enjoying learning heaps in online tutorials for Affinity. It is different, and I enjoy using Affinity.

Same here and will be looking into the Affinity tutorials too 🙂

[Cristina]

6 hours ago, Susan Ewart said:

Lesson 2 Diamond Template used (PSP)

the blue paper is from my 2024 Build a Kit as is the brown template with the cracks and on that I used a paper from Digital Scrapbook.  Behind is some rusty metal I had in the PSP patterns folder, with a filled color above and a blend mode, then I also used the eraser tool to take some of the layer away (same goes for the vertical wavy line, I also added a bevel.  the photo (mine) was shot on mid grey background then several papers (blended) from Riley B Graphics (Creative Fabrica) and I masked the subject.  The Title looked good in black but was just flat looking so I used "Selection from Vector Object<modify<expand"  then on the blue paper layer I promoted the selection to a new layer from there I added a small bevel.  The same was done the heart at the bottom of the quote so it would stand out a bit better.  

I'm seeing some really beautiful and inspiring layouts.  And as usual I'm behind.  it's my crazy work week with all the extra jobs that aren't in the normal week.

Beautiful layout, Susan!

[Cristina]

59 minutes ago, Sue Thomas said:

Here are a few more, to inspire you.  Here is the interlacing tutorial in tips and tricks, if you  are interested giving it a try.   https://scrapbookcampus.com/2022/06/making-a-cylinder-shape/          https://scrapbookcampus.com/tips-tricks/interlacing-elements-with-paintshop-pro/

What a beautiful selection of your work, Sue! It's a pleasure to view each one of them!

 

[Sue Thomas]

33 minutes ago, Cristina said:

What a beautiful selection of your work, Sue! It's a pleasure to view each one of them!

 

You would  have seen them all before, as they are a sample of what I  have posted over the years.  Your comment is still  very much appreciated.

[Jeni Simpson]

Template 2 Diamond
A sunflower from my garden, taken a few years ago. 
It is probably the last time I grew these stunning flowers. They were taller than I am. I love their strong stems.

Kit is Jessica Dunn's Reach for the Sun mini kit, fonts are Benilla Calligraphy and Asking Ladies Bold.

[Ann Seeber]

38 minutes ago, Jeni Simpson said:

Template 2 Diamond
A sunflower from my garden, taken a few years ago. 
It is probably the last time I grew these stunning flowers. They were taller than I am. I love their strong stems.

Kit is Jessica Dunn's Reach for the Sun mini kit, fonts are Benilla Calligraphy and Asking Ladies Bold.

Beautiful, Jeni, and I love that quote. I will use it somewhere soon...

[Sharla]

Day 4:  I created the photos with AI (via Freepik). The paper is from a kit called Scrumptiously Fresh papers by Violet Insovna. The font is Sacramento. Project completed in Affinity.

 

[Julian Adams]

5 hours ago, Sue Thomas said:

Here are a few more, to inspire you.  Here is the interlacing tutorial in tips and tricks, if you  are interested giving it a try.   https://scrapbookcampus.com/2022/06/making-a-cylinder-shape/          https://scrapbookcampus.com/tips-tricks/interlacing-elements-with-paintshop-pro/

Wow! Thank You

[Sue Thomas]

5 minutes ago, Julian Adams said:

Wow! Thank You

Always a pleasure to be of assistance. 

[Euka]

Firstly thank you to @Jeni Simpson, @Linda Rexford for your font viewer info - I have since discovered if I open my viewer before I open Affinity they work - something I never had to do with PSP - but now I know!

@Cassel I use FontViewer and FXplorer  and (Character Map)  I like FXplorer as I have my fonts in different folders and can open 1 or multiple folders in it depending on my projects.  I did use The Font Thing many years ago.

Day 3 and 4 - Day 3 is a bit busy for me and needs to be redone - the photo is mine and background papers are all photos or parts of photos, the font is Alien Autopsy.

Wave Rock is in Hyden West Australian and Rising 15 metres from the ground and more than 100 metres long, the rock looks like a giant surf wave of multicoloured granite about to crash onto the bush below. It’s believed this amazing formation was more than 2,700 million years in the making.

Day 4 - Photos are mine and taken at Eco Beach, 130 klms south of Broome and is a self sustainable Eco resort - the background is a photo of the sand with a blend mode, the waterlilies were in a pond there and the font is Admiration Pains.

Part of the Eco  promotion - As pioneers of the sustainable tourism movement, we also aim to set an example of how to facilitate a holiday experience that operates with the preservation of the environment as a priority. Providing our guests with the ultimate holiday, while also taking care to protect our amazing natural surroundings, which we take great pride in!

[Bee Kelly]

Hi, I'm working on PSP right now, but have plans after I finished up the PSP part to dive into Affinity lessons.  Have just looked at some of the work everyone is doing and it is amazing to see what others have put together.  Learning so much.  Thank you!