DSD Course Outline – and music

Those of you that read my blog will know that I have been working on getting a “learn to become a digital scrapbook designer course” together. 

Just wanted to share a bit more information on what to expect in the course so that you can see what things will be touched on within the course. 

Here is a brief outline about the course.  Please note: This is not finished so things may be changed during the process of making the course.

1. Backgrounds

• solid colors
• patterned
• grunge
• dotted
• collaged

2. Elements

• brads
• ribbons bows
• journal papers
• paper strips for journaling
• hanging items
• pinned down items
• folded corners
• torn edges
• shapes
• hand drawn look
• frames
• bling bling

3. Word Art

• regular text
• text on a path
• quotes
• fancy
• miscellaneous

4. Picking a Color Scheme

• how many colors?
• how to choose coordinating colors
• breaking the rules with color!

5. Working within Photoshop

• your workspace
• the  move tool
• the rectangular marquee tool
• lasso tool
• magic wand tool
• the crop tool
• the brush tool
• clone stamp tool
• pattern stamp tool
• eraser tool
• paint bucket and gradient tool
• blur tool
• sharpen tool
• smudge tool
• dodge tool
• burn tool
• pen tool – in detail – multiple lessons on using it
• text tool
• path and direct selection tool
• shape tool
• eyedropper tool
• zoom tool
• working with swatches tool
• quick mask mode
• screen modes
• working with filters – multiple filters – each with its own lesson
• liquify tool – how mastering it takes time and an overview
• liquify tool – how its unmatched in its ability to make your elements look real
• overview of the menus – file, edit, image, layer, select, view, window
• quick overview of using bridge with Photoshop
• using the different palettes  - paths, history, actions, channels etc.

6. Working with your kit

• the process and workflow of designing
• where to start and how I setup my workspace to begin designing
• how to file your kits
• what you need to design
• saving our backgrounds
• saving your elements
• making actions to increase your workflow and save time
• working with layers

7. What is my style?

• Finding your design style
• working outside of that comfort zone of styles

8. Marketing yourself

• I'm a designer now what?
• starting a blog
• give it away and they will come
• joining top sites
• being consistent

9. Joining Forces

• finding a position
• what to expect when you apply

10. Your done, now what?

• keep designing!
• how long till i am there?
• what's the secret?
• where do i go from here?

Ok well, that wraps up the course outline so far.  Whew that was a mountain to type LOL.  Hope you find some of this stuff interesting enough to catch a lesson or two! 

Always grateful for any feedback or suggestions.

Oh, and please note, sometimes I have some awesome background music from the 3 yr old. 

She is highly advanced in percussion instruments (banging my wooden spoons on my table and chair while I am recording), as well as highly adept at singing (if you consider being serenaded with twinkle twinkle wittle star, often off key, to be singing.  Hey I do…its my midget. Kapeeesh?) and often times she comes to me wanting to eat something!  The nerve! 

Hellllo, I am working here midget. 

I hope you can forgive the sometimes in the background additions she provides, I do my best to make these videos as high quality as possible but sometimes all my efforts don't pay off and then I overdose on watermelon jolly ranchers and instantly I feel better about the world. 

That’s it.  The end.  I am dead tired.  Goodnight.

hmmm…speaking of jolly ranchers……