Using QuickPages in PSP

©2006 Stacey Truman

There are 2 types of files with QuickPages – “Ploppers,” which are .jpg format, and “Toppers,” which are .png format. Some QuickPage sets may include both. Your photos are layered on top of Ploppers, and are layered under Toppers.

The commands (hot keys are in parentheses) you will be using most in PSP are - Move (M), Raster Deform/Pick (D in PSP6-9, K in PSPX), Straighten, Copy (Ctrl-C) & Paste New Layer (Ctrl-L). You will also need to move layers around on the layer palette, when you are using Toppers.

Working with Ploppers

Open your QuickPage .jpg file in PSP. Open your photo in PSP. Do any cropping you need to the photo. PSP comes with preset crop sizes for 5x7, 4x6. Select your choice from the drop down menu after you have selected the crop tool. You can drag the crop box bigger or smaller & keep the same proportions by using the corner tabs for dragging.
Once you have your photo cropped, copy (Ctrl-C) your photo, & paste as a new layer (Ctrl-L) on the QuickPage. Using the move (M) tool drag it to the photo area.
If your photo is not quite the right size you can resize the photo using the Deform tool (D or K). When the deform tool appears around your photo, in PSP6-9 hold down the right mouse button, click on one of the corners & drag it in or out as needed to resize; in PSPX, hold the left mouse button down & do the same.
If you are using a QuickPage that has a mat on an angle, you will need to use the Deform tool to twist the photo to match it. Select the photo using the deform tool. Just off of the center point there will be a bar & another point. If you hover the mouse over it, it will look like 2 turning arrows.
Click this & turn your photo until its angle matches that of the photo mats. Add your other photos as needed.
Use drop shadows on your photos to add realism to your layouts. Click on a photo with the move tool to activate it and then go to Effects->3D Effects->Drop shadows (the path should be similar in all PSP versions).
This will open a dialogue box. Make your shadows small but noticeable to match up with the shadows already on the QuickPage. An offset of 1,1 or 2,2 with a high opacity & low blur, as in my example, will most likely get you a matching shadow. Give shadows to all the photos you added to the page.
If your Plopper came with an additional .png file with elements, open that up now. Copy & paste it as a new layer on your QuickPage. Make sure it is the top layer. Lining up one of the brads or ribbons will line up the others.
Now you can add your title, word art and text. To save your completed document, choose “Save As” from the File menu and give your layout a new name. Check the file type. Save it as a .psp file so you can go back & edit the layers as necessary later. If you are posting it to the web, after saving as a .psp file, merge all the layers, use the Image->resize option to resize it to 500x500. Most versions of PSP have a .jpeg optimizer, the location of it varies. Use this to adjust your file size to under 100mb. Save this copy as a .jpg.
Working with Toppers
Toppers are .png files. They will open up in PSP with open spaces in them. Your photos go under this layer.
Start by opening the Topper and the photo you want to use. Crop the photo and copy & paste it on top of the Topper layer. Move it to cover the opening & Deform the photo as needed to fit the space.
Once you have it sized, go to the layers palette and drag the photo layer down so it is under the Topper layer.
Once the photo is under it you can do any final sizing or angling needed using the Deform tool. Repeat for any additional photos.
Then add your title, WordArt, and text to complete your page. As with Ploppers, save it as a .psp file so you can go back & edit the layers as necessary later. If you are posting it to the web, after saving as a .psp file, merge all the layers, use the Image->resize option to resize it to 500x500. Most versions of PSP have a .jpeg optimizer, the location of it varies. Use this to adjust your file size to under 100mb. Save this copy as a .jpg.