Many of our customers are new to digital and want to try it out but don't own a program like Photoshop Elements. I'm excited because I found a really easy way to show how you can change black digital stamps to color with a free program called Paint.net from Microsoft. I colored the lettering sample below and it took less than 2 minute but I left the last few letters in black to compare. We also have a printable 'How To Color Digital' Sheet Using Photoshop Elements below.
UPDATE: Yippee - I just tried and it also works with 'Paint' a program automatically installed on many Windows based computers. Check to see if you have 'Paint' and try it with a black design! Mac users can use Gimp. Click 'Edit Color's to change the hue of each letter. Be sure to save file with a new name - so you keep your original black design. See new example I just added.
Look at the color wheel - it's like having a giant rainbow of every ink! The Paint Bucket in Photoshop changes all the black at once. In Paint.net only design parts touching will change color, so see how I changed the color slightly before I touched a new word or letter with the paint bucket. If you don't own any editing software you may want to see my post: Best Free image editing software and low cost ink).
Here are some tips for using Paint.net to color stamps. You can left click it to make it big and right click to save to your computer but you simply open the color wheel and using the paint bucket icon to touch all the black pieces. It works best for designs like the sentiments above but I wanted to show you how I changed the color's on the rose and bird.
Here's a printable sheet with the same technique using Photoshop Elements.
Sometimes you have to play to see a good idea you missed. While working on a mini heart album this weekend I realized it would be great to have a red heart and a blank heart in the same shape as PNG files to use with this Heart to Heart Set. Cindy our graphic designer created them and everyone who has ordered this set has been sent the 2 new files and they are updated in our store.
I didn't love all my hearts printed on bright white paper in black ink, the white seemed so intense I kept adding more color. I do love color but I'm not a great painter and I don't want the hearts to over power everything else so I will finish the 3 below for another project. Weird, they don't look as white in this photo.
Here's mail heart stamp I changed to dark red and I printed the French heart on our cloud scene paper from CD # 3, Creating With Vintage Typography.
I like how the hearts look printed in different colors on various pieces of card stock but I still want to add some chalk and do a little watercolor painting with some Glimmer Mist
You have to see DT leader Vicki Chrisman's Valentine Pretties Post with some fabulous samples like the one she made with our Free Printable Valentine 10 Things I Love About...List. If you are looking for a quick Valentine packaging idea check out these cute goody bags Vicki created using our Be My Valentine Digital Art Stamps (which come in red and black)
Farm Fresh Stamp Set (which I'm happy to say - we still have a bunch in stock).
DT Member Darlene Pavlick created this super pretty Set using our Valentine Digital Collection and some paper from our Radiant Paper Digital Set. I love the other teacup she has on her blog as well!
Elizabeth is a fabulous card maker who I was lucky to meet a couple of years ago when she came to see us at the Sewing & Craft Show. She has been busy the last couple of years after moving but I'm thrilled she is back creating beautiful cards like this one she made with our Art Blooms Stamp Set~
We are working on some amazing Easter goodies I will share soon. Plus we are going to start having more tutorials and I would love to hear any suggestions you have!
Wishing you joy and creativity
Sandy Redburn
Sandy Redburn
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Our Website: http://www.craftysecrets.com
Toll Free Phone or Fax 1-888 597-8898
Local Phone 604 597-8817
Crafty Secrets Head Office
15430 78 A Ave.,
Surrey, BC V3S 8R4
USA Warehouse
250 H. Street, #436
Blaine,WA 98230
4 comments:
Thank you so much, Sandy! I am so intimidated by these digi stamps. I've purchased them, but have yet to use them. I need to put my brave boots on and go for it. I have PaintShop Pro x5. I wonder if that would work for this? Thanks for the tutorial!!
Beautiful creations. And I'm sure many people will find the color program helpful, but I am not a fan of CNet. I used them one time and once they were attached to my computer they made my experience a nightmare. They just kept wanting to take over more and more of my computer. And attach things to my computer that I didn't want. It got to the point where I had my husband uninstall their whole program and anything associated with them.
Hi Rea, It sounds like you installed a 'tool bar' with some software. You have to give permission so next time say NO to installing any tool bar. To be safe I went back and took off the link to Cnet.com and changed it to go directly to the Microsoft site. Then I remembered that Microsoft installs the less fancy version that is just called 'Paint' on many computers so I opened the same black lettering with 'Paint' and it works to color designs! You may already have Paint installed on your computer and can try it. I updated the blog and added a new sample.
Hi Kathy, I'm going to find your email and message you but I'm also posting here in case other people are wondering the same question. Yes, I'm sure that Paintshop Pro has some type of a color palette and you should be able to use the eye dropper tool and pick a color and then use the little paint bucket icon and when you click it on a black graphic it should change the color. I'm not sure how Paintshop works but with Photoshop Elements it changes all of the black in the entire design - but if you use 'Paint' or 'Paint.net' it changes each separate piece. This means you can change the colors and hues of each letter by clicking the 'Edit Colors' button and adjusting the shade and then click the bucket on the next piece. Of course it’s not as amazing as using a brush to a digitally paint with but it's super easy and fast and it means you can play with over 10,000 colors and no one wants to buy or store 10,000 ink pads! I'm so happy you are going to be brave and try using digital. I promise to post a bunch more tips and tricks. I just need to get brave and learn how to make youtube videos!
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