Nail Notebook: Assignment #3

How did you do on the last assignment? Is the notebook starting to come to life? This week we are going to use the photos that you took for part two of the assignment. Some of you are quite computer-savvy and already have photo editing software that you use. While others use the computer for e-mail and would not even know if there is photo software on the computer. You do nails, not computers, right? To make this assignment fun for both of you I am going to divide it into two sections and give the same directions but in different ways so that the end result is similar!

 

Creating Before and After Photo Collages with Text

 

For those that have photo software and know how to use it:

Take your two before and after shots to create “story photos”. Open a new image and drop the before and after photo into the new image so that they now sit side by side as a single image. Using your font or writing tool add the “story” across the top of the image. Be brief. At the bottom of the photo add the before and after status. Your end result could be something like this:

 

Do this to both sets of photos and save them to your Nail Notebook folder. Then print — you can either print them both on one page vertical or you can place them horizontally and print each “story” individually.

 

For those that know nails not computers:

The first thing I would like you to do is create a Nail Notebook folder on your desktop (or main computer screen). To do this, just right click while on the main screen (desktop) and choose New, then Folder. Name the folder Nail Notebook and hit Enter.

 

Next, please save or drag the before and after photos you took, to this folder.

 

Now we need photo editing software. I have found a free one from Google that is pretty simple to use and I will take screen shots and walk you through it! Go to http://picasa.google.com/ and click Download Picasa.

 

If your pop-up blocker stops the download just click the bar at the top of the screen and unblock it, then click run. 

 

When it finishes the download click run:

 

Then read the license agreement and if it is OK with you click I Agree:

 

Now it needs a place to be saved. Most computers will default to the program file so either hit install or choose another folder and click install:

 

The next window is the final set-up window. Uncheck all the boxes except Create shortcut on desktop and Run Picasa then hit Finish:

 

If you get an MSN set-up wizard window just click the X to close it. There is no need to install anything extra.

 

Now Picasa is ready to pull in pictures. Select the top option:

 

If you get a pop-up about using it as a Windows photo viewer just select Don’t and hit Finish:

 

Once Picasa has found your photos look at the list on the left and under folders select the Nail Notebook folder:

 

This should make the photos you have in the Nail Notebook folder appear in the main section of the screen. While holding down the Ctrl button on your keyboard, left click once on the before photo and once on the after photo that goes with it. This will select them both at the same time. Then let go of the Ctrl button and go to the menu bar to select Create. Then click on picture collage:

 

Your photos should now appear together. If you hover over them a tool to move or rotate them will appear and you can align them as you wish, then click Create Collage:

 

There will be a text button, click it, then you can click anywhere on your collage and add text. Write a story along the top and caption the photos along the bottom. Click the solid capitol T in the left text menu box to change the color of your text! When you are finished writing on your collage click the Apply button to add the text:

 

Now you are ready to save your image, click File in the upper left corner, then select Save As:

 

Choose your Nail Notebook as the location to save to:

 

Name the photo and then click save. Congratulations you just created a photo collage with text!

 

Now repeat the steps using your second set of before and after photos. I hope you are as proud of you as I am right now ;o)

 

All together again:

Whew! That was a challenge! Now you can print your before and after collages on photo paper, cardstock, or regular paper, slide them into page protectors, and add them to your notebook.

 

— Holly

fingernailfixer@hotmail.com

www.facebook.com/fingernailfixer