Double Pages

I get a lot of questions about how I create my double pages and then how I print them so I thought I would post all this info in one place.  Also included below is information on how to use my 24 X 12 double Page Templates found here.

 

I create some of my pages at 12 X 12 but these days most tend to be 24 X 12 double 12X12 page spreads.  The main reason for this is that most of my printing is done with Shutterfly and my preference is to have cohesive pages.  I could design each page separately but I find the design process much easier when faced with just one canvas.  I need to make sure both pages are visually balanced and cannot do this when I work one page at a time.

When I start a new "layout" I create a 24.5 X 12.25 inch canvas.  I always design as if I am going to print at 12 X 12 even if I plan on printing an 8 X 8 book.  You cannot size up without loss of resolution but you can size down.  The additional 0.5 X .25 inch allows for the print bleed i.e. The area lost by trimming post printing.  Bleeds are necessary to ensure that there are no white edges on your pages.  Again, bleeds can be easily removed by cropping should you need to remove them for home printing but a lot more work is required to add them as an after thought.

Before you begin buiding a page, set horizontal and vertical Guides using your Rulers.  Go to View> New Guide and make sure View> Rulers is checked.  Use the Guides to mark the center of the page i.e. where the 2 12 X 12 Pages meet and also bleeds.  Proceed to design your page with these areas in mind.  Avoid adding details of a photo or text in the bleed areas so that they will not be lost in the creation of the photobook.  I often have a photo spanning 2 pages because I like the continuity it creates but I make sure the area that will be lost in the binding is "white space" or non subject matter.

When I have completed my double page I then crop each side of my page to 12.25 X 12.25 or smaller and save as a high resolution jpg file which I will then upload for printing.

Note: Shutterfly automatically resizes your pages to fit their templates if you create a 12 X 12 album but want to print at 8 X 8.  No need to resize.

I have several sizes of Templates in the Designer Digitals store:  12 X 12, 11 X 8 1/2 and 24 X 12.  Some were designed pre-Shutterfly photobooks and do not include bleeds.  The newer ones include bleeds and should say this in the product description.

   

If you wish to remove a bleed.  Select the Crop tool in your Tools box, and in your top Tool Bar enter the new desired width and height and a resolution of 300DPI.  Use the Crop tool by dragging from one corner of the page diagonally to the other.  When satisfied with the selection, click the "Check" mark on the top right side of your screen to proceed.

I drag copies of my photos and papers onto my Template.  I then like to use the Magic Wand tool located in the Tools box to select an area of the Template. Select> Modify Expand or Contract (enter number of pixels) to create a slight overlap to keep things tidy, followed by Select> Inverse to crop the excess of photos and papers.  This process is repeated until I have populated the template with photos and replaced all gray areas with patterned papers and elements.

Templates are provided in PSD and PNG format to accommodate most photo-editing software programs, and can be used for both professional and home printing.

Please email me if you have any questions or suggestion regarding my Templates at anna_aspnes@yahoo.com.

The above Photobook images are of my 8 1/2 X 11 ShutterflyPhotobook Album, 20 of the pages can be found in template form here.

Comments

[Mrs.MorganBradley]

I was wondering, when you uploaded your layouts to their program, in the full bleed page - was what you saw what you got printed? Or did it snip any off the edges?
Thanks for any help!

[sherryll]

Your book is absolutely gorgeous, I'm off to buy your templates, I need to check out if Shutterfly take orders from Australia too.
Thanks so much for the tips on the templates, this has really helped me. I love your 2 page spreads too.

[Debra]

I just saw this Anna. I have all of your templates, and used them for a lot of my son's high school band book, but I didn't read this first. I'm sure I'll have some areas that will be cut off...I'm uploading the layouts right now to Shutterfly so I can take advantage of the sale + coupon right now, so this one might not turn out as well, but it is a learning process. Thanks for all this info. It's very helpful!

[Diane Uhls]

I had already emailed you but I noticed on the bottom of your typepad that you had a post a comment.

Do you have your books for sale so all the page layouts are on it as a template. I love looking throught the Shutterfly books but it's overwhelming to make up a book so uniformed and thought if you had it don't, I can change it to fit my needs. Please let me know.

Thanks so much for sharing so much on your typepad. I am learning alot!

Diane