Hummie's World

What is a storyboard?

2009-07-11T13:04:00.004-05:00

Occasionally, while making ones way around the digital scrapbooking world, one will see reference to the word “storyboard.” However, the term seems a bit vague and one just passes over it. What is a storyboard?

A story board is something different to different hobbies.

First, videographers utilize a storyboard to preplan the story that they are to film. Storyboards are a series of panels of rough sketches detailing the sequence of major actions which define the plot and can be very detailed and lengthy to very simple. For those videographers that are artistic, the graphics can be very detailed. For those less artistic, the use of stick figures is sufficient. A storyboard could be created on index cards with a quick sketch on one side and notes beside the sketch (close-up, pan, fade to, etc.)

The easiest way to understand what a storyboard is to videographers is to visualize a comic book. Each panel of a comic tells the next part of the story. Cartoons on the television are actually a series of panels put together into a video to tell a story. Actually, you will see a storyboard in most video creating software programs. Frames of video or photographs or images are cut, spliced, and moved about on the storyboard within the software programs in order to create the story.

However, a storyboard to a photographer is something much different. Professional photographers create storyboards to share with their customers as a printed collage of the best photos in a photo shoot. These photos tell a story of a moment in time, rather than a story with a plot. For instance, a storyboard could be a sports team photo coupled with an individual photo, or a bride and groom coupled with some close up photos of the rings and flowers, or other groupings of wedding photos, or a series of senior photos to include a full length view and a close up view, or a series of baby photos in different positions. Storyboards to photographers are very simple collages and all about the beautiful photos.

This brings us to ask the question, “What is a storyboard to a scrapbooker?” Has it ever really been defined?

My first thought is that each and every multi-photo layout is actually a storyboard in and of itself, including a series of photos to tell a story. However, scrapbookers can draw from the way videographers and photographers use storyboards as inspiration for their own creations. The following are some ideas:

1. Utilize the color blocking skills as taught in my tutorial to create blocks to fill a layout with photos from a photo shoot or family gathering. Often, these simple layouts will contain no journaling allowing the photos to tell the story.

2. Create a layout with a series of photos and utilize speech bubbles to create a comic book themed layout.

3. Journal first and utilize the journaling as a storyboard to choose matching photos.

4. Take a series of photos as quickly as your camera will snap and put them into a storyboard layout. For instance, take a photo of your toddler walking towards you and share three photos next to each other of the child slowly getting closer to you, or use five photos of your child shooting that all star basketball shot, or use 9 photos of your relative doing that crazy dance step. Create a layout whereby the subject is extracted from a series of shots showing movement and paste them across the page over an applicable background (i.e. golfer making a shot on a greens background).

5. Grab a notepad and preplan a hardbound book with coordinating pages. For instance, make a series of layouts to tell the story of your wedding and upload them to Shutterfly to order a hardbound book of this special occasion. Jot down which photos will be utilized on which pages, as well as the simple text or quotes for each page.

CHALLENGE
Create your own storyboard layout, upload it to the gallery, and share it in this thread.

My goal is to share some samples of these various types of storyboards with you in upcoming posts. I am hoping that it will just get me scrapping! Of course, I will share any downloads with you as I create them in my own layouts, as always.

Download for a limited time, then in the Subscriber Area permanently.

The cost

2009-07-11T08:50:00.004-05:00

I have realized that in recent months I just have not had time to blog! I'm getting out freebies and things, but nothing personal. I know some of you really like to read my personal posts, as well as other great finds. I have moved toward twittering these things instead of blogging them. Isn't it odd how our habits transition with technology?

So, I thought I would share this one with you from last night.

Hubby and I both got a packet of birthday coupons....most of them are $8 to $10 off a main meal! However, our ticket said only one coupon for table. So, we went in there and asked indicating we could sit at different tables to both get our free meal. They said we could not do that even! I was like...what! That's what we get for being honest. We could have walked in there, sat on opposite sides of the room, and got our free meals, but because we asked first, we did not get away with it. I was not happy, so instead of ordering an appetizer, drinks, etc. just to run up our bill so we could pay them something, like I would have done because of our own ethics, we ordered waters and split the free meal! If we had not ordered fries which were extra, we would have paid less.

Our bill came to the .99 cents for fries and .67 cents for tax, which equalled $1.66! How crazy is that to eat a meal for $1.66! We almost always split our meal anyway, so we were satisfied with our meal. Just think, now we can go back and do that to them again!

I explained to our (unfortunate to get us) waiter that the owner should know that by not allowing us to use both coupons, we were intentionally spending less money. That should he have shown us the kindness, we would have shown him the kindness. I think that often people are so directed at seeing the principles that they forget to look at the situation outside of the box.

Our waiter returned with a comment that the other restaurants that provided us coupons would not let us get away with using both coupons, to which I replied that we would now just have to go try it at each and every restaurant and blog the results!

Get this! Our waiter returned with a comment like "no one will read it." Hubby and I just looked at each other and cracked up laughing! Hubby told him "you have no idea." Goodness, why do people assume that everyone is just a nobody? What if I were a reporter or someone from a famous food critic blog?

So, here I am, blogging about my restaurant experience at Beef 'O' Bradies in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. I also shared my experience on Facebook, which has more local people on it that this blog. People should know what word of mouth can do for a business. Oh, however, the service is good and the food is good at the restaurant. I cannot say anything bad about that. We did give our waiter a $5 tip, which was more than the food! How funny is that!

I've often thought about starting a new blog and being an anonymous food critic for our city. I think it would be something fun to do, but then I stop myself because I just don't have the time.

What is wrong with this picture? $1.66 for our dinner and $27.75 for a movie and popcorn? Our world is turned upside down, isn't it? We saw The Proposal and just loved the movie. It is hard to find good, clean movies and this one was so. It made us laugh out loud and had a great plot, complete with the beginning, middle, and end. I would love to see a sequel to it to watch their marriage progress.

#followfriday, a twitter thing

2009-07-10T07:41:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's #followfriday pick!

mrsmandak

Please read this page.

You can also add your twitter address there for others to find you and also so that I may choose you for a future week.

This is a collaborative effort each week to get one digital scrapbooker noticed on Twitter.

Color Blocking in Digital Scrapbooking

2009-07-08T08:23:00.003-05:00

I recorded a new video for Subscribers only today to match the written tutorial for color blocking. The written tutorial is available for all on the index page.

You can download the templates here on my blog for a VERY limited time (usually 24 hours and it is noon on Wednesday now) and thereafter they will be available in the Subscriber Area permanently.

Download

The video is 34 minutes long, so it is too long for YouTube and posting on the blog. The video will teach you how to use these templates and give you inspiration for using them.

What coordination & patience!

2009-07-06T14:24:00.002-05:00

I have mostly been sharing links to cool videos I see on my Twitter, rather than my blog, in recent months. However, this one was so cool I couldn't resist sharing it here too.

What coordination this must have taken! Can you imagine the patience of working with each individual looking into their own web cam? It seems every detail was worked out perfectly, all the way down to each of them sitting a certain distance from their computer screens to holding up items a certain distance from their camera screen.

I believe, if I read this right, this video was done to market the song, which is in a language not understandable to me, but which it doesn't matter to enjoy this video!

I appreciate You!

2009-07-04T08:17:00.003-05:00

I just had to share this. I keep thinking that I should share more of them as a way to say THANK YOU to those who take the time to give me warm fuzzies about the tutorials and lessons for digital scrapbooking and Photoshop Elements which are in the Subscriber Area.

I get so tickled in my belly each time I see someone get excited about learning and knowing that I had a small part in making a difference in their world.

I really appreciate each and every one of you that takes a moment to type to my your excitement. I know I have a hard time keeping up lately and often you may think I'm not reading everything because I do not reply to everything any more, but I want you to know I am soaking it all in. THANK YOU!

Text on a Path - Star

2009-07-04T07:40:00.001-05:00

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

Download (for a VERY limited time, then it can be found in the Subscriber Area for only $5.50 a month)

Become Facebook Fan via Texting!

2009-07-01T15:44:00.003-05:00

Just text "fan digitalscrapbooking" to FBOOK (32665) from your mobile phone, and you will be added as fans instantly to my Facebook Fan page! Standard charges may apply.

Isn't that cool?!!!

Now what will they think up next?

Text Within Star Download

2009-07-01T12:53:00.003-05:00

I am so glad to be able to know how to create these now! It is one item that I always wished I had as a Photoshop Elements user.

I decided to make a star due to the 4th of July holiday this weekend in the States. Won't this file make a great patriotic layout? What about a sports star layout!? The ideas are endless.

Please share with me what you create with this file.

Download (for a VERY limited time -- about 24 hours-- then permanently in the Subscriber Area -- $5.50 a month).

Circle Text Path

2009-06-30T07:51:00.003-05:00

Download (for a VERY limited time, then permantly in the Subscriber Area) a Circle Text Path that may be used in Photoshop Elements.

Watch the video to learn how to utilize this file in your digital scrapbooking layouts.

Windows 7 coming soon!

2009-06-30T06:55:00.004-05:00

There is news at CNet that Windows 7 will be available for a limited number of buyers at a special upgrade price: "from Friday through July 11, consumers in the U.S. will be able to buy an upgrade copy of Windows 7 Home premium for $49 or Windows 7 Professional for $99." Really? Only $49? Will there be a rush on the stores?

It is my understanding that the trend of Microsoft has always been to have a stable operating system every other system. For instance, Windows Me was not that stable, but Windows XP was stable. Therefore, Windows Vista is the less stable system and Windows 7 will be the more stable system. This can be traced back through the entire history of Windows.

To download a program to test your machine to see if it is capable of running Windows 7, click here.

I ran the program and my machine passed all requirements.

So, if we buy an upgrade this weekend for $49, is it worth the risk of being guinea pigs now or should we wait to just pay the upgrade price of $119 on October 22nd?

Facebook FanPage Special URL

2009-06-29T09:23:00.006-05:00

You can find my FanPage on its special URL here.

At midnight, Eastern Time Zone, Facebook allowed those with Fan Pages of at least 100 fans to choose their own URL. Previously, only those with 1,000 fans could choose a special URL, which was offered at the same time as personal URL pages.

At that time a few weeks ago, the help pages at Facebook indicated that on June 29th, those with at least 25 fans would be able to obtain a special URL. However, very close to the 29th of June, Facebook must have changed its decision and only allowed those with over 100 fans to have a special URL on the 29th. Wow! Some people were NOT happy! People were publishing and posting requesting for others to become a fan just so they could get a URL!

I was unable to obtain a special URL for my church's fan page. However, Facebook did indicate that it would be available in the future, so I am understanding that they are slowing phasing in the ability so as to make it an easier load on their servers.

I continue to be happy that I made the switch from a group to a Fan Page. When I post on the wall, it appears in all of the fan's homepage stream. Even if the stream is too fast, one can see recent wall posts to their fan pages by clicking on the link to sort the stream in the left-hand sidebar of their page.

It's awesome because I cannot communicate with others easily by them "liking" the post or posting a comment under the wall post.

I encourage my fans to post things they find to my Fan Page wall! It's not just for me! Let's share together! I'm not sure how to get my fans to start doing this, but I'm trying!

In addition, when I have special announcements, I can alert the fans through an "Update to Fans," which is much less intrusive than the only option available in groups (being e-mail).

Also, I have in the sidebar of my FanPage other digital scrabpooking FanPages so that you can find your favorites. If you have a FanPage that is not listed, please let me know.

I debated on what URL to choose, whether to use "hummiesworld" or "digitalscrapbooking" or "photoshopelements." I decided that for new people to find me, it would be better to have the name of the hobby rather than the name of my site which has nothing to do with the name of the hobby. I was excited to be able to grab that URL.

Text within Circle using Photoshop Elements

2009-06-29T07:53:00.003-05:00

Download file (for a VERY limited time -- thereafter always in Subscriber Area)

Watch the video below to see how to utilize this file in Photoshop Elements.

#followfriday (a twitter thing)

2009-06-26T13:29:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's #followfriday pick!

Lattedah

Please read this page.

You can also add your twitter address there for others to find you and also so that I may choose you for a future week.

This is a collaborative effort each week to get one digital scrapbooker noticed on Twitter.

How do I organize all these digital scrapbooking downloads?!!!

2009-06-26T13:10:00.004-05:00

For new digital scrapbookers, this IS one of the most asked questions!

"I have saved about gigabytes of (mostly) free files and my question is how do you save them so you know what you have when ready to use them? I have put them in categories (summer, graduation, puppies etc), but I'm getting overwhelmed and I haven't even gotten started digiscrapping yet! Any help you can give me?"

So, how do we organize all of those digital scrapbooking kits, elements, and freebies?

I took time today to re-write my tutorial on Organizing. You can find it as Lesson 4B on the tutorial index page (here). It is a free .pdf download.

There are three basic methods to organize digital kits and elements: folders, software, and hard copy. Use one method, a combination, or all three.

Read the tutorial for ideas on how to organize a folder system on your hard drive, or to tag files in a software program and what programs are available.

Learn more about the tagging software programs and the importance of choosing the right type of program -- one that has a database to backup or one that writes the tags into the file properties.

Understand a useful application to making "contact sheets."

Go ahead, it's all in the written tutorial! Be sure to read it all! There is so much information contained within the 9 pages.

It is hard for me to believe it, but the last time I edited this tutorial was two years ago (July 13, 2007). I was AMAZED at how much technology has changed and how much knowledge I have gained over the last two years.

If you have previously printed out or downloaded this tutorial, you may want to re-download it again and replace your existing version.

Michael Jackson - Focus on the Good

2009-06-25T20:07:00.006-05:00

I, along with millions of others, am shocked at the death of Michael Jackson.

I was in high school when he was at his best. We know what an impressionable age the teen years can be. I can say that some of the lyrics in his songs made a great impression on me.

I even had written the "Heal the World" lyrics in my Bible. I hold onto them as the type of person I want to be (but feel I do not do as I want). When I wrote these lyrics, there was no internet to copy the words from. I merely started and stopped an old music cassette player as I wrote. The effort that it took me surely says something about how powerful these lyrics are.

There are the lyrics that strike me the hardest: "There are people dying, If you care enough for the living, Make a better place, For you and for me

Make a little space, make a better place for you and for me"

................my space if very little, but what can I do with that little space?

I know that in the later years there was controversy surrounding Michael Jackson, but I prefer to focus on the good.

Here's an official video for the song (it has embed disabled).

Theres a place in your heart
And I know that it is love
And this place could be much brighter than tomorrow
And if you really try, you'll find theres no need to cry
In this place you'll feel there's no hurt or sorrow

There are ways to get there
Ifyou care enough for the living
Make a little space
Make a better place

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place for you and for me

If you want to know why there's a love that cannot lie
Love is strong
It only care for joyful giving
If we try, we shall see
In this bliss, we cannot feel fear or dread
We stop existing and start living

Then it feels that always
Loves enough for us growing
So make a better world
Make a better world

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

And the dream we were conceived in will reveal a joyful face
And the world we once believed in will shine again in grace
Then why do we keep strangling life
Wound this earth, crucify its soul
Though its plain to see, this world is heavenly
Be God's glow

We could fly so high
Let our spirits never die
In my heart, I feel you are all my brothers
Create a world with no fear
Together we cry happy tears
See the nations turn their swords into plowshares

We could really get there
If you cared enough for the living
Make a little space
To make a better place

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

You and for me
You and for me
You and for me ..........

Template #51

2009-06-23T08:06:00.002-05:00

Available here for a VERY short while and then permanently in the Subscriber Area.

Download

Glass Layer Style

2009-06-21T22:19:00.004-05:00

I played (for a little too long) today learning how to make a glass layer style. I tried many things and came up with this one. I hope you like it. Someone in the Facebook Fan Page asked about it and that is what got me side-tracked today (to your benefit!)

It is here for a VERY limited time, but permanently in the Subscriber Area.

Download

Congratulations to the Scrap The Guys Contest Winner!

2009-06-21T21:32:00.005-05:00

The above previews are all 7 layouts for the Scrap The Guys Contest winner! You can see her layouts in the gallery here.

Congratulations, Candy! What a long haul it was to do layouts for 7 long weeks. The judging of the guys was certainly unpredictable! I still have no idea what they were looking for! I thought it would open my eyes to what they like, but I could make no sense of it. Therefore, I think it made this challenge very hard!

You can also leave Candy love on her blog here.

To see all of the layouts from all 7 weeks of the contest, click here.

To see who was behind each ID, please see the "reveal" thread. There are some people who have not shared yet, so if you have not revealed who you were, please take a moment to post.

To see all of the great prizes that Candy has one, please see this thread. Wow! What generous designers! I was SO touched by the generosity of the digital scrapbooking community, so please give them your patronage.

I would like to give out a few honorable mentions.

First, for me personally, I would have chosen ScrapGuysDoDo to be the winner, so please do be sure to check out these awesome layouts!

Second, ScrapGuys4ever calculated the top 5 contestants scores for all 7 weeks and discovered that she had the highest overall score! Be sure to leave her some congratulations here.

Lastly, I want to take a moment to thank each and every person who participated. The layouts were inspiring and your part in this contest, no matter how small or large, was important and contributed to the excitement and fun of the contest!

Now everyone can stop lurking as their fake ID's and start visiting the forums as themselves again, huh!

Updated Layer Style File

2009-06-21T08:23:00.004-05:00

If you downloaded my first layer still in the previous post already, please go back and redownload it. I made it smaller and it works much better, freezing up the computer less.

My First Layer Style!

2009-06-20T18:55:00.006-05:00

I made my first layer style! I'm so excited to share with you.

I would love to see what you do with this in your layouts.

Please remember that, as with all of my downloads, this is not for commercial use. Scrap for hire is okay, but otherwise, only personal use. As always, the terms of freebies constitute the same as commercial use, no matter what TOU you are reading.

This download will be here for a VERY limited time, then available permanently in the Subscriber Area. (The file is too large to leave up for free too long)

Download

#followfriday (a Twitter thing)

2009-06-19T10:22:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's #followfriday pick!

editorialdragon

Please read this page.

You can also add your twitter address there for others to find you and also so that I may choose you for a future week.

This is a collaborative effort each week to get one digital scrapbooker noticed on Twitter.

A Day in Statistical History!

2009-06-18T22:37:00.006-05:00

Mark today, June 18, 2009, as a day in statistical history here at Hummie's World!

My RSS readership has been stuck at just under 1,000 for months! I had to do a double take today when I unintentionally spotted it at 1,040! Whooo hooo! It is strange that I didn't even post anything either to make it go up!

Wow. Yeah. It is actually humbling. That many people actually think I'm interesting? Actually, I wonder how many people could be added to that number, such as those who might follow me on Facebook, but not subscribed by RSS, or those that just drop from a link on their favorites because they do not know how to do RSS.

I'm just a little nobody sitting here behind my laptop screen. Just an insignificant little blurb through time.

I pray to God that I can continue to use this blog to His Will and Glory.

Custom ____________ Challenge

2009-06-18T22:32:00.006-05:00

There are these great sites out there to make unique images that could spark some creativity in your layouts!

http://www.customreceipt.com/index.php

http://www.customroadsign.com/menu.php

http://www.custommotelsign.com/menu.php

http://www.customweddingsign.com/menu.php

http://www.getyourownstar.com/

http://www.eyechartmaker.com/

http://www.prescriptionmaker.com/

http://www.getamedal.com/

Just fill in the blanks with something applicable to your photos, click save, and then right click and save to your computer!

Join us in the forums here to share your layout! (you can use any digi-products)

How do you know when someone blogs about you?

2009-06-18T21:54:00.002-05:00

This one is mostly for the other digital scrapbooking designers out there!

I should go through and repeat a lot of the info on my blog, huh? There's so much good stuff here that has gotten buried! I sometimes forget that just because I've mentioned something once that it doesn't mean that every caught it. I'm sure many of my posts were made before the current followers found me!

I shared this a long time ago, but decided to do a video this time.

I'm often told "you are everywhere on the internet." Well, not so. Seriously. I get most of my info right out of my Bloglines (RSS subscriptions). Here's one sample of how in this video!

Impressions can be lasting. If you make someone feel good, they remember it. What better way to make someone feel good than to find when they blog about you and leave them a comment back!

Here ya go -- leave me a comment to let me know if this helps you!