Printing Your Digital Scrapbook FAQ
FAQ

What is Digital Scrapbooking?
What is full bleed?
What adjustments do I need to make for trimming/binding?
How do I get started?
Should I be using this book occasion (Print Your Digital Scrapbook) to print my digital files?
What resolution should my files be in?
What is dpi?
What file format should I use for my digital layouts?
What is jpeg?
What is VividPics? How do I turn it off?
What is Easy Crop? How do I turn it off?
What color mode should I use?
What book sizes are available?
Can I customize the covers on all the books?
Can I use the make a new book size feature with the Print Your Digital Scrapbooking solution?
What quality is the paper that you print on and will it last?


What is Digital Scrapbooking?
Digital Scrapbooking is a fun and easy way to create digital layouts on your computer. Using an image-editing program you already have at home (i.e., Adobe Photoshop—Elements or CS—, ArcSoft Scrapbook, Collage Creator or Microsoft Digital Image Pro) you can create scrapbook pages similar to the way you would with paper and glue. You can use these graphic programs to create layouts (in many forms) that look just as good as or better than paper layouts.

Shutterfly offers a high quality, easy and affordable way to print out your digital layouts in various formats, such as digital scrapbooks, cards, scrapbook pages and calendars. You can also use Shutterfly photo prints to insert into your traditional paper scrapbook albums.

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What is full bleed?
This is a term used when an image extends completely to all four edges of the finished sheet. With full bleed, one extends the image beyond the trim edge of a sheet to ensure that there is no white space at the edge after the printed page is trimmed to the final size.

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What adjustments do I need to make for trimming/binding?
When designing your scrapbook pages, we highly recommend that you:

  • follow our specifications closely - we provide detailed measurements for all our page layouts to give you complete creative control of your project. Please see our specs for detailed information.
  • download our templates - the templates will provide you guides lines that represent the bleed, trim, and safety areas.
  • make sure that your background extends all the way to the edges of your document and that your critical design elements stay inside the template guidelines (safety area).

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How do I get started?
Please see our step by step instructions section for getting started.

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Should I be using this book occasion (Print Your Digital Scrapbook) to print my digital files?
Shutterfly’s Print Your Digital Scrapbook solution is specifically designed for users who create jpeg images (scrapbook pages) using image editing programs (i.e., Adobe Photoshop-Elements or CS-, ArcSoft Scrapbook, Collage Creator or Microsoft Digital Image Pro) and upload these completed designs to Shutterfly for printing. We provide step by step instructions and design templates to make the upload process as clear and easy as possible. If this procedure seems confusing, and you want Shutterfly to help you create your layouts, backgrounds, captions and fonts, we suggest that you go to http://www.shutterfly.com/shop/product_c18000/Photo_Books to get started.

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What resolution should my files be in?
For best results, design and save your layouts at 300 DPI.

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What is dpi?
DPI—dots per inch—a measure of resolution for printed text and images.

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What file format should I use for my digital layouts?
Please save your files as RGB jpegs.

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What is jpeg?
Jpeg is a common image format. This is a compression technique used for saving images and photographs and is widely used on the World Wide Web. Most digital camera pictures are jpeg files.

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What is VividPics? How do I turn it off?
VividPics® is a piece of unique Shutterfly software that makes the colors and contrast in a digital picture vibrant, bright and sharp. Since this software may adjust the colors and contrasts in a completed design layout, for best results, we recommend that you turn it off to use the Print Your Digital Scrapbook solution. Instructions on how to turn off this feature are illustrated below:

Turn off VividPics®

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What is Easy Crop? How do I turn it off?
Easy Crop is a piece of unique Shutterfly software that auto-crops a digital picture to ensure that the selected crop area can be printed on any print size chosen. Since this software may adjust the pictures within a completed design layout, for best results, we recommend that you turn it off to use the Print Your Digital Scrapbook solution. Instructions on how to turn off this feature are illustrated below:

Turn off Easy Crop

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What color mode should I use?
Design and save your jpeg files in RGB.

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What book sizes are available?
We offer digital scrapbook printing in the following Photo Book sizes: 12×12, 8.5×11, 8×8, and 5×7.

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Can I customize the covers on all the books?
We offer fully customized covers in the 12×12 and 8×8 sizes. Our 8.5×11 and 5×7 sizes come in a variety of solid and patterned cover materials.

8.5×11 Covers
Black Leather
Chocolate Leather
Red Leather
Black Suede (Faux)
Blue Suede (Faux)
Light Blue Satin

5×7 Covers
Blue Soft Cover
Red Soft Cover
Ducks Soft Cover
Kids Soft Cover

Brown Leather
Green Leather
White Leather
Maroon Suede (Faux)
Tan Suede (Faux)
Lilac Satin


Black Soft Cover
Green Soft Cover
Sheep Soft Cover
Wedding Soft Cover

Holly
Snowflake
Cool Stripes
Pink Petals

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Can I use the make a new book size feature with the Print Your Digital Scrapbooking solution?
At this time, the new book size feature does not work with digital scrapbook layouts.

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What quality is the paper that you print on and will it last?
We use commercial grade, 100# gloss coated text weight paper. With the proper handling and care, your book will last for years to come.

What other questions would be helpful to be addressed on this page? Please let us know with feedback.

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