Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist review

This isn't the first time we've looked at digital scrapbook software that allows users to display their digital photographs in a scrapbook. However Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist is a far more intensive program than any we've looked at before. Not only can you import and edit your pictures, then print them as with other scrapbook software - with the help of the some comprehensive content packs, you can also add backgrounds, embellishments and even cut-up material, just as you might if creating a real-life scrapbook.

Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist comes with a DaisyTrail Digikit, which offers a handful of themes, and more than can be downloaded from the DaisyTrail website. Some themes are free, while more are planned to be added this summer for a ‘small charge'. The website also offers Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist users the chance to upload their scrapbook projects and share them with other users.

Once Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist and its content pack have been installed, Serif recommends those new to scrapbook software should use the wizard to start their scrapbook. We found after we'd use the wizard once, we didn't have a problem starting from scratch.

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Once you've chosen your theme and selected the size of the pages, your Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist project is displayed in the workspace. From here, it's easy to change and add many aspects of the digital page - backgrounds, frames, letters and text, materials, photographs and embellishments. We found it easiest to drag and drop all of the themes' embellishments and materials to the side of the workspace, to build a personalised template to work from.

You can also access elements connected to other themes, and import these into your design.

You can replace the photos in the theme, or add in new images very simply by left clicking and then selecting Replace, which allows you to navigate to the required files on your hard drive. A cursor lets you move the image to correct position and the crop tool resizes and tweaks the angle.

With Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist you can make edits to digital images, such as adjusting the colour balance, curves and saturation; or to remove dust particles and add or remove blur from photos. We were impressed with Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist's group function, that allowed us to select items and group or ungroup them, ensuring that if we moved one item in the project, the rest of the group would automatically move with it. Colour and drop shadows on fonts and embellishments can be readily imported into a project.

For the more adventurous, Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist will let you start from scratch and personalise every aspect of your scrapbook. From adding brush strokes and drawings to cutting up materials into different shapes and even adding stitching to the project.


Verdict

Digital Scrapbook Artist is not for the faint-hearted. It’s aimed at those looking to create an authentic-looking scrapbook, with the results something that would make ideal gifts. If you’re prepared to spend time in creating your project, this is the software for you. At just under £30 its also excellent value for money.


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