Handmade Flipbook

Step 3 Create an image template

For this step I used Flash (an OLD version)... I think any graphics software that has the ability to use layers, import jpegs, and export to jpegs will work.

What I did here was create 2 layers: (1) photo and (2) border. The border layer was on top of the photo layer and would create a frame of the picture. I would also use the border to put the frame # as well as cutting guidelines. Why not just use the entire photo (4x6" is the size of the black border in the image here)? You could but the larger stack of photos doesn't flip very well. Using smaller sized images gives a stiffer stack and is easier to flip - just trust me OR try it with a large 4x6 photo stack.

Another reason not to use just plain photo prints is that the developer sometimes doesn't load the photo paper into the hopper properly and you get the occasional image that is slightly askew - a little white on bottom and the image at a very slight angle - ruins the affect.

My work around is seen here - I import the jpeg but it's very large at first. I then resized it (40% of original) and then I cut the image using Ctrl-V. Ctrl-X pastes the resized image directly in the center of the 4x6 work area and the black frame covers part of the photo (see next step).