FIGURE 14-14 A surrealistic faux background Using the PhotoSuite Database to Create a Background To access the various backgrounds that come with PhotoSuite, follow these steps: 1. Click the Compose button on the navigation bar. The navigation bar is located directly below the menu bar. 2. Click the Fun Stuff button on the panel on the left. 254 How to Do Everything with Your Scanner Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. 3. Click Backgrounds to display a number of layout templates in the work area. 4. Double-click on the background template that you want to use. The background appears on your screen. 5. Import photos you want to superimpose on the background you’ve selected using the Activity panel on the left. Create Your Own Background If you’re working in an image-editing program that doesn’t provide a database of backgrounds, such as PhotoDeluxe, you can create your own. Here are a few suggestions for doing so: ■ As with props, don’t limit yourself to backgrounds you’ve photographed on your own. For example, try scanning a sunset or rainforest from a magazine such as National Geographic. ■ Scour color travel brochures for high-quality images of faraway places that can serve as backgrounds. ■ Eliminate unwanted objects from magazine and travel backgrounds, or from your own photos, using the clone tool in your image-editing program. This tool is discussed in Chapter 10. ■ If your program has a “stitching” or other tool that allows you to combine photographs (see Chapter 10), consider combining multiple scanned images to create an interesting background. Add a Drop Shadow PhotoSuite allows you to add a drop shadow to add authenticity to imported images. The use of this interesting feature is illustrated in Figures 14-15 and 14-16. FIGURE 14-15 An object without a drop shadow CHAPTER 14: Basic Scanning Projects for Home Hobbyists 255 14 Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. FIGURE 14-16 After the drop shadow has been applied To add a drop shadow using PhotoSuite, follow these steps: 1. Click the Adjust Objects button on the Activity panel, located directly below the menu bar. You must have an image open for editing on your screen, or the Adjust Objects button won’t be available. 2. Click the Add a Drop Shadow button. 3. Select the object in your project you want to add a shadow to by clicking it. The selected item is enclosed within a bounding box. 4. On the Activity panel, choose a Shadow Direction, and adjust the intensity of the shadow using the Opacity and Diffusion sliders. 5. Click Return when you’re finished. To check if your image-editing program allows you to add a drop shadow, try searching the Help database using the keyword “shadow.” Personalizing Your Computer Desktop Virtually all image-editing programs allow you to scan a photo and use it as wallpaper for your Windows desktop, as shown in Figure 14-17. To find out how to do this in your image-editing program, simply search the Help database using the keyword “wallpaper.” 256 How to Do Everything with Your Scanner Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. FIGURE 14-17 Using a scanned image as wallpaper If you’re working in PhotoSuite, you can customize your computer desktop by following these steps: 1. Open the photo you wish to set as wallpaper. The file should be visible in the work area. 2. Click the Share button on the navigation bar. The navigation bar is located below the menu bar. 3. Click the Windows Desktop button, then on the Activity panel, click the Set Photo as Wallpaper button. Your photo is automatically set as the background image on your desktop. If you’re using PhotoDeluxe, open Get & Fix Photo, click Save & Send, then Windows Wallpaper. Follow the onscreen prompts to retrieve or create an image you can designate as wallpaper. CHAPTER 14: Basic Scanning Projects for Home Hobbyists 257 14 Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. Moving on to More Advanced Image-Editing Projects The projects in this chapter introduce you to some of the simple, but powerful, features available with most image-editing programs. Albums and slide shows provide a convenient way to organize and display all your scanning projects. Your familiarity with the methods for creating backgrounds, props, and wallpaper will make you more comfortable with the advanced and multifaceted projects covered in the chapters that follow. 258 How to Do Everything with Your Scanner Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. . all image-editing programs allow you to scan a photo and use it as wallpaper for your Windows desktop, as shown in Figure 14-17. To find out how to do this in your image-editing program, simply. the Windows Desktop button, then on the Activity panel, click the Set Photo as Wallpaper button. Your photo is automatically set as the background image on your desktop. If you’re using PhotoDeluxe,. Fun Stuff button on the panel on the left. 254 How to Do Everything with Your Scanner Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. 3. Click Backgrounds to display