TUTORIAL | SCRAPPING WITH ADOBE SPARK POST

 
We've been discussing mobile/app scrapping over the last several months. I thought we should examine some of the related Adobe video and social media apps that we might use in our hobby. This month, we'll look at Adobe Spark Post, which is part of your Photoshop CC/Lightroom photography plan subscription. This allows you to use the app's premium content.

You can download the app from the app store and sign in with your email/verification code/password. It opens onto a splash screen with a vibrant collage of images they call "templates" each of which can be opened and edited. You can also click the green + sign to create your own from scratch.

The first template I picked looked like a great way of creating an Instagram story type image. You are able to change the color scheme, edit and move the text, replace the photos as well as add or delete more and MANY MORE types of edits.

The first thing I changed was the text. Notice all of the options that can be tweaked in the context menu. There are TONS of different fonts to choose from. You can change the color of the text and the shape in which they are placed, the size and spacing, the alignment and opacity. 

Next I changed the color scheme. I could have created my own using the "custom" option at the very far left but scrolled to the right and found one I liked.

Then I clicked on each of the photos and then on replace. This brings up a selection box showing places to choose from, like your camera roll or photo library. I used crop and shape to move the photos around inside the shape a bit and duplicated one (and rotated it using the little rotate icon). You can also apply a filter to your photo if you haven't already done so. There is also a spot for the basic photo editing tools of contrast, brightness, saturation, warmth and sharpening.

When I was satisfied with the end result I hit the share button at the top right. Because this particular template had animation I had the option of how to save it. I chose a still image and saved it to my camera roll. I also had multiple social media outlets that I could also choose from. Also, because I have an Adobe subscription my images are synced between my computer and iPad.

How else could I use this app? What about creating my own pocket card! I went back to the home splash screen and picked a super simple square template, just a photo with a text overlay that I could use on a scrapbook page and also in an Instagram post. I could definitely see myself also using it on a pocket style PL page. Fairly quick... replace the image this time with one from my Lightroom and edit the text boxes. But the text wasn't in the right spot. I clicked on one bit of text and saw the option of select multiple. I used that to select all the text, the shaded box and the frame to nudge them all at once. Then save when I'm done.

Now off with the training wheels... how about creating one without a template? 

There are a plethora of size options to choose from. You can see all of the social media sizes, ones sized for printing and then the variations of standard sizes that can be sized up and down. I selected a 4x3. I can tap to add a text box and change the font, then replace the solid color with a photo. 

Then I tried out some of the shape options, adjusted the size, spacing and opacity to get it the way I wanted. Super simple, right?


I know that creating pocket cards on my computer using PS is pretty easy, but getting them in a format to quickly share them on social media and use them on my mobile devices does require a few extra steps while the Spark Post process is less time intensive. It was also very intuitive! So many of the different choices and options are ones I'm used to from other Adobe products.

Why not download the Adobe Spark Post app and give it a try yourself? I'm excited to see what you create with it!

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Stacia