{"id":12205,"date":"2025-10-28T00:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T04:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/?p=12205"},"modified":"2025-10-28T06:59:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T10:59:41","slug":"off-script","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/off-script\/","title":{"rendered":"Off Script"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve been working on a layout with a very specific theme and thought I had the perfect kit. Then low and behold, even with all the fabulous word art included, I can\u2019t seem to find what I need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nothing said I had to stick with only that one kit. I just usually tend to do that since it saves time trying to find bits and pieces from other kits that will coordinate nicely with my \u201cperfect\u201d kit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently I went a little \u201coff-script\u201d with one of my layouts. Well actually, I tend to do that a lot \ud83d\ude09 It\u2019s kind of fun to deviate from the predictable or expected course. I decided I was going to take whatever word art I could find in the kit and make it work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now if you read my \u201cJust Part Of An Element<\/a><\/strong>\u201d and\/or the \u201cFreeze Text<\/a><\/strong>\u201d post, you know I\u2019m not above creating my own word art. But I challenged myself to use what I had in the kit.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Parts<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It took some time for me to stop looking at the whole and concentrate on only the parts. It kind of started to remind me about how I work on a ransom note. And that made it so much easier! But it also took me down a completely different path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may remember my \u201cCut-Out Twist<\/a><\/strong>\u201d post back in July when I showed you how to create a ransom note style alphabet. That old typography style that was crafted from cut-out magazine and newspaper letters. The cut-out letters, often varying in typefaces, lent a peculiar disjointed aesthetic to the message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s when I went a bit rogue\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ransom Style<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Ransom<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Similar to the ransom alphabet, I started looking at all the word art I had at hand and started to see ways to use just the pieces I needed. And today I’ll show you how I moved away from “the whole”!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before I get started here\u2019s a quick reminder, I use Photoshop Elements (PSE) 2024. If you use a different version, some of my screen shots may not look the same as what you see on your screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was working on a Halloween layout a bit early this year. Mostly because I was thinking about my oldest grandson\u2019s upcoming 9th birthday on Halloween. Halloween has always been my favorite \u201choliday\u201d and it\u2019s now also extra special that it\u2019s my grandson\u2019s birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, back to the layout. I was using a collection, \u201cSpooky Season<\/a><\/strong>\u201d by ET Designs. As I mentioned, I ran into a bit of a problem with the word art. Not that it was bad\u2026I just wanted to use some of the word art in a different order or format.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Go<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The funny thing about \u201cgoing rogue\u201d is that it\u2019s not all that difficult if you know how to use the tools available in PSE. Sometimes it still amazes me how easy it is to accomplish what I\u2019ve envisioned in my head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a look at some of the word art I found in the kit:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Sample<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Like I said, there wasn\u2019t a thing wrong with it\u2026I just wanted it to read differently. All I had to do was cut the pieces out that I wanted. If you read my \u201cJust Part Of An Element\u201d and\/or the \u201cFreeze Text\u201d post (mentioned above) you should already know how easy it is to cut apart a piece of word art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I just grab the Rectangular Marquee tool, make a selection around the part(s) I want and create a new layer. I can then use just the part(s) I cut out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even after doing that, there were a couple of specific words I still wanted to change; Whispers to Whisper, and TEEHEE to TREAT. And I\u2019ll now show you how easy that was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I open a blank 12×12 file in PSE and I drag the two different word art pieces into the file:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Word<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I already cut Whispers apart from the piece you saw in the sample word art shown above. All I have to do is get rid of the \u201cs\u201d at the end. But I want to be careful to keep the spacing between the \u201cr\u201d and the end of the strip the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To do that I make a selection of the blank part of the strip beyond the \u201cs\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Blank<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

With that selection made I press Shift+Ctrl+J to cut that section out. PSE places that cut out section on its own layer (Layer 1 for me). I then just nudge that cut section to the left until it comes right up to the edge of the \u201cr\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Letter<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I merge those two layers together and copy the merged layer to my layout. I then delete that Whisper strip since I was done with that one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word TRICK has already been cut apart from the other word strip so now all I really need is the \u201cTEEHEE!\u201d piece. Again, all I need to do is make a selection of that section of the strip ensuring I capture all of the first \u201cT\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"TEEHEE<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You can probably see that I got a bit of the hyphen in that selection. But don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll take care of that in a minute. For now, I\u2019m just going to press Shift+Ctrl+J to cut that section out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PSE again places this cut out section on its own layer (Layer 1 for me \u2013 remember the other Layer 1 from Whisper is gone). This time around I\u2019m not going to move the cut out section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as with the word Whisper, I want to be careful to keep the spacing between the \u201cT\u201d and what will be the beginning of the new strip the same. So, with the original word strip layer active, I make a selection starting at the beginning of the word strip ensuring I capture both the \u201cT\u201d and the \u201cR\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"TR<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Once again, I press Shift+Ctrl+J to cut that section out. PSE again places this cut out section on its own layer (Layer 2 for me). I then move Layer 2 above Layer 1 in the layers panel, change the opacity of that layer to about 40% and nudge it to the right until the \u201cT\u201d lines up as close as possible to matching the first \u201cE\u201d in TEEHEE:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"TR<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I zoomed in really close so you could see the alignment of the \u201cT\u201d. I then reset the Opacity of Layer 2 to 100% and zoom back out so you can see the result:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"TR<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I know this looks ridiculous right now\u2026trust me, this will all make sense in a bit. With the original word strip active I\u2019m now going to make a selection of what remains (ICK-OR) and delete it:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Extraneous<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I can now merge Layer 1, Layer 2 and the remainder of the original word strip together. Clearly that doesn\u2019t spell TREAT\u2026right?!?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a couple ways I can fix this. I\u2019m going to keep it super simple and show you the quickest way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, I\u2019m going to make a selection around the beginning of this new word strip ensuring that I capture the entire letter \u201cT\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"T<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This time, I\u2019m going to press Ctrl-J to create a new layer from this section NOT cut it out. Then I change the opacity of that new layer to about 40% and nudge it to the right until the \u201cT\u201d lines up as close as possible to matching the \u201cE\u201d at the end:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"T<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I\u2019m going to hide this new layer for just a minute and make the other portion of the strip the active layer. I then make a selection around one letter \u201cE\u201d and create a new layer from that selection. I then nudge that new \u201cE\u201d to the left until it covers the letter \u201cH\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"E<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I know\u2026this still looks silly but I\u2019m almost done. I\u2019m going to move the hidden layer (with the ending \u201cT\u201d) below the \u201cE\u201d layer I just created. Then I\u2019m going to reset the Opacity of that hidden layer back to 100% and unhide it:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"T<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I now have a place for the letter \u201cA\u201d. I happen to know that the Adler font<\/a><\/strong> was used to create this particular word strip. So, all I have to do now is add that letter to the word strip:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Note<\/strong>: I know the font that was used because I found a match on the internet. If you don\u2019t know how to do that, just refer back to my \u201cWhat\u2019s That Font<\/a><\/strong>\u201d post for tips on how to do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now I have the word \u201cTREAT!\u201d Next, I just merge all those layers together and can either save this new word as a PNG file for future use or simply copy it to my layout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here\u2019s how my completed \u201crogue\u201d word art looks on my Halloween layout:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Midnight<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Note<\/strong>: If you\u2019d like more details about this layout, you can find it in my 2025 Gallery<\/a><\/strong>. Though, I’ll be honest…I did end up using a different version of the word treat on my actual layout \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now go off script and enjoy cutting up some word art!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extra Tips<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Reminders<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This technique can work just as well with stamped\/transparent word out. It\u2019s still just a matter of choosing the pieces that you want to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think out of the box the next time you find word art that isn\u2019t quite as perfect as you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all cut & paste from time to time, why not with word art \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you run into a word that needs a letter you can\u2019t find in the existing word art, try to find the font on the internet and type it yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can\u2019t find the exact font consider going a bit more rogue and just create your own new piece of word art using a similar font and a paper that works well with what you already have!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One more thought for you. Don\u2019t be afraid of silly ideas. \u2013 Paul Arden<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for reading this week\u2019s Tuesday Tip. Remember, if you have any suggestions or questions please don\u2019t hesitate to “Message Me<\/a><\/strong>“. Check back next week for a tip about letter boards. Click \u201cFollow Me<\/a><\/strong>\u201d to stay in touch. I hope you have a wonderful week!<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Keep<\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve been working on a layout with a very specific theme and thought I had the perfect kit. Then low and behold, even with all the fabulous word art included, I can\u2019t seem to find what I need. Nothing said I had to stick with only that one kit. I just usually tend to do that since it saves time trying to find bits and pieces from other kits that will coordinate nicely…<\/p>\n

Read More Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"0","landing_page":"","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tuesday-tip-day"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12205"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12205\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}