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Reported by Kim Fox
If you are interested in learning the basics of digital scrapbooking, then you should consider taking Jesscia Sprague's beginner online class "Up and Running with Photoshop". This self-paced course will give you everything that you need to become proficient with Photoshop and/or Photoshop Elements, on a Mac or a PC, even working with the Vista operating system.This course is great for digital scrapbooking, hybrid scrapbooking and some basic touching up of images. The cost is $45 and it does not include the software. The course is available whenever you are ready to dive in. Meaning you can get registered right now and gain instant access to all of the course materials.
There are a minimum of four projects to complete for this course. Sprague's delivery in the videos is easy to follow and understand. If you have questions, there is a forum where you can post a question. Someone from Sprague's staff or a class mate will respond to your query.
At first I thought that I could teach myself how to use Photoshop; there are a wealth of videos on the web. But there are so many tips and techniques offered in the Up and Running course that it proved invaluable for me.I took the course earlier this year and I liked that I could pause the video if I needed more time to figure something out or to locate a tool. Or I could go back and view the instructions multiple times if needed. Also, although the lessons are mapped out, there is still room to improvise on your projects, you know, add your own creativity.
All of the digital kits were easy to download and Sprague walks you through that process as well. She makes it all seem so easy and the next thing you know, you've completed a digital layout.
Pros:
- detailed, step by step instructions via several short videos
- lots of freebies to compliment the course
- fast feedback to questions via the course forum or via email
- excellent price for what you get
- videos and digital kits are available infinitely; love that
- purchasing the software along w/the course at the same time could be a bit costly (but an awesome investment)
Register for the $45 self-paced course at JessicaSprague.com, where you can also find of wealth of information to help you get started with digital scrapbooking. Oh, and there are a few free digital kits to download too.Ease of use: Moderately easy - I feel very comfortable on the computer and it was really exciting to venture into a new arena and see such nice results
Value: Excellent value. If you sign up to take a course at the local community college, it might be around $99 and you have to drive there too on a particular day of the week. With this course, it is very convenient for you to view the videos when it is best for you. Additionally, there are lots and lots of freebies as a part of this course.
Rating: 10, Sprague and her crew have been at this for a while. They know what they are doing and are quickly responsive to issues, concerns and questions.
So are you an alum of a Jessica Sprague course? Feel free to share your experience with taking the Up and Running with Photoshop course or other courses offered via Jessica Sprague's website.
8 Crafters have opinions about this post:
I've been dying to find some time to take some of Jessica's classes! Thanks for the review. I'll definitely be signing up!
I've taken 3 starting with Up & Running. All were some of the best scrapping purchases I have ever made. I love that it's video based. And I loved that I could go back and watch the videos over and over. I've found that I have gone back and watched some of the first lessons.
I'd recommend them for anyone.
I think this critique is very well worded! I have taken 3 courses with Jessica and can honestly say that there is no one more interested in truly teaching others how to use PSE and CS to make the absolute most of the photos and memories!
There will soon be a total of 5 classes available with her directly, and I plan on taking both of the two new ones! I also can't put into words the value of the forums and her blog tutorials. You will truly not find a friendlier and more supportive environment to learn in than you will at her FABULOUS site!!
I haven't taken the class yet, but she is offering a discount through the end of August... $4 off the class fee. Check her blog for details. The post went up a few weeks ago. ;)
hi there! i love your review!!!
i've taken all of jessica's courses (yep, diehard spraggirl here), and i absolutely think that in every course, what you get is infintely more than what you've put in (so great ROI! :D )
jessica is absolutely awesome, not just as an instructor but as a person & friend as well (how often do you get both of that in one package?), her hubby jared is excellent at handling support issues (and is an equally awesome guy!), the spraground forums are filled with the most phenomenal, warm, uber-helpful and generous community members, and the lessons are yours forever when you take them... with no expiration date!
i could go on and on about how awesome all of the courses of jessica are, both the self-paced and the instructor-led, but the best statement of the excellence of jessica's courses are the lessons themselves. i invite everyone--paper, hybrid, digi scrappers, all!--to take a course, any course, of jessica (and in the process, experience the warm, welcoming community on the site), and i'm willing to bet all my fingers and toes that they're going to have the BEST a-ha moments they've ever had in their lives. :)
jessica is all about enabling you to tell the stories of your life with photoshop, and she does a marvelous job of it... i truly believe her courses are unprecedented anywhere else in the world!
ps. she has digital scrapbooking courses (self-paced and instructor-led), photography courses, organization courses, project-based courses, and many more to come... and each one bears the spraground stamp of excellence, with the best instructors teaching them! definitely worth checking out and signing up for! :)
I'd been admiring digital layouts for a long time, but had no idea where to start. Then, I saw the blurb about Jessica's class in CK and IMMEDIATELY signed up. I started with Up and Running in October 2007, and have since taken Now We're Rockin', Digi: In Deep, Molly's Shoebox class and Candice's photography class. I've loved every minute of it! I can't wait to take Liv's Type+Writer class and the next Deeper class!! I totally credit Jessica Sprague for making me into the scrapper I am today . . . from the ground up!
I took the plunge last week and signed up for the course. Jessica's tutorials relieve the stress of learning digital scrapbooking and becoming familiar with Adobe Photoshop 6.
I highly recommend the course. Did my first layout in no time. What is great about her class, is you can go back and refresh your knowledge as many times as you want.
Connie Paxman
Jessica's classes are TOTALLY worth the investment. One of the biggest features for me is the fact that you will have access to the online course materials FOREVER.... good for people like me who don't always have the chance to "keep up".
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