| Making your own 3D decoupage sheets is easy - if | | | | those in the Public Domain or created under a Creative |
| you are making greeting cards, make sure you choose | | | | Commons License. Copyright concerns can seem a |
| an image that is well defined but still small enough to fit | | | | complex area; basically, if you are doing cards for your |
| nicely onto the card blank. Use a photo editor, Word or | | | | own limited use, don't worry. But, if you are going to sell |
| graphics package such as Paint Shop Pro to put 4 | | | | your cards, or 'mass reproduce' them, check out |
| copies of the image on one sheet. For card making | | | | where you stand first. If in doubt, don't use it. |
| you are unlikely to need more but the beauty is, you | | | | Dover Publications are a great resource for images - |
| can always print as many as you 'do' need! Print onto | | | | their books are intended to be used as design |
| good quality inkjet paper - 120gsm, satin finish is good. | | | | resources and you are allowed to create a limited |
| Normal printer paper is likely to be too thin. Cut out | | | | amount of the same design (usually ample even for a |
| your design, looking to see which elements in the | | | | home run card making business). If you sign up for their |
| image would naturally fall in the middleground and | | | | newsletter, you will get free image samples each |
| foreground, and start playing! Where do you get | | | | week by email! When using images, always look for |
| images from? | | | | 'Terms of Use' or an 'Angel Policy'. Note that rubber |
| The internet offers an endless supply of free clip art | | | | stamps are NOT automatically copyright free, you |
| and graphics that would be suitable. A nice idea for | | | | need to check with each manufacturer/designer. |
| kids is to find pictures of their favourite characters and | | | | Commercial software programmes such as Greeting |
| turn those into 3D decoupage paper! Watch out for | | | | Card Factory Deluxe or Hallmark come with a large |
| copyrighted images though - if you plan to sell your | | | | collection of some wonderful fine art which you could |
| cards do not use images that were created by | | | | use for personal use. These are also ideal for making |
| someone else without their permission. A source of | | | | your own decoupage paper, as you lay it all out on |
| FREE 'copyright free' or 'royalty free' images are | | | | your screen using the software. |