First, sorry for the long lapses between posts. I’ve returned to work and LIFE has gotten in the way of my blogging. Well, LIFE, Swaps, Family, you name it, it’s parked it’s rear in front of me.
Okay, so here’s my question. How in the world do you organize your digital images so you can find what you are looking for (or might need)?
I have TONS of images stored on my computer, in some semblance of order. However, when I’m designing an ATC, Tag, Inchie, whatever, I can NEVER seem to find what I’m looking for.
We aren’t talking looking for specific pictures here, but ones in general. See, I may need a background, a foreground, words, images of people, images of inanimate objects, etc. But when I go to my trusty laptop, I draw a blank. I guess what I’m saying is, “IS THERE ANY WAY TO CATALOG THESE DARN IMAGES”.
I’m begging, pleading, cajoling, down on hands and knees asking if anyone knows a good way to handle this.
I tried printing thumbnails of the files. You guessed it! The MINUTE I get ONE file printed, I add another image. AAAARRRGGHHH!
So HELP! PLEASE!
Deartarnished: Fear not! And you are not alone!
ReplyDeleteUpdating my files seems almost to take the fun out of using digi images at times.
However.
I have devised my own system whereby I deem what an image is useful for prior to it's being filed. It may sit alone and unasked for on my desktop for weeks, but generally speaking, gets filed either immediately or within the first 24 hours.
But this was not always the case.
I like to categorize things two ways: what I'm able to see they can be used for, and when I might need them.
So, Backgrounds is one file. Xmas is one file INSIDE Holiday file. each holiday 9even Groundhog Day) has its own file, which I then keep in the main Holiday file. That way, as holidays come and go, I can re-file and retrieve what I'm looking to use.
Frames (and things usable in framing other things) is one file. Also,Seasons, Women, Men, children, Families, Sheet Music, etc. etc. etc.
When I have too little time to hunt and file,because I'm too busy creating and don't have time for both, I use my TEMPORARY file. This has to get tended to quickly, or it tends to pile up, so to speak.
All these files (and others) remain where I may access them at anytime, on my desktop.
It is the least uncluttered desktop I've ever had, but it does keep me motivated to clean up after it, to dump whatever won't be usable after all, etc.
It's taken me almost 2 whole years of trying to get this to work, and I still have to update constantly.
It's like cleaning house almost!
BUT. It's a lot simpler now I have things pre-categorized.
i hope this can be useful to you. I don't know what your style of organization is, so it may not apply.
Best wishes!
Rose McGuinn from Plush Possum Studio
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My system is similar to Steam Tea Travels but I never put anything on my desktop... at the very least I always save to my generic "clipart" folder and then drag into subfolders when I have time.
ReplyDeleteOriginally, I started with broad categories (animals, holidays, people, etc.) Once I got the images sorted into the main folders, then I went back and created subfolders (birds, cats, dogs; Christmas, Halloween, Birthday; Women, Men, Children; etc.).
This system has worked good for me for several years. Recently I started sorting my paper images and other ephemera into 4x6 photo boxes and have tried to "mirror" the same categories for each of my boxes... which has led me to create more subcategories (and sub-subcategories =) as needed.
Now I'm getting into digital scrapbooking AND recently got an electronic cutter so I will probably try to sort by the same categories for that stuff too. This way I will always have a consistent place to look regardless of the type of media.
The tricky thing is what to do with those "multi-category" items... generally, I try to decide how I envision using it and file it in one spot but, occasionally, I have been known to duplicate the same image in different folders just in case.
Hope this helps!