QUESTION Your opinion on this?

[Robyn]

I see this more and more lately....

Underneath a product/kit for sale you sometimes see - Sample layouts may include elements or use templates that are not included in this product.

I look at the layouts and I think how lovely they are, I would like to buy that. But when I see a lot of the stuff in the layouts is NOT in the kit, I'm completely put off!

Am I just being a bit over sensitive and picky about this? Be honest, tell me if I am.

 

[Grace]

Robyn, I agree. Sample layouts should only include what's in the kit. The use of a template that is not included in the kit does not matter to me.

 

[Ursula]

I agree as well. Sample layouts only should include what is in the kit and nothing else, photos excluded.

 

[wvsandy]

I don't mind templates but I expect the LO to be created from the collection which may include pieces from other kits in the collection. I really haven't noticed many CT layouts mixing kits. I always thought that message was a generic one to CYA for the designer.

BTW, one way I like to learn is to buy a collection and then try to reproduce a LO that I loved. It gives me ideas and helps me find hidden gems in the kits.

 

[Ev]

Agree - another thing I find off putting is double elements/alphas - 1 without a shadow and 1 with - or an overload of scribbles! I don't think we're being picky, it's that we've been doing this a long time and expect certain things. Maybe the market is getting over saturated again?

 

[doglvr49]

I don't buy a lot of kits - maybe one or two a month. But, thanks for pointing this out, Robyn. I will keep my eyes open. Seems sketchy to me.

 

[Lindsay]

I agree Robyn it should only be what’s in the kits. I haven’t noticed this but will be on the lookout in future.

 

[Blackthorne]

I completely agree, Robyn !
Also to what Eve pointed out. I delete the doubles as adding shadows in Photo Impact
is easy peasy.

 

[Jody]

NO not picky. I hate that.
Way back in the dark ages with I was a CT. I always only used things from the kit in question. nothing from elsewhere.

 

[Jody]

Agree - another thing I find off putting is double elements/alphas - 1 without a shadow and 1 with - or an overload of scribbles! I don't think we're being picky, it's that we've been doing this a long time and expect certain things. Maybe the market is getting over saturated again?

Yes Ev, hate the doubles. One is enough and also not keen on an overload of scribbles either..

 

[scribler]

I'm agnostic on sample layouts. But I am here to defend shadows and scribbles (and not just cause my nick is scribler lol). Scrappers have a variety of styles they like and some scrappers love lots of flowers but others want lots of scribbles. The designer needs to make the kit work for the widest variety of people. Same with shadows. While most of us use programs that do great shadows that's not true of everyone. I remember when PSE did not do great shadows. It was one of the reasons I loved Gimp. It had way better shadows than PSE when I first started digiscrapping. And some people may just want to get as many pages done as quickly as possible and don't want to do their own shadows. Everyone posting in digiscrapping forums probably wants to do their own shadows but that is only a portion of the people actually buying the kits.

 

[Glyn]

No Robyn, not picky at all. That is just all kinds of WRONG! If the layout is to show off the kit and what it contains then it should made with the kit and nothing but the kit. Using other elements, masks, templates etc. is misleading for a potential buyer, and as far as I'm concerned dishonest. Adding blurb to say the samples may not contain only the contents of the kit, does not make it alright.

This just might not be my day for tolerance. 😡

 

[Robyn]

No Robyn, not picky at all. That is just all kinds of WRONG! If the layout is to show off the kit and what it contains then it should made with the kit and nothing but the kit. Using other elements, masks, templates etc. is misleading for a potential buyer, and as far as I'm concerned dishonest. Adding blurb to say the samples may not contain only the contents of the kit, does not make it alright.

This just might not be my day for tolerance. 😡

Totally agree! I could give you examples, but I won't as I am not wanting this thread to turn into designer bashing. Let's just say that for me it's disappointing when I see this.

 

[Cheryln]

I know there are varieties in styles, but sample pages shouldn't use items not included in the kit. I have seen CT pages posted on social media that said something like "also used, but not included in the kit....." - however, you can't state that on sample pages for stores.

 

[Julia]

When I've seen that message I thought it had been where there was a big collection and the samples had been made using the collection and used as samples for all individual parts of the collection. A warning that you might buy a pack that doesn't have some of the elements in the sample that are part of the wider collection.

As far as doubles - I'm neutral on the shadows. I started life at a site where initially everything was shadowed and I was quite happy with that, however it was a nuisance if I wanted to rotate an element because the shadows wouldn't match unless I went to the trouble of removing them and creating a new shadow in the right direction. I still tend to use the shadowed version of things (because I'm lazy) unless they don't match my page (not everyone uses the same shadow direction), it is good to have the option.

I don't like having an element repeated in 4 or 5 colours - I can recolour elements myself and don't really need kits bloating with extra colours of the same element.

 

[wvsandy]

Speaking of shadows, my pet peeve is when several items in the kit are both beautifully shadowed IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. Sorry for shouting. I would like for a designer to indicate what direction she uses for shadows so it's easier to match. In templates, it would be wonderful if the shadows had "Use Global Light" checked.

 

[AZK]

When I've seen that message I thought it had been where there was a big collection and the samples had been made using the collection and used as samples for all individual parts of the collection. A warning that you might buy a pack that doesn't have some of the elements in the sample that are part of the wider collection.

That is how I always interpreted that statement--that since a designer often lets her CT have access to an entire collection for samples, a layout posted as an example for a kit might have used a frame or mask or paint splatter that is included in an add-on pack and not necessarily in the main kit itself. I could be wrong but I don't think most designers would want to showcase another designer's work in their store.

 

[Ev]

I completely agree, Robyn !
Also to what Eve pointed out. I delete the doubles as adding shadows in Photo Impact
is easy peasy.

me too Helga

 

[Ev]

I don't want to bash designers either ... I try to look over a kit carefully before making my decision ... I know one can't please everyone ♥ - I have seen that statement, @Robyn

 

[Grace]

I don't want to bash designers either ... I try to look over a kit carefully before making my decision ... I know one can't please everyone ♥ - I have seen that statement, @Robyn

Agree--I look at the kit preview carefully and description of the contents of the kit.