How to use the Edit Layout tool in Blurb BookSmart, Part I

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Our most recent versions of Blurb BookSmart® offer the “Edit Layout” tool. This tool offers you the opportunity to customize your pages, so you can add, delete, move, or change the size of most any text or image box on your pages or cover.

The Edit Layout tool is great when you want to layer text over an image, it helps to better crop a difficult image, and it allows you to customize your layout, when none of the preset layouts we offer are perfect for your project.

Here’s how it works:

Click on the “Edit Layout” button on any page. Look over the page and decide if any of the text and/or image boxes need to be moved, changed or deleted. ↓

Moving a box is as easy as clicking to highlight it and then dragging. You will see a warning if you place a box too close to the edge of your page layout. You should also notice grid lines set up behind your page to help you line up any boxes as needed. ↓

To resize or change the shape of a Text or Image Box, click to highlight, and then look for the small blank squares you will see along the edges. Grab one with your mouse and drag it in the direction needed. Sometimes an image you have added to your page does not fit the Image Box it’s been added to perfectly, so you can resize the Image Box as needed. This really helps if you have scanned images!

If you want to layer text over an image, click on the Text Box button you see at the top of the window, which will add a new Text Box. Resize it for a caption, (small and thin works best) and then move it over top of your Image Box, placing it where it will show best and not take away from your image. ↓

Once you have the new Text Box sized and placed correctly, click the “Apply” button. This will bring you back to the Edit Book mode, where you can enter the text you want. From here, you can now click on that Text Box and add your text to it. You can use the text tools to change your text color, possibly to white, or to any other color you need (you may find it useful to change the text color prior to typing, if you have a dark background). ↓

Et voila! A bigger image, and a special Text Box layout. The orange bounding box will go away, as soon as you click another element in your book. ↓

Of course there are all kinds of pre-made templates in BookSmart, including full-bleed layouts like the one we made above. It gets really interesting when you add multiple Image Boxes of Text Boxes.

Next week, we’ll return with a few more tips and tricks, including how to save your layouts for future use and how to get creative with your book cover.

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