I'd like some help with Elements 8 Print Layout

[SimonW]

I've used Paint Shop Pro for many years but specified Elements 8 for the new machine because I need to learn it so I can use it for teaching. (And I've found that changing is a steep learning curve.) But I have a specific problem re printing. PSP has a print layout option which depicts a blank sheet of paper and lets me drag-drop pictures onto it. They initially drop at the print's specified size (inches or cm) but can then be resized and rotated. You can place any number of pictures, all diferent or multiple versions of the same picture, on one page, even overlapping. This is especially useful for tiny images for my wife's Dolls House models - I can fix the image size in the editor, and print five or six along the top edge of an A4 sheet. It also lets me place two 5x7 picures on an A4 page, and they stay that size, so they can be put in holders.

I cannot find out how to do anything similar in Elements. If I print a single tiny picture I can't even put it on the edge of a sheet - it goes bang in the middle, thus wasting a complete sheet. And the "print package" option appears to alter all the sizes to fit the paper, where I need fixed sizes. I assume what I want is possible, but the Adobe help system doesn't seem to give any clues. Can anyone here help?

[Simple]

Simon,
I have not got Elements 8, but the following should work.
Do a File - New and choose a A4.
Open a new image, and place it so that part of the blank sheet is visible.
Choose the Move tool (V on the keyboard) or top of the toolbar.
Click and hold on the new image and drag on to the Blank A4. Let go of the mouse and the image is on the new sheet. With the move tool you can put to picture anywhere you want.
Ensure that the box on the top of the screen "show bounding box" or "show transform control"  is ticked.
By moving the mouse over one of the corners, and holding down the shift key, the size of the picture can now be changed without altering the proportions. (if you do not hold down the shift key, the picture becomes distorted)
Repeat for other pictures. If the box "auto select" is ticked, clicking on a picture will automatically select that picture.
I do not know if Elements 8 has full control of rulers and guides, but "View-rulers" or guides will give you rulers along the edge of the sheet for sizing pictures. Setting guides can help for your pictures to "snap to".
Right clicking on a ruler gives you the option to select mm, inches, cm , pixels or whatever.
When finished, use Layers-flatten image and than you can print.
Hope this helps.
Simon

[Mick]

Probably a much easier way to do this, but this is what I do in Elements 6.

1: File / New /Blank file.
2: Presets / International Paper.
3: Size /Choose A4, and click OK.

Open your pic, and select all. copy and paste it on to the blank A4 canvas.  Use the move tool to move it, resize it, or rotate it.   Repeat for next pic until you have what you need on the page.  Print.

Shortcuts
Select / Select all  =  Ctrl A
Edit / copy =  Ctrl C
Edit / Paste = Ctrl V

Edit: Simon beat me to it while I was typing.     

[SimonW]

Yes, effectively it's create a new image and print that - just how I used to do it years ago in much earlier versions of PSP. And of course the dimensions of each original get changed unless every original and the new document all have the same resolution. I'd been led to believe Elements was better than this! But thanks for trying.