FOREVER Artisan 6 FAQ's
General Questions:
Q: What’s new in Artisan® 6?
A: There are so many new features to check out in Artisan 6! Here’s a list of everything we’ve added or updated in Artisan to bring you our best version yet:
• Increased integration between Artisan and FOREVER.com! Not only will you enjoy
seamless communication between Artisan 6 and your FOREVER Storage® Account, but
you can say goodbye to pasting in activation codes! Artisan 6 will download, install, and
activate newly purchased kits for you with just one click. To activate the software itself,
just log into your FOREVER Account when the window pops up.
• Enhanced Auto Fix capability! We’ve improved our Auto Fix tool in the Photo Ribbon.
Auto Fix is updated to the latest version of Perfectly Clear®, the world’s leading provider
of intelligent image correction. Along with updating the presets you love, we’ve added
new presets that specifically target the following:
- People
- Landscapes and scenery
- Sunrises and sunsets
- Photos taken at night and indoors
- Photos taken with a smartphone or mobile device
• Totally customizable Seamless Layflat Photo Books! Showcase your memories in
breathtaking quality with seamless, edge-to-edge printing on luxe double-thick paper.
• The following updates to Content Manager:
- Ability to download, import, and activate purchased art kits with the click
of a button.
- Ability to sort kits by Name, Designer, or Download Date.
- Easier access to all the free kits in our Digital Art store.
• 15 new Digital Art Kits from various digital art designers!
• 20 new Textures in the Surface tool on the Filter ribbon!
• New icons for an updated look. (But don’t worry – all your favorite tools are still in the
same place!)
• The removal of Basic Mode. You’ll always have all the tools you need to customize
your projects!
• Updated functionality which means that each project you create will be marked as a
Project (with all the functionality that comes with it), never a Page. As such, you will
always have a Photo Panel and the ability to add more pages to your book project.
Remember - you can still print a single page or a set of Page Prints from your photo
book projects.
• A rename of the “Fancy” text button on the Insert ribbon to “Alpha Set”, so it is easier
than ever to find and use the Alpha Sets in your digital art kits.
Q: What are the updates to the Perfectly Clear® options in the Auto Fix tool?
A: Artisan 6 features five different options from Perfectly Clear®. They are:
• Perfectly Clear®: The updated version of Perfectly Clear® that we offered in Artisan 5,
which lightens and brightens your photos with a single click.
• Perfectly Clear® Beautify: Specifically designed to smooth faces, so it is good for
portraits and close-up photos of people.
• Perfectly Clear® Vivid: Specifically designed for scenery and landscape photos – it
brightens and makes the colors in the photos “pop.”
• Perfectly Clear® Outdoor Sunlight: Brightens while reducing glare and is a good choice
for sunrise and sunset photos.
• Perfectly Clear® Gentle Boost: A softer version of Perfectly Clear® that works
particularly well on photos taken at night or indoors and with a smartphone or other
mobile device.
Any of the Perfectly Clear® options in our Auto Fix tool can be used on any of your photos
(even papers and embellishments!) – the choice of preset and look of your project are
totally up to you!
Q: I am new to FOREVER Artisan® – how do I get started?
A: We recommend that you start with the FREE Interactive Training Guide offered by pixels2Pages™ (p2P), our Premier Training team. The Interactive Guide can be found here.
In addition, there is a wealth of free content waiting for you on the pixels2Pages™ website
at www.forever.com/pixels2pages .
Q: What version of Windows do I need in order to run Artisan® 6?
A: You should use Windows 10 to run Artisan 6 since that is the version that Microsoft recommends and supports most often. If you choose to run Artisan 6 on an older version of Windows, please keep in mind that the software will not operate as efficiently as it will on newer Windows platforms.
Q: Can I still purchase previous versions of FOREVER Artisan®?
A: No, Artisan 4 and Artisan 5 are no longer available for purchase. If you purchased one of these programs in the past and need to re-download it for any reason, please visit www.forever.com/downloads or contact FOREVER Client Care for assistance.
Q: Where should I save my Artisan® 6 projects?
A: You can save your Artisan 6 projects right to your hard drive. Artisan was developed so that you can use it even when you are not connected to the internet, so it’s best practice to save your projects directly to your computer’s hard drive or to an external hard drive that you connect to your machine whenever you are using Artisan.
As a backup, you can share pages to your FOREVER Storage® Account as JPEGs. Whenever you upload your project to your FOREVER Storage Account to print, that project is automatically saved in your Account without counting against your available storage space. Uploaded projects will be kept in your FOREVER Storage Account until you delete them.
Q: How do I upload photos from Historian™ 4 to Artisan® 6?
A: Although Historian has not yet officially been programmed to connect to Artisan 6, there are still two ways to move your photos from Historian 4 to Artisan 6.
The first way is to simply create your project in Artisan 6, open Historian and select the photos you want to bring over, right-click and choose “Copy,” open your Artisan 6 project, click on “Get photos,” and click “Paste.” Your photos will be added at the bottom of the Photo Panel.
The second way is to open a project in Artisan 6 and “Get Photos” from Historian 4. If you click on “Send to Artisan 5” in Historian, Historian will list the open A6 project. When you select that Artisan 6 project, those photos will upload. For this workflow to work properly, Artisan 5 should be closed, and Artisan 6 should be open. Note: Since Historian has not yet been updated, the label will say Artisan 5 instead of Artisan 6.
Q: What are the names of the 15 “Free With Purchase” Digital Art Kits included with my purchase of Artisan 6?
A: Below are the names of the 15 free kits:
- Alpha Set Sampler by Designs by Mandy King
- Artistic License Seamless Layflat Sampler by Seatrout Scraps
- Dreaming Out Loud Sampler by Designs by Mandy King
- Felicity Mixed Media Sampler by Art Party™
- Forever Design Maps Sampler by FOREVER Digital Art™
- King For The Day Sampler by Across the Pond
- Little One Sampler by Jen Martakis Designs
- Seamless Layflat Blueprint Sampler by pixels2Pages
- Seamless Layflat Paper Sampler by FOREVER Digital Art
- Seamless Layflat Template Sampler by ClickCollage™
- Shape Magic Sampler Kit by pixels2Pages
- Spilling Out - Template Sampler by Seatrout Scraps
- Template Sampler by Templates & Co™
- Vintage Memories Sampler by Lucky Girl Creative™
- World Traveler Sampler by FOREVER Digital Art™
Q: What are the names of the 20 new Surface Textures included in Artisan 6?
A: Below are the names of the new Surface Textures
- Concrete 2
- Corrugated
- Cracked
- Cut Pile
- Denim
- Folded Paper
- Lace
- Linen
- Marble 1
- Marble 2
- Plaid
- Rope
- Square Parquet
- Stucco
- Tile
- Tufted
- Water
- Wood 1
- Wood 2
- Wood Parquet
Q: Where can I see what has been recently updated in the Artisan software?
A: We are constantly working to make Artisan software the best it can be! You can always check out our frequently updated Release Notes to see recent Artisan software updates.
Activation and Trial Mode Questions:
Q: Do I need to own Artisan® 5 before I can purchase Artisan® 6?
A: Nope! If you do not already own Artisan 5, simply go to the Artisan page of our website at www.forever.com/artisan and click on the “Buy Now” button to purchase a New License of Artisan 6.
Q: Do I need to own FOREVER Storage® to use Artisan® 6 or Artisan 6 in Trial Mode?
A: While you do not need to own FOREVER Storage to use Artisan 6 or Artisan 6 in Trial Mode, you will need to create a free Intro FOREVER Account.
Q: How long does the Trial Mode last?
A: The Trial Mode of Artisan lasts 30 consecutive days. Please note that you must be connected to the internet to use Artisan in Trial Mode.
Q: If I start in Trial Mode and use Artisan® 6 for less than 30 days, can I extend my trial period?
A: No. The software is designed to calculate the length of the trial period beginning with the day you install Trial Mode. We are not able to extend it for any reason.
Q: Do I need an Activation Code to activate my Artisan® 6 software?
A: You no longer need to enter an Activation Code to activate your software. We do all that for you! Simply purchase Artisan 6, download and install the program, open it up, and enter the email and password associated with your FOREVER Account. It’s that easy!
Q: I downloaded and opened Artisan® 6 in Trial Mode before purchasing it. How do I activate the software after purchasing it?
A: To activate Artisan 6 after using it in Trial Mode, open your Artisan 6 software and log in to your FOREVER Account. Note: If Artisan 6 is open when you purchase the New or Upgrade License, simply click on the “Activate” button at the top of the Welcome Screen to display the login window and enter your information.
Q: I purchased, downloaded, and installed Artisan® 6, but when I entered the email and password associated with my FOREVER Account, the software did not activate. What do I do now?
A: If your internet connection is interrupted during the activation process, you might have trouble opening your software for the first time. We suggest you try activating again by clicking the “Activate” button at the top of the Welcome screen to display the login window and enter your information. If it still does not work, please contact FOREVER Support at 1-888-FOREVER (1-888-367-3837) or support@forever.com. Someone will be happy to assist you.
Content Manager Questions:
Q: What does the “Get Free Art Kits” button do?
A: The “Get Free Art Kits” button will take you directly to the FOREVER Digital Art store and show you all the free art kits available for download.
Q: What does the “Import Purchased Items” button do?
A: The “Import Purchased Items” button prompts the Artisan software to check your FOREVER Account for any art kits that you purchased since activating Artisan 6 and have not downloaded yet. Simply choose which folder you want each kit to be stored in, and Artisan 6 will activate your kits for you to use at your leisure! Please note that you must be connected to the internet for your kits to download.
Q: What is the field above my digital content that says “A-Z”?
A: In Artisan 6, you can sort your digital art kits and content. The “A-Z” field has a drop-down menu for you to choose how you would like your kits to be sorted. Your options are:
• A-Z (sorts alphabetically by kit name)
• Z-A (sorts reverse alphabetically by kit name)
• Designer A-Z (sorts alphabetically by designer brand name)
• Designer Z-A (sorts reverse alphabetically by designer brand name)
• Newest First (sorts by download date, with most recent downloads first)
• Oldest First (sorts by download date, with oldest downloads first)
Please note that it is not possible to sort by multiple filters (for example, Designer +
Newest First) at this time.
Digital Art Questions:
Q: How do I import my Artisan 6® Free Digital Art Kits?
A: Please follow the directions below:
1. Open Artisan 6.
2. Click on “Manage Content” at the top of the screen.
3. Enter your FOREVER login credentials in the pop-up window.
4. Click the “Import Purchased Items” button near the upper right of the screen.
The digital art that came with your Artisan 6 purchase will begin to download.
5. When the Content Folder window displays, choose the folder that you want to put
the kits into. If you want to put all the kits that you are downloading at this time into
the same folder, choose the folder, then click the box next to “Put all Art Kits Here”.
Click “OK”.
6. If you have multiple kits to import and did not choose to put them all in the same folder,
you will need to repeat step 6 for each art kit.
7. When the kits are finished downloading and you have selected a folder for each, they
will automatically be active and ready to use.
Q: I see all my digital art kits in Content Manager, but I can’t access all of them in my project. Why?
A: Some kits contain pre-designed pages, template pages, or pixels2Pages Blueprints which are added differently than other content types such as papers and embellishments. You can access them in your project, but it takes an extra step!
To add a page to your project from one of the pre-designed, template, or Blueprint kits, go to the Home ribbon and choose “Add page”. In the drop-down menu, select “Using a template page from an art kit”. Navigate to the kit you want, select it, click on the page you want, and click the “Add page” button.
To change an existing page in your project to a page from one of the pre-designed, template, or Blueprint kits, go to the Home ribbon and choose “Template”. In the dropdown menu, select “Using a template page from an art kit”. Navigate to the kit you want, select it, click on the page you want, and click the “Change Template” button.
Q: Can I use my content from Artisan® 5 (art kits, embellishments, and more) in Artisan® 6?
A: Of course! When your Artisan 6 installation is complete and you click “Finish,” you will see a Migration Assistant window. Click the “Copy” button in that window to copy all the content you want to use into Artisan 6. (We recommend that you copy everything so your transition to Artisan 6 is as seamless as possible.) Since the system makes a copy of the content, you be able to use all of it in both Artisan 5 and Artisan 6!
Q: I didn’t see the Migration Assistant window when I installed Artisan® 6. Is there any way to access it later?
A: Absolutely. You can access the Migration Assistant window anytime by opening File Explorer and navigating to this folder: C:\Program Files\Forever\Artisan 6. Double-click on the file called “MigrationAssistant.exe” (files are listed alphabetically, so you may have to scroll down to find the file). The Artisan 6 Migration Assistant window will display. Choose the information you want to migrate (we recommend you select everything) and click “Copy”. If you have any questions, please contact FOREVER Client Care at 1-888-FOREVER (1-888-367-3837) or support@forever.com. Someone will be happy to
assist you.
Q: Will the digital art I have purchased through FOREVER®, Panstoria, and/or Creative Memories™ work in Artisan® 6?
A: Your previously purchased digital art will work in Artisan 6! The only exception is 12x12 Seamless Layflat Photo Books. This product has a different page size than Standard Photo Books so that you are able to design across 2 pages. While embellishments will still work in Seamless Layflat, art that is designed for Standard Photo Books or pages (such as papers, pre-designed pages, templates pages, and pixels2Pages Blueprints) will not. Look in our Digital Art store for new kits that are designed specifically for Seamless Layflat photo books!
Seamless Layflat Photo Book Questions:
Q: In the FOREVER® Digital Art store, I see kits with the label “Seamless Layflat” or “SLF”. What does this designation mean?
A: Artisan® 6 offers a brand-new product: Seamless Layflat Photo Books! Some of our art kits are designed specifically for this new product.
Q: What is a FOREVER Seamless Layflat Photo Book?
A: Our new premium, 12x12 FOREVER Seamless Layflat Photo Book offers pages that are approximately 24 inches wide by 12 inches high – so you can design edge-to-edge across a 2-page spread! These beautiful keepsake photo books are printed on deluxe, double thick, 225gsm lustre finished paper. We are so excited to offer this product in Artisan 6 and know you will love it as much as we do!
Q: Is a Seamless Layflat Photo Book different from a Standard Photo Book in Artisan?
A: Yes! A Seamless Layflat Photo Book and Standard Photo Book are similar but have important differences. Although both the Standard and Seamless Layflat Photo Books provide limitless customization in Artisan, a Seamless Layflat Photo Book offers a premium, unique design and print experience. While our Standard Photo Book is available in several sizes (in both Hardbound and Softbound) and features 2 individual pages side by side bound in the center of the book, our Seamless Layflat Photo Book is available only in a 12"x12" Hardbound and features one uninterrupted spread across the book’s center with no visible binding at each turn of the page. Plus, with our premium
Seamless Layflat Photo Books, each keepsake book is printed on deluxe, double thick, 225gsm lustre finished paper. This ensures that the print quality is always outstanding and perfect to use for special occasions such as a wedding, new baby, memorable vacation, vintage family history, or family yearbook.
Q: Can I convert a Standard Photo Book to a Seamless Layflat Photo Book or vice versa?
A: Because our Seamless Layflat Photo Book is a completely new and distinct product, you cannot convert existing Standard Photo Books to Seamless Layflat Photo Books or vice versa. Seamless Layflat Photo Books use one beautiful seamless spread across the center of your book, whereas a Standard Photo Book uses two individual pages bound in the center or gutter of the book. If you’d like to change from a Standard Photo Book to the new Seamless Layflat Photo Book, you can copy and paste your current individual 12x12 pages into the new Seamless Layflat Photo Book project and align in the middle. Be careful to readjust anything that goes across the middle. Photos and papers will need to be adjusted and/or replaced. Please contact FOREVER Client Care at 1-888-FOREVER (1-888-367-3837) or support@forever.com if you have any questions. Someone will be happy to assist you.
Q: Can I get a leather cover on my FOREVER Seamless Layflat Photo Book?
A: We do not offer leather covers for the Seamless Layflat Photo Books at this time.
Q: If I create a Seamless Layflat Photo Book, can I print Page Prints from that project?
A: Because pages of a Seamless Layflat Photo Book are twice as wide as the pages of a normal photo book (a 12x12 photo book has pages that are 12 inches wide x 12 inches high, while a 12x12 Seamless Layflat Photo Book has pages that are approximately 24 inches wide x 12 inches high), you cannot print Page Prints from your Seamless Layflat Photo Book. However, you can manually copy and paste content from your Seamless Layflat Photo Book into another project that is not a Seamless Layflat project to order
Page Prints! Please contact FOREVER Client Care at 1-888-FOREVER (1-888-367-3837) or support@forever.com if you have any questions.
Q: Can I add a single page at a time to my FOREVER Seamless LayflatPhoto Book?
A: Because Seamless Layflat Photo Books feature two-page spreads throughout
to allow for a seamless binding, you must purchase two pages at a time for your Seamless
Layflat Photo Book.
Q: When I right-click on a paper in the Content Panel and choose “Make background” for a page in my Seamless Layflat Photo Book, the paper appears distorted. Why does this happen and how can I fix it?
A: Papers for all kits purchased before we offered Seamless Layflat Photo Books were designed for 12x12 pages and smaller. Because our Seamless Layflat Photo Books have approximately 24x12 pages, the paper gets distorted to cover twice the width that it was designed for. However, papers that are solid color or have little or no pattern or texture will still appear normally!
Fortunately, our designers have created new digital art kits with papers sized specifically for Seamless Layflat photo books! Just go here see all the digital art that has been designed exclusively for this new product. And check back often as we will be adding new kits regularly!
If you have a favorite paper you want to use from an existing kit, there is a way to get the paper on the page without the paper being distorted. Just follow these steps:
1. Select the background of your project page.
2. Right-click on the paper you want to use.
3. Choose “Fill selected shape”
4. You will see the Cutting Board window pop-up, which allows you to select a portion
of the paper with the same ratio as the shape you want to fill. This will keep the
paper’s pattern from being distorted.
5. When you have moved the shape in the Cutting Board window to the section of the
paper that you want for your background and click “OK”.
Q: I am using a digital art kit I purchased for my Seamless Layflat Photo Book, and my project is a 12x12 Seamless Layflat project. Why doesn’t the cover from the kit display on the cover of the project?
A: Occasionally, due to the similar size of the cover and interior page of a Seamless Layflat product, the software will interchange the pre-designed cover for a pre-designed page. Please contact FOREVER Client Care at 1-888-FOREVER (1-888-367-3837) or support@forever.com so we can check the kit as occasionally there can be an error. In the meantime, you can manually select the Cover or your project, go to Home > Template, navigate to the kit you are using, and choose the cover page. This will replace
the page that Artisan 6 assigned with the actual cover page in the kit so you can continue working.