Layout Design Ideas for Your Scrapbook
Finding just the right layout idea for your new scrapbook can be frustrating, time-consuming and strain your creative flow.
By constantly pressuring yourself to come up with some unique ideas you'll be missing out on the excitement and the joy that comes from pulling together your memories and presenting them to the world.
There is no denying that there are times when you have trouble beginning a page, deciding on color, photos or how you'll express yourself in this particular scrapbook.
Here are a couple of tips that'll help you get started laying out a scrapbook that will bring you joy for months and years to come.
Tip 1
Use color blocking to create a grid color background as the base of your page.
Simply, you choose two or three colors of paper that coordinate with your photos, block off a sheet of background paper into quadrants, cut your colored paper to fit the dimensions of the blocked area and use acid-free glue to adhere the colored paper to the background grid.
Over the top of this you add your photos, embellishments and any journaling.
With the number of cutting tools available today the edges of the background blocks can be made to look like whatever you want.
Tip 2
New scrapbookers usually find using scrapbook sketches makes the creative process much easier. These sketches give the crafter an approach that is easy way to create layouts using multiple images.
You can find free sketches, purchase sketches or even draw your own sketches and use a color copy machine to reproduce them for your book.
Personal Tip
I like to keep my scrapbook pages really simple but also elegant. The focus is on the photo and telling a story rather than creating a heavily embellished page like in other types of scrapbooking.
Tip 3
A single photo layout for your scrapbook will give you several advantages. These often are more simplistic and allow you to showcase a truly artistic image. This leaves you more room for journaling and recording specific events or memories from the event that will mean something to readers for years to come.
And, one outstanding photo is often a better choice than several lower standard images. This is the best technique when it comes to scrapbooking your family history.
Tip 4
There are many websites that have huge galleries of layouts for you to get inspiration from. I have added my own pages here. Use magazine advertising, home decor magazines and greeting cards as inspiration for your original pages.
As you gain experience you'll see ideas in photos, embellishments and journaling in the world around you.
Tip 5
When putting together your pages decide on a focal point first. Ask yourself, "Where do I want the viewer’s attention to be drawn first?"
Tip 6
Place embellishments and accents that are related to each other in close proximity so that the viewer’s eye will process them as one unit.
Tip 7
When designing your pages consider both the size and the complexity of the elements that you place on them and as you distribute them on your page. This will have a large impact on how the eye travels across the page and whether or not the viewer will perceive it to be engaging.
Tip 8
Scrapbook pages can be made around specific themes, like wedding photos from all parts of the family tree. But in family history scrapbooking you may want to keep to doing a scrapbook for each line of your family tree.
Tip 9
And the last tip is to remember that art is not bound by rules. There are basics of what our eyes are naturally attracted to which should guide you in the beauty that you create in your pages. But pulling together layouts for your scrapbook is based upon your desires, needs and personal tastes.
