Scrapbook - Design Basics

Since ending my TEACH ME TO SCRAP podcast to focus on my Pink Camo podcast ..I didn't want this information to be lost. I had spend a good bit of time pulling this information together for one of my first podcasts. So here you go.

Basic Design Concepts

There are plenty of sites to get layout sketches and floor plans for scrapbooking.

You need to arrange items on your page in a phasing manner

Elements of a Page

1. Pictures
2. Journaling
3. Title or Focal Point
4. Paper
5. Embellishments - The Jewelry of your layout

Dimension
1D - Looking just at flat photographs
2D - Photo plum limited amount of reporter style writing
3D - Memories, photos with journeying ....tells a deeper story.


Everything Starts With A Line

A line connects two pints in space

• Find two elements on one of your favorite pages that repeat, For example, 2 photos, 2 embellishments, 2 areas of journaling.
• Find the imaginary line between them and THAT is your line.

• The reason for lines is to connect areas your page

• Items need to be in 3D / In a triangle
• Everything should be in 3's, in a triangle, 3 lines forming a triangle.

Shapes

• Don't cut your photo's like lucky charms
• Don't mix anything more than 3 any one thing. (fonts, shapes, etc)

Scale

• If you mix large items with small items together on your page ...it could and up unbalance if not placed strategically.
• If you add a very tiny flower next to a photo in a large space ..your photo will look lost.
• You can add the tiny flower on the photo and mat and give the matted photo more visual weight.

Balance (Building a triangle, Design Balance)

• Colors can build balance you can use different hues, shades and tints
• Stuck with balancing colors
• You colors should be balanced with your title and topic

Contrast

• When choosing two shades of the same color select different shades from the opposite ends of the color spectrum.
• Contrast makes things look 3D
• Balance things that are close up with things that are far away (the yin and the yang)

Texture

• Texture is the other balance.
• Use different textures such as: crinkling, textured card stock, marbled paper
• You can also use visually textured embellishments

*** ALWAYS REMEMBER THE RULE OF THREE. YOU WANT TO REPEAT YOUR DESIGN ELEMENT 3 TIMES ON YOUR PAGE IN A TRIANGLE.

White Space

• You need to leave white space for your page to breathe.
• Empty/White space gives a clean feeling and also adds balance
• Think about the page needing needing air and that things could be crowded for the page to breathe.

Mixing Fonts

• Stick to three fonts, for example 1 handwritten and 2 printed.

Textures

• Stamps. buttons, ribbons, flowers, fibers and metals (metals with the same finish)

• By adding an three of these textures the eye can perceive the texture without touching it.
  

• You can also layer papers to create dimension.

***** SCRAPBOOKING = 80% INSTRUCTION AND 20% PERSONAL INTUITION *****