Scrapbooking Made Simple - Designing Your Layout

For many people, the page layout is the most overwhelming part of the entire scrapbooking project, especially if you aren't artistic naturally. For you that weren't born with scissors in one hand and a color pallet in the other, here are a few tricks to aid in making your scrapbooking design layouts look amazing.

A layout is usually done on one sheet or two sheets that face each other, depending on the number of pictures you are planning on using. Begin by picking a picture that will be the focus of your design, then allow the subject and colors to help you decide on a theme.

For example, a little girl bending over to examine a butterfly during your last trip to the park might make you think of a woodland theme, a playground theme or even a butterfly theme. If more than one picture will be utilized, make sure they all feature the same theme. One sheet can hold from three to six pictures depending on the size of the photos.

Color is significant when planning a scrapbooking layout. Usually the concept that less is more is a good rule of thumb, and make sure you have no more than three different colors per layout. You want the picture to be the main point, not the rainbow of colors behind it. Experiment with paper of different tones and patterns, placing your photo on top until you create a combination that makes your photo jump out.

Of those three colors you've chosen, the most used and dominant color ought to be a neutral like white, pale blue, beige or gray. The second shade will be used as a highlighter. It won't be used as often as the first, and should match an important feature of your photo like the material in a child's dress or the color of her eyes. The third shade is will add interest and must coordinate with both of the other two colors.

Always choose your colors come from the same cool or warm shade group. Hues from the warm color family are those with red, orange and yellow shades, while hues in the cool family are predominantly shades of blue and green.

Once you have a theme and colors, you can start playing with different arrangements. Place your pictures on the base paper and experiment with various groupings and layouts to get an idea of how they look best. Consider the following suggestions:

1. Photos that relate to one another should be arranged near each other.
2. Group pictures together in even multiples.
3. Choose only the best photos to use in your layout, and don't feel like they all have to appear.
4. Make the eye of the viewer flow through your photos by using various sized photo shapes and tilting them at different angels on the page. You can overlap photos as well.
5. Keep trying different arrangements until you are happy with the results.

Before we finish, I'd like to mention cropping and matting. Cropping is a central part of making exciting and dynamic scrapbooking pages and is done by trimming your photograph to remove extra background images, and make the main feature of your photograph more prominent. Also, cropping will let you to fit more pictures onto a sheet of paper. Typically, square and rectangle shaped cropping is the norm, but think about other attractive shapes such as circles and ovals. But remember, less is more when it comes to diversity of shapes.

Matting is the method of mounting your picture to form an eye-catching and flattering border. It is one of the most fundamental additions you can use in your design and is the trait that gives many scrapbooks their completed appearance. Matting can be done with paper (solid or patterned), cardstock or even poster paint. Pictures can be matted on several different layers of mounting paper, and can be thin or wide. Matting is sometimes simple and plain or embroidered with silk flowers or trim, and can act as a label for pictures.

Enjoy working with your scrapbook, play and let your imagination flow. There is no wrong or right method of scrapbooking.

Deanne Blackhurst is a freelance writer for Memories Unlimited, your online source for discount scrapbooking materials and supplies. Get kits, paper, adhesives and more for way under retail price. If you're a scrapbooking fan, then you have to visit us today at http://www.memoriesunlimitedonline.com/