Scrapbooking is more than just throwing some photos on a page. Attractive layout designs are not hard to do, but they take some planning. The time taken to craft a cohesive layout design will be rewarded with an inviting and interesting scrapbook page.
Size and Shape of Page
The size of the page is usually dictated by the type of scrapbook being used, which can be square or rectangular. A square page has a different look than a rectangular page, so the layout should be approached differently. The extra width of a horizontal page can be used by placing a vertical headline to one side or to highlight a series of action photos in a row. The symmetry of square pages is useful for layouts that are balanced side to side and top to bottom.
Number of Photos
The unified theme of the page is more important than the number of photos on it. It is best to choose related photos; for example, several photos of one child, or pictures from a specific event or day, or pictures that tell a story. Cropping the photos gets rid of extra background and unwanted elements. Adding frames or matting gives them a finished look.
Color Scheme
Attractive layout designs have a unified color scheme rather than random colors. A color scheme of ten starts with a dominant color in the photo or photos being used. For example, a child wearing a bright red dress or a green shirt. Another source for a color scheme is the theme of the page. Pastel blue or pink for a new baby, oranges and reds for Fall, red and green for Christmas are some examples.
A big part of the color scheme will be the background paper chosen, but two or three coordinating colors should be added. Using elements in these colors rather than picking items at random is a technique that keeps the page unified. Searching for examples of color schemes on the Internet or using items that come from the same scrapbooking kit are two ways to get ideas for color schemes.
Focal Point
The first thing someone sees when looking at a page should be the focal point. But the focal point doesn't have to be right in the middle, or at the very top of a page. Elements that will overwhelm the page and distract from the focus should be passed over in favor of ones that fit with the theme and don't compete for attention. It's okay to make a page with only one photo in order to highlight it. With digital scrapbooking, a photo can be enlarged or even used more than once to draw attention to it.
Other Tips
There are basic layout techniques to follow that help create attractive pages. Items that are related should go close together so they are seen as one thing. This can be a group of elements around a photo, or different words that form a headline or journaling element. Grouping elements into the shape of a triangle or planning sections of the page in groups of two can create engaging layouts.
Appealing pages often follow the rule of thirds: dividing the page into a 3 x 3 grid, and putting focal items where the grid lines intersect. Balancing the page by placing an element in the opposite corner from the focal point is another good layout technique.
Page flow is also important; a photo should not be placed so that a person is looking off the page, or that with an element that points away from the photos. All page elements should draw the eye toward the middle and toward the photos.
Journaling
Journaling should not be added as an after-thought. Its location and how much space it will take up should be planned, as well as what size and shape it will be. Writing it out on a scrap page will help plan how it will fit before the final version is written. Or it can be written on a separate sheet and cut to fit as a page element. Digital scrapbookers can choose a font that looks like handwriting and can resize it to get it to fit the page layout.
The color scheme should be applied that to the journaling by choosing a coordinating color for the font or the pen used to write the journaling text, and the paper you choose for the journaling element.
Putting it in Practice
Page layout principles can help those who design scrapbook pages using paper scrapbooks or digital techniques. The best option is to plan out the layout, picking a focal point and sticking to a unified color scheme.
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