Book Reviews

How to begin your scrapbooking hobby

Are you interested in preserving your family photos? Unsure how to begin? Maybe you are a crafty kind of person, who has seen the adorable, acid free paper in your local craft store. Or maybe you have zillions of photos sitting in shoeboxes -- never being "ooohed" and "aaahed" over by anyone, just knowing there must be a better way. You may be someone who wants nothing more than to protect your photos from the destroying affects of acid and other substances. No matter who you are, if you have considered trying out scrapbooking - welcome!

One of the first steps in scrapbooking is organizing your photos. This is a big task -- actually the more photos you have stored, the bigger the job. There are different methods to organize your photos and over time, you may find a method that you prefer. However, here are some tips to get started:

Step 1: Collect all of your photos together.

Step 2: Begin sorting your photos by year.

Step 3: After sorting into years, sort each pile chronologically -- January, February, and on through December. Use shoeboxes to make an index with the newly sorted photos.

Step 4 - Supplies to Get Started: In the beginning it is best to keep it simple. Many times the most impressive scrapbook pages are those which are uncluttered. Also, realize that removing your photos from those boxes and acid-containing photos albums is the most important step in scrapbooking. What you do after this step is secondary. Your main goal with scrapbooking should be to preserve the memories.

When you first begin scrapbooking there are a few must-haves:

Albums: For your first album, you will need to decide which album best suits your needs. You will find that there is a wide variety available. You must give thought to what will work best for you, what your budget allows, and what type of album it will be.

Paper: It is important to keep in mind with all paper used for scrapbooking, that it is acid-free. You may also notice that some papers say that they are "lignin-free" and "buffered" - and both of these terms (in addition to acid-free) describe qualities which are ideal for scrapbook paper. Many crafts stores will have an assortment of paper that is ideal for archival use. The size of paper you buy will depend on the size of albums you would like to use.

Scissors: Have a pair of good, sharp scissors. You may even want to consider buying a new pair just for your scrapbooking. Decorative scissors aren't a necessity but it is nice to use them occasionally. Plain sharp scissors will be what you need most.

Photo Safe Glues and Adhesives: There is a wide variety of glues for sticking down your photographs and you will have to determine what works best for you. Some of the options include photo corners, double sided tape, glue pens, glue sticks and photo splints or squares. Be sure the adhesive is acid-free. If you would like something even less expensive, try glue sticks, like the kind that children use. There are a few acid-free brands.

Pen: An acid-free, archival quality pen for journaling is a necessity. To start off, just buy a basic black pen, and if you want, you can add to your collection later.

Sheet Protectors: Sheet or page protectors are a necessity if you are preparing your own pages to be inserted into a binder. They must be acid-free and I recommend those that are top-loading. Don't skip the page protectors as this is excellent "insurance" against fingerprints, dust, and other materials.

Resources: Once you have your photos organized and have purchased some of the essential scrapbook supplies, you are ready to begin.

10 basic design principles to guide your creativity and lend natural balance and flow to your scrapbook pages

1. Designate your focal point by choosing your layout's main photograph. Ask yourself, "Where do I want the viewer's attention to be drawn first?" Then choose your supplementary and supporting photographs.

2. Group accents and small embellishments in groups of three or five. Aesthetically, we are drawn to groupings that contain an odd number of items.

3. Place related accents close in proximity so the eye processes them as one unit.

4. Create a triangle on the page, placing photos or embellishments at each of the triangle's three points. Our eyes like that, too.

5. Create sections in multiples of two. Two sections or four sections are more aesthetically pleasing to our eyes than 3 or 5 sections.

6. Apply the "Rule of Thirds." Think of your page as a grid, divided into thirds horizontally and vertically. Place your focal point on one of the convergences of these lines.

7. Maintain balance with the size of your elements. Consider both the size and complexity of your page elements as you distribute them in your layout.

8. Achieve a natural sense of flow by placing the photographs so that the eyes of your subjects turn toward the center of the page - or toward your focal point.

9. Use repetition. Repeat shapes, textures, sizes, colors, or other attributes.

10. Sketch your favorite layouts in books and scrapbooking magazines. Try to determine which design principles are at work to create the visual appeal and work to incorporate those principles into your own layouts.

The first rule of art, however, is not to be bound by rules.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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