Six Tips for Layout Design

Have you ever had the sense that your layout designs felt a little "off"?

I stick with the following six principles when creating our monthly layout cards and pre-assembled page designs.

1. Focal Images
Think of your page as a theater production. Select the best photos to be the "leading characters." Those images will be featured on the full 4x6 single or double mattes. In our July Layout Sketch (included each month with your membership), there are two double-matted spots for focal images and two additional co-stars with single mattes.

2. Groups
Compliment focal images with groups of smaller items. These are the "supporting characters" of your theater production. This sketch has several sets of sub groups. The smaller spots can also be an ideal location for journaling or non-photo embellishments.

3. Anchoring Strips
This is the "backstage crew" of your production! Anchor elements on the layout with 12" strips to prevent that uncomfortable "floating" feeling. Anchors can vary in width and be created with strips of paper, ribbons or even a row of stamped images. I like to alternate with horizontal and vertical anchoring strips.

4. Anchoring Blocks
In addition to strips, another helpful grounding tool is a block of solid or printed paper beneath a group of items. I frequently use complete sheets of 8.5x11 paper as an anchoring block. It also subdivides the page into smaller areas and can make the space seem less overwhelming.

5. Spacing
I like to separate elements on the page with equal spacing within groups. Notice how all of the elements on the double page spread have a perimeter of roughly the same distance. This helps create a cohesive feeling within the group. Avoid trying to distribute the pieces to the top, bottom and outside edges.

Note the difference in the page below with the lack of anchoring, grouping, and spacing principles.

6. Tangents

A tangent simply indicates that two things are touching. And not in a good way. Avoid a tangent created by two corners/edges touching or aligning with one another. The first illustration below shows ideal placement of corners.

Study the differences in the layout below to discover the newly-formed tangents. The vertical anchoring strip is aligned with the edge of the anchor block, and the photo matte in the lower right corner forms a tangent with the right edge of the page. The other newly-formed corner tangents are not as problematic, but the above layout is a better arrangement.

Here is a real-life layout using July's Oopsie Daisy Layout Sketch with papers from the collection:

It translates quite well, doesn't it? Adapting the layout sketch is easy once you know the basic principles. I was able to preserve the tall water tower image by adding it to the grouping on the bottom half of the left page. The anchoring strip was also a terrific place for my page title.

Members, don't forget to download your layout sketches every month for instant inspiration and complete paper trimming instructions.

Have fun and design well!
Tricia

Graffiti's Gelli Plate Frame-Up

I had another fun play date with my new Gelli Printing Plate. Oh my, if you haven't gotten one yet . . . we can fix that! We have them right in the store!

I had all sorts of fun impressions after my session with the plate, and wondered what I could make with the colorful panels. This is where I landed:

If you want to play along, here's what you'll need to do . . .

1. Remove the protective plastic film from the plate and squirt a few dabs of acrylic paint onto the plate. (My daughter came home from the store with these colors and said she thought they were so fun! I took them from her. Shhhhh . . .)

2. Spread the paint onto the plate with a brayer.

3. Add texture to the rolled out paint by stamping the plate with the splatter noise image on the Graffiti Art Nouveau UM. Stamp the paint-loaded image onto a separate sheet of paper each time, and you'll get a bonus sheet of artwork!

4. Press a piece of plain white paper onto the plate and burnish to make excellent contact over the entire surface. Lift, and say, "Ahhhh!"

5. Repeat. Once you get the mess going, you'll want to keep playing until you have several sheets to work with. I made more than eight different impressions and could have played all afternoon! Clean the gelli plate, brayer and stamps when finished.

6. Trim a set of twelve 2.5" squares from the parent art sheets. Stamp the art squares with assorted images from the Graffiti collection. Matte with 2.75" black squares. (TIP: You'll get sixteen 2.75" mattes from one sheet of 12x12 paper, or twelve 2.75" mattes from one sheet of 8.5x11 paper.)

7. Gaze at all of that yummy color and texture. Oh, my. Then, plan your 12x12 page. The 2.75" squares make a perfect, equally-spaced border around the outside edges. Use a grid ruler to assist with alignment.

8. Create a page title with a Graffiti Lite cutapart and painted alphabet Thickers.

9. Add a caption or journaling directly onto an art square with your favorite black journaling pen.

10. Stand back. Admire. Long for another afternoon with your gelli plate.

Life is beautiful, indeed.
Tricia

ALSB Shortcuts...

. . . are one great way to make your precious Club Scrap papers go further for you.

I know I have my own ways to stretch my monthly kits, and here are just a few of them. (Not a monthly member yet? Click HERE to sign up!)

I love the ALSB instructions that are provided so generously by Club Scrap every month. Who wouldn't love someone taking all the guess work out of what to do with all those wonderful papers and supplies we receive!

I thought it would helpful for you to see the instructions and layout style I was working with today.  This is layout 11 & 12 from the Spring Chorus Collection:

I am a Club Scrap kit member, which ships on the 1st of the month, and this kit has it all.

Many of the layouts incorporate 8.5x11 papers in conjunction with the 12x12 base pages. They act as anchors for the pages.

To salvage the base paper underneath the 8.5x11 paper, I begin by flipping over the 12 x 12 sheet and tracing the 8.5 x 11 paper (upside so not to get any pencil on that paper) onto it.

Using my rotary trimmer (a craft knife and self healing mat would be perfect for this cutting procedure too), I cut 1/2 inch inside the traced image of the paper. This gives the 8.5x11 sheet a place to be attached onto the base paper.

Then I flipped over the base paper, added ATG adhesive to the back of my 8.5x11 sheet and attached to my base page.  *Special note: I also stick clear tape to the back side of my layout just to ensure the pieces stay together correctly and to keep them from hooking onto my page protectors as I am sliding in my finished pages.

The right side of this layout used another trick. Typically the instructions direct us to lay the white print over top of the blue base paper. I didn't want to hide (lose) the paper under the long white print piece.  I made marks on the back of the paper to show where the white print would lie on the base paper.

I trimmed the small section out of the large base paper.

I positioned the paper on my Tonic trimmer so they are all lined up with the 12x12 mark, I ran ATG  tape on the base paper pieces and then adhered the 7x12 white print paper on top. Having the papers on the trimmer keeps all of them lined up and squared at 12 x 12 inches.

I used the extra blue paper I saved from this layout to create some of the flowers and mini album mattes from my Spring Chorus Blog Hop project. If you missed it you can see it HERE.

Here are the bases just waiting for completion. :)















I really hope you found these paper-saving shortcuts helpful.  
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Julie Heyer

Five Scrapbooking Tips

First, I want to start out by saying that I don't have an art degree. I was a piano performance major. However, I've been blessed to be surrounded by lots of talent and have picked up a few great tips along the way.

I thought it would be cool to pass along what I've gleaned, just in case you might find it helpful.

1. No need to waste adhesive.
When I'm teaching a workshop, I'm amazed by the variety and sheer amount of adhesive that some folks use. I find that I use many different types of adhesive depending on the job. (I could do a blog or two about that!) But one thing is certain, you typically do not need adhesive around the entire perimeter of every layer on your project. I just put a 1/2" piece in each corner. If the piece is larger, I might add a bonus square at the center of each outside edge. My pages hold together just fine. And if I change my mind about placement, it's a little easier to make a move. Plus, take the money you'll save on tape runner and invest in a Club Scrap membership. Just sayin'.

2. Drop an anchor.
Elements on a page seem well-placed when anchored with something like a border strip or ribbon. Anchors make me happy. Stuff floating around aimlessly makes me sad. Notice the Burgundy strip on the right side of this page giving that photo matte and caption element a happy home? The strip on the upper left page also anchors the embellishment. Anchor your embellies, too! Avoid having lone brads floating around with no place to call home. Nothing worse than a sad 'n lonely brad.

3. Safety in groups.
Three makes a nice number in two different spots on this double page spread. Think of the two largest photo mattes as a spot for your "main characters" of the page, and the smaller groupings as a home for the "supporting cast members." The sets of three smaller photos will serve as a great opportunity to complement the two larger feature photos.

4. Maintain streets and avenues.
Think of the vertical/horizontal spaces between your photos as streets and avenues. I try to maintain equal space on my roads. For example, rather than placing your page elements flush with the outside edge of your base paper, group them together toward the center of the page with about 1/8" space between them. You can see that happening on the left side of this page. Each item is separated by the same amount of space, and it gives the elements a grouped feeling. If those same pieces were shoved to the outside edges, I might cry a little.

5. Beware of dangerous intersections.
Sticking to the streets 'n avenues concept, I try to avoid what would be a "four-way intersection" where the corners of four elements meet in the same spot. I typically move the page elements around until it "feels right" to me. Notice the mattes on the right side of this page . . . you see a lot of "T" intersections rather than the dreaded four-way. I really hope that makes sense. If not, just ignore me.

If you lack a little confidence in this area, enter Assembly Line Scrapbooking. A lot of consideration is given to happy placement of your page elements. You can follow along with the instructions and know that you've been pointed in the right direction! There really is a rhyme and reason behind those carefully constructed layouts! Remember, page assembly instructions are included with each of our monthly kits and all special edition collections, so you can't go wrong.

The sample pages shown above are from our brand new Bookshelves collection. Join and get your kit delivered before it's gone!

I leave you with a scrapbooking blessing. . .
May your pages be blessed with anchors, groups, streets, avenues, and T intersections.

Creatively yours!
Tricia