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Do you ever feel embellishment-challenged? One of my favorite ways to use embellishments is to cluster them. In this episode I share some tips on how to do that.
This episode is in the archives. To learn how to access the archives, please visit the membership information page.
Add interest to a page that needs something more by wrapping rub-on words or phrases around a main element of your layout.
I used phrases from the “Fortune-The Story” sheet of 7 Gypsies rub-on’s, alternating fonts for variety and balance.
If you have one word in particular that you want to stand out, (in my case, it was the word, “passion”) place your word one-third the way across the length of the space.
You can read more about the one-third principle in my previous post, Photography: Centered Equals Boring.
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Videographer In-Training
12×12 2-page layout
Journaling to my son reads: How unusual and fortunate; at 9-years-old it became clear what you want to do. You want to go into film animation. it is a unique compilation of your skills, intersts, natural talents, and the daily experience of having a videographer for a ather.
You’ve already picked the university that will get you there: The Vancouver Film School in Canada. You are gifted verbally and love to write. You’ll be writing great stories. You teach yourself grahics animation and download software for it.
You also work with Dad on his video projects. You are creative. I can’t wait to see what you do with all that you are!
Products used: Cardstock (Bazzill); Patterned paper (Basic Grey, Imagination Project); Letter stickers (Thickers for American Crafts, Creative Memories); Rub-on’s (7 Gypsies); Brads (source unknown); Pen (American Crafts).
I haven’t figured out the psychology behind it yet, but a photo where the subject is in the center tends to be a boring photo.
Maybe it’s because things that are centered seem static, whereas subjects that are to the side suggest movement and life.
Or maybe it is just foreign to nature for things to situate themselves in the dead center of their surroundings. Whatever the reason, the preference for off-centered subjects is so prevalent, people often refer to the design principle as a rule.
The Rule Of Thirds states that if you were to put a tic-tac-toe type grid over your frame, you would position your subject on one of the two vertical lines, rather than in the center. Try to place the eyes, or the most important part of the subject, at the top horizontal line.
Neither of the pictures below are perfect (see the next paragraph for one reason), but you can see by comparing the two that the off-centered one is much more interesting.
How do you know whether to put the subject on the left or right vertical line? If the subject is facing the camera straight on, then it tends to look more appealing if your subject is on the right (unless there is something else to the right that you want to feature in the photo. Sometimes a straight-on shot is best in the center if it is close-up).
But if the subject is tilted a certain direction, even if it is slight, then he or she should face the direction of the empty space. This gives the viewer a chance to follow the direction of the eyes or the body of the subject without being cut off by the edge of the photo.
If your subject is not in the center and you’re using automatic focus, you have to “trick” your camera to get a clear image of the subject. Cameras automatically focus on the center of the frame. To do this, first place your subject at the center of the frame, hold the button half-way down, then, with your finger still on the button, move the camera right or left until the subject is where you want them. Now you’re ready to take the picture.
If this is new to you, you will love the results of this one small change. The only challenge is scrapbooking them uncropped because you don’t want to wreck the composition.
Here are the layouts from episode 13 of Paperclipping. These layouts are harder to photograph and the parts of the titles don’t stand out well in the photo (although, it does it person). You can click on these photos and then click on “all sizes” to see a larger view.
And if you haven’t watched the video yet, definitely go
This is what the backside of the layout looked like after I covered the staples.
Here is the backside after I scrapped it.
The only things I hid were the staples and the back of the original photo. I then worked within the solid space to be sure that nothing I added would peek through to the other side.
I decided to let the title on the first side show through to the back. You might be tempted to back the title with paper or a swipe of paint to prevent backward letter stickers from showing through to the other side. That would be fine, but I decided to put the title directly on the transparency as a design element for the backside.
How do the backward letters work as a design element? We’ve all used patterned paper where part of the pattern is text that we don’t actually read. It’s just there for added texture and design. That is the idea I had for the lettering that shows through to this side.
Here is the duplicate I made of the front cover layout of the Jul/Aug issue of Simple Scrapbooks (it is a duplicate except in color and title).
Did you notice the flower on the first side whose petal hung off the layout? I used the back of that petal as a spot to add an embellishment that would balance the red on the other side.
Tami Young mentioned a concern that I had wanted to address in the video. Here is what she said in a comment:
You’re so creative! I still am hesitant, though, because couldn’t the next page in the album destroy the beautiful look? I’ve always put a solid color behind the transparent, but I love what you’ve done… so I guess I’m saying I’m still on the fence, but still love how creatively you made the pages!
Yes, the next layout in the album does show through. In my opinion, it adds a bit of interest, making you want to see what it is on the other side. I see it as a page-turner. All you have to do is lift the page to get the full effect of the transparent layout by itself.
Try putting your transparent layouts in the protectors without a cardstock backing and see how you like it. Everybody’s taste is different, so you may not care for it. I think it looks pretty cool.
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Inside Your Head
8.5×11 layout
Products used: Transparency (Hambly); Cardstock (Bazzill); Letter stickers (Creative Memories); Word strips (cut out from Wired magazine); Pen (Creatie Memories); Paint (Grumbacher); other (staples, date sticker unknown source).
Make Me Proud
8.5xll layout
Products used: Transparency (Hambly); Cardstock (Bazzill, Creative Memories); Patterned paper (Basic Grey, Creative Memories); Letter stickers (Creative Memories, E.K. Success); “You” stamp and ink (Stampin’ Up); Journal spot (Heidi Swapp for Advantus); Rub-on (K.I. Memories); Brads (Making Memories); Pen (American Crafts).
T
almost an 8.5×11 layout
Products used: Cardstock (Stampin’ Up); Flower embellishment (cut out by tracing a K&Co. flower sticker); Rub-on (American Crafts); Brads (Making Memories); Metal tag and string (source unknown).
Artist
almost an 8.5×11 layout
Products used: Cardstock (Stampin’ Up); Patterned paper (Creative Memories, other source unknown); Stamp and ink (Stampin’ Up); Rub-on’s (7 Gypsies, K&Company, Basic Grey, Daisy D’s, My Mind’s Eye); Circle sticker (Creative Imaginations); Pen (American Crafts).
Another episode of Paperclipping is out and this time I deal with irregular-shaped and transparent layouts! What do you do with those when it’s time to put them in your album? Watch the video to see what I do with mine!
This episode is in the archives. To learn how to access the archives, please visit the membership information page.
I will post photos of the layouts from this episode within the next day or two. Enjoy!
