I often read complaints on message boards from scrapbookers who are unhappy when they aren’t able to find many layouts to “scraplift†from a particular issue of a magazine.
This criteria for what makes a magazine issue “good†interests me, since I don’t scraplift other people’s layouts. Clearly, I have a different set of criterion for what will make a magazine worth its money. I decided to conduct an activity that would illustrate how you can take inspiration from layouts that have a different style, topic, or number of photos, from what you have.
On Tuesday night for Paperclipping Live I challenged Dedra Long and myself to take inspiration from one of the layouts in the gallery. We chose Iraida’s layout, “Oh No He Di’nt!†which is the second layout down in this posting.
My Layout
I liked how Iraida juxtaposed a circular formation with her horizontal block of photos. I also liked the vertical line on the left. I made these two elements my starting point. I found a photo and a piece of green memorabilia (no longer on the layout) and went to work with the idea of an overall perpendicular structure and a circle of some kind behind it. All of the other elements of my page, such as colors, paper layering, embellishments, title placement/topic, and journaling placement, would come from within myself.
As I worked on my layout, I found that I wasn’t enjoying any of my attempts at a vertical line, so I tossed that idea and focused on the horizontal block with a circle behind it. I also didn’t like how my green piece of memorabilia added an uncomplimentary sixth color to my combination. It was just too much. I decided to save the piece for another layout and stuck with the photo, instead.
Iraida’s Layout
One thing you may have noticed if you watched Paperclipping Live is that Dedra and I never once looked back to the original layout that inspired ours. We studied it once, decided which elements stood out to us that we might use ourselves, and then mashed those ideas with our own way of scrapbooking.
When I look at magazines, I don’t normally specify a layout like this to work from. I do spend a lot of time studying many of the layouts. I study not only the ones that I love, but also the ones I don’t. I ask myself why that layout isn’t working for me. This says nothing about the talent of the original scrap-artist; it just helps me to better understand my own preferences. I also ask myself what about the layout got the editor’s attention. Maybe there is something I can glean from that layout, even if the colors or style or design focus is not me.
All of these observations go into my head to combine with previous ideas and my own way of doing things. When I sit down to scrap it’s my head and feelings I take with me, not my magazines.
Dedra’s Layout
Dedra was also attracted to the circular shape on Iraida’s layout and felt inspired to use a circular piece of paper she had in her stash as the foundation of her page. She also loved that Iraida was willing to use a blurry photo because it supported a story she wanted to tell. Dedra decided to go with one of her own blurry photos, which tells a story about something her daughter regularly does right now.
With just those two pieces of inspiration, Dedra was armed and ready to work her classic Dedra-style into a layout truly her own.
Taking Inspiration vs. Scraplifting
I am not saying people shouldn’t scraplift. I think scraplifting is an important part of learning to scrapbook, either as a beginner, or as veteran who wants to try something new. But if you find yourself dependent on scraplifting for many of your layouts, how can your own personality shine through? And if you require scrapliftable layouts from magazines or online scrapbooking sources, perhaps you’re not getting as much as you could out of them.
More On Style
Over the next week we will spend a lot more time talking about personal style. We’ll talk about discovering it and expanding it. I’ll share the story of my own style journey. And you’ll get to see more from Dedra as we conduct an style-exchange experiment. Stay tuned!
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Journaling on Noell’s page is written to Trinity and reads: Trinity, you often tell me how cute Aiden is. I love how much you adore him; how you play with him; take care of him. Such a doting big sister. What a lucky boy he is.
It goes the other way, too, though. Recently Aiden asked if he can have another girlfriend. “Who’s your first girlfriend? I asked, bewildered. “Trinity.” He answered. He’s got such a wonderful sister, he figured that another one will be double the fun and love. He also asked me once if he could marry you, since Mom’s already taken. Give love and you usually get it back.
Journaling on Dedra’s Layout is written to Ellie and reads: There is no doubt you have the gift for making very silly faces…Silly faces and constant giggling make for a not so perfect photo that I will always cherishl…This picture is the proof…
