How to Design Layouts for Scrapbooks - My 7 Elements of Design

One of my first questions as a new scrapbooker was "How do I design layouts?" I felt quite awkward placing embellishments and pictures on my pages till I worked out a few basic design elements.

Although people do not always agree on what the Elements and Principles of Design actually are, I have decided that the following seven help me! If you have never seen these design elements before, they just might help you feel more confident about making stunning layouts, too.

NOTE: Always remember that you are aiming to please your own self when designing your scrap book pages. Whatever pleases you is right. As for my Elements of Design? Once you have noted them, use them however you like - to help you determine if a page needs something, or to help you work out what else you could do with your photos, or to scrap within a particular style, or to draw attention to just the right place on your page.

My Elements are not meant to take the place of your own creativity and sense of what is right for your own scrap book! They are there to be tools for you to use as and when you wish.

What is an Element of Design anyway? To me, it is one of the most basic and visible of things. The Elements of your layouts will always be the things that are obvious and noticable to your viewers.

1. Line - Lines can be drawn or painted. They can also be formed when two or more shapes meet on a page. The eye will follow a line. They can be used to draw the eye, emphasise an area of the page, or create a mood when you consider the direction they are going in as well (see Element no 3, 'Direction')






2. Shape - can be geometric (a circle, square, etc) or organic (such as a leaf shape or splashes of water etc). Making a positive shape automatically produces a negative one as well. Shapes can help add meaning and interest to your page. I find triangles can often produce balance and interest on my pages.






3. Direction - what direction are your lines going in? Horizontal lines suggest peace, calm, stability and strength. Vertical lines can create balance, add formality to the page, or make the viewer alert to something (think of an exclamation mark and what effect that has on you as a reader). Diagonal lines can suggest movement and action. For example, by placing your photos square on to the page, you are creating both horizontal and vertical lines. By tilting them to one side, you are adding oblique lines. Try both ways when scrapping a page to see what you like best.






4. Size - the relationship between shapes on a page - how much space does one shape take up compared to another? Are you happy that there is balance with the size of elements on your page?






5. Texture - a favourite element of scrap bookers these days. You can make things rough, smooth, creased, folded, soft, hard, glossy, sanded and so on. Texture is actual on traditional layouts and visual only in digital scrapbooking but what depth it adds to any page! People notice texture and want to touch it, regardless of whether it is 'real' or not.






6. Colour - every scrap booker needs to consider the shades of colour (or hue) being used on the page. Does it complement or contrast with your subject? Do you want clashing colours? Colour is always noticed on layouts. These days, more photos are being printed in black and white, which can add drama and interest to your pages, and is more related to Element No 7, Value.






7. Value - the lightness or darkness of a colour. Another name for Value is Tone. When we alter our photos to turn up the contrast in them or to turn it down, we are adding an element of 'value' to that photo. The greater the difference between light and dark areas in a photograph, the more attention we pay to that area. Subtle contrast (or value) gives another feel to our photos and pages - think vintage or shabby chic.

And there you have my seven Elements of Design. I hope they help you when you are designing your own layouts. Always remember that the Elements of a Design are the things that are noticed and obvious on a page. If you want more information and a short video on how to apply the Elements of Design to your pages, go to my website here:

http://www.papercraftcentral.com/design-layouts.html

The Elements of Design are only one dimension to think about when designing your layouts. Next time I will talk about my interpretation of Principles of Design, some of the more subtle aspects of page layouts. I hope you will join me then!