1. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DOCUMENT?
The first thing to do is choose the moment you want to immortalize. Once chosen, everything will be easier for you.
You can choose a theme, for example about babies, or a specific moment or story (for example, the day of their birth).
2. CHOICE OF FORMAT AND SIZE
Then you should be clear about what size album you want to use to archive it. The options are very varied, from the traditional 12 “x 12” (30.5 x 30.5 cm) size to the wide variety of sizes that you will find in mini albums.
By the way, if you want to learn how to do some of the jobs that appear in this photo, you can do so by visiting this link.
3. SELECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS
As for the choice of photographs, you will want to put them all. It is unavoidable! But in this case you will have to be selective and choose only those that are really worth it.
I’m going to give you some ideas that can help you in this task:
- Stay only with those that are well lit and well-focused. Skip the ones that are too dark or blurry.
- It is a good idea to stay not only with the photographs in which people are smiling, also choose those in which small details appear, this will help you a lot in the composition.
- Edit the photos if you think it is necessary. There are numerous editing applications and programs that will help you in this task. You can improve the light, make them black and white and edit text, for example.
- If possible, print the photos in matte as when handling them they will not be damaged by fingerprints.
4. CHOOSE YOUR COMPOSITION
Here it is necessary that you take into account one of the most used and mentioned rules to create a composition: The rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is to divide the layout into imaginary vertical and horizontal thirds. The four points resulting from the intersection of the lines that divide the thirds will be the point or points of interest. Select one as your strong point. You can choose two of them but, as far as possible, they should be opposite and form a diagonal.
The elements that we consider main will have to be placed at this point (s) since the spectator will feel a greater attraction towards him / them than if they were in the center.
Even so, remember that the rules are to be broken and that creativity consists of creating as you want.
As a personal advice, I will tell you that I usually make a sketch of what I want before starting to clarify the ideas a bit. Obviously, it almost never ends as it begins.
There is also the possibility that you use previously designed sketches. There are entire pages dedicated to this so it will be easy to find one that you like and fits what you are looking for. Skits can be a personal challenge.
As an example, I show you the following layout, which was my interpretation of the challenge for the month of January that Rut proposed to us. She suggested a sketch and this was the result.
Participating in challenges of this type is a very good way to learn.
If you are encouraged by seeing the work of a scraper, you can do what in this world is known as a scrap lift. It is about using the same sketch as another person and taking it to your field having it as a reference. You will learn a lot!
5. GET THE MATERIALS
Although to start scrapbooking you don’t need a large amount of materials, always keep in mind that they must be of quality. It is important that the papers and adhesives are acid-free so as not to damage our work and our photographs, like those of Anita and her world.
Buying scrapbooking materials will be a task that you will love but it can become a bit overwhelming since you will not know where to start.
I recommend that, at least in the beginning, you buy most of the materials from the same collection. This way you won’t go wrong. The color palette and the motifs will be the same and it will be very difficult for your work to not be in good harmony.
6. THE MOST IMPORTANT: HAVE FUN AND ENJOY YOUR SCRAPBOOK
On many occasions my friends have told me, full of frustration, something like: “it doesn’t come out” or “it doesn’t look as nice as the one in the photo. Even I have felt like this once. On these occasions I like to remember the real reason I do scrapbooking: to save my most beautiful memories.
What is really important is not the end result, the feelings you have when you contemplate that work that evokes a moment in your life matter. That a piquito did not look good or the ink did not fall where you wanted is the least. Don’t be so hard on yourself and enjoy scrapbooking!
