Make a Scrapbook Page

Scrapbooks are a great way to immortalize a memory. With a scrapbook, you can create homemade art that showcases a certain memory or idea. Anything from text and drawings to construction paper and glued-on photographs can be used to bring a scrapbook to life. Like any homemade craft, the possibilities of a scrapbook are virtually endless, but there are some central ideas you should consider if you're getting serious about this art form.

Steps

Collecting Scrapbook Material

1. Decide on an important theme for your scrapbook. No matter if you're creating a full scrapbook or a single page, the inspiration behind the scrapbook should be emotionally significant to you. You'll have more fun and create a more meaningful scrapbook if you choose a theme that's important to you.
   • Some popular themes for scrapbooks include: family vacations, holidays, graduations, births, weddings, friends, or school.
2. Incorporate relevant photos and memorabilia. Collecting materials for a scrapbook may include many things, from photographs to newspaper clippings from a certain date. If you're looking for an older specific date, it may take you longer to find photographs or materials to use. While you can easily find material online, try looking for personal materials.
   • Ask family members for photographs, family trees, or souvenirs that they've collected over time.
3. Write down thoughts that summarize the theme. If you're collecting materials for a scrapbook, take time to think about the memory itself. These thoughts should be written down as they happen. If you think of something pithy or engaging, you may be able to use it as part of the text in your final product.
   • Talk to family members or friends involved in the memory to gather their memories or thoughts. You can also use these for the scrapbook.
4. Keep your content consistent. A scrap page won't offer a lot of space, so it's important to choose a theme for each page and follow the concept. This will keep the layout from looking unorganized or overwhelming.
   • For example, you could designate one page for a relationship you had with a specific friend or a special day you celebrated.

Planning the Layout

1. Plan layers for your scrapbook. A good scrapbook will consist of several different layers to give texture to each page. Gluing sheets of construction paper on top of one another will create a three-dimensional impression. Make the layers progressively smaller as you stack them to create an image that really stands out.
   • You may need to measure out the pieces of paper so that you can fit multiple shapes and layers on your scrapbook pages.
2. Color coordinate the page to the theme. Try to use some basic color theory to support each scrapbook page. Colors can make you feel an immediate emotional response so decide what tone you want to convey for each page. For example, warm colors (like reds, yellows, and oranges) are energizing. You may want to use these colors for a sports or athletic scrapbook page.
   • Cool colors (like blues, greens, and purples) are calming. These would be good colors to use for baby scrapbooks or relaxing vacations.
   • Neutral colors (like browns and grays) are considered safe to use in most any situation.
3. Use all of your scrapbook space. Whether or not you're using a standard printer page or a full-blown poster sheet, you only have a given amount of space to say what you want. With this in mind, every bit of planning you do for a scrap page should keep the amount of space in mind. Discard less important ideas in favor of better ones and give the central ideas more space.
   • Placement on the page is also important to consider. In general, the center of a page will be the most eye-catching. You can put less important concepts on the borders or edges.

Putting the Scrapbook Together

1. Give your scrapbook a title. Even text itself can be considered part of the art on a scrapbook page. Choose a fitting title for your scrapbook and write it in using your best calligraphy. If you are unskilled with cursive writing, bubble letters also work well for this purpose. Some examples of page titles include:
   • Family: "A Family of Friends" "Generations of Love" or "Happiness is Homemade"
   • Graduation: "Achieve" "Believe in Yourself" or "Dare to Dream"
   • Travels: "Are We There Yet?" "Departures and Arrivals" or "Life is a Journey"
2. Color your background. A scrapbook should be a work of art. Even if you have a lot of material to cover the original page with, color the foundation. This will let color pop out where there may not have been any otherwise. Marker and watercolor paints are perfect for adding color between the cracks. If you use paint, allow the page time to dry before gluing on your images.
   • You can also use patterned paper as a foundation for your scrap page. For example, use a patterned paper for your border or use cut-out shapes to add meaning to the page.
3. Resize photos to fit your layout. With the help of a computer, take the photos you want to include and resize them according to the amount of space you have to work with. Because you'll have space for a limited number of photos, it is best to give the most space to the best photo, downsizing less important images for use on the sides of your page.
   • Depending on your smartphone, you may even be able to resize photos using a photo editing application.
4. Glue photos onto cardstock. Glue your photos onto pieces of cardstock before gluing them onto the page. Placing the images on bigger pieces of cardstock will function as a border. Choose an acid-free adhesive or use photo tabs to stick the photo onto your cardstock. Mark the page with a ruler so that you center the image correctly.
   • If you don't want to use cardstock, you can stick the photo directly onto the scrapbook page or onto another piece of scrapbook paper. Just be sure to use paper that's larger than your image so you end up with a border.
5. Write in some info for context. Although the photos in a scrapbook should tell enough of a story on their own, you can enrich their meaning by tacking on some context. Regardless of if it's a picture of a vacation, party or family reunion, saying a bit about where it is and why you were there will bring the memories rushing back.
   • You should write up your text as a draft on another sheet of paper before writing it on the final copy. This will allow you to focus on the aesthetic of the text itself and figure out exactly what it is you would like to say before writing it permanently.
6. Be short and sweet with whatever you write. With a scrapbook, you will not have a lot of space to say whatever it is you wish to communicate. With this in mind, be tactical and efficient with the words you use. Poetry and song lyrics are perfect in this sense, as they often communicate feelings better than regular prose would.
   • You can also include favorite inspiration quotes or quote people who were involved in the activity that the scrapbook page describes.
7. Use stickers for border and decoration. Once all of your pages are in place, small stickers can be used as a pleasant add-on. Buy a few sheets of stickers from the dollar store and tack them around certain images as a border. It helps the effect if the stickers are somehow applicable to the theme of the scrapbook.
   • For example, for a scrapbook page about a trip to the beach, you could use seashell stickers. Or, for a baby shower scrapbook page, stick on baby rattle and pacifier stickers.
8. Laminate or store your scrapbook. A scrapbook page is meant to preserve the feeling of a memory forever. You can increase the longevity of your scrapbook by laminating the pages. Then, be sure to store it in a book or folder where it won't be damaged.
   • You can use a purchased scrapbook by filling in the pages. Or, you can make single scrapbook pages and have them professionally bound. This may preserve the scrapbook best.

Tips

• Since scrapbooking has become such a popular pastime, there are actually scrapbooking kits available to help you make the most of your project. Purchasing one may be helpful if you want to be creative without having to deal with the legwork of finding supplies.
• You can make scrapbook pages digitally with the help of a digital illustration program.
• Always use caution when handling scissors.
• Make your mind free and free of tension then your work will be more beautiful.

Related Articles

• Crop Your Photographs for Scrapbooks
• Make a Summer Scrapbook
• Create a Great Scrapbook with Friends (for Girls)
• Complete Your First Scrapbook Page

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make a Retirement Scrapbook
• Add Text to a Scrapbook
• Start a Scrapbook
• Make Your Own Scrapbook
• Make Homemade Scrapbooks
• Complete Your First Scrapbook Page
• Make a Romantic Scrapbook
• Make a Tagboard Bookmark
• Make a Friendship Book
• Make a Best Friends Scrapbook

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• Make a Scrapbook Diary