Sketches: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask

Back in October, I wrote Using Sketches as a Launching Point For Your Layout, a review of a book that I found useful in creating layouts. Just yesterday I picked up another useful resource on sketches - an issue of Scrapbooks Etc. by Better Homes and Gardens.

This is one of the BEST scrapbooking resources I have seen in awhile. This magazine would be suitable for both paper and digital scrappers and starts off by explaining the anatomy of a sketch. It also points out that sketches are invaluable because layout styles may come and go but the sketch, as the building block of a layout, can be reused over and over by changing the sketch's rotation, embellishments, and/or paper choice.

The magazine details how to scraplift any layout by identifying its underlying structure and then make it your own by stretching it or shrinking it to fit your desired scrapping size and modifying it according to your scrapping style. It shows several examples of layouts using the same basic sketch yet making it look completely different each time! Both paper and digital layouts are featured in this issue.

Most useful to paper scrappers is the fact that the photo spots in the sketches have the size detailed so that you can print or crop your photos to fit the layout.

The issue offers a summary of all the sketches contained in the magazine with accompanying page numbers so you can quickly flip to the pages detailing the sketch.

If you have ever wanted to use sketches to help you in your scrapbooking, don't miss getting this magazine! I picked mine up at McNally Robinson in Winnipeg for $15.95 but you can get it at Amazon or other major retailers. This magazine will prove a useful tool in your scrapbooking arsenal.

Using Sketches as a Launching Point For Your Layouts

In a previous post, Style or Rut, I challenged you to try something new in your scrapbooking . . . a new technique, a new layout style, new colors, etc. Unfortunately, I haven't received any feedback from you as to whether you were able to meet this challenge. I would still welcome links to your layouts, both old and new, showing something new that you have tried.

To help you in this process of trying something new, I would like to suggest the book, Quick & Easy Sketches for Scrapbookers, available at Amazon.

 

Click image to be taken to Amazon.com

 

Though this book primarily features paper layouts, the book is designed as a resource for all types of scrapbookers, with the ideas and concepts presented easily applied to layouts created digitally.

To begin with, the main concept of the book is that you can use a sketch as a starting point to create very different layouts that utilize different scrapbooking styles. The book is then divided into chapters, according to the number of photos to be scrapped . . . 1, 2 to 3, 4 and 5, and finally 6 or more photos. Each chapter presents a variety of layout sketches with accompanying completed layouts showcasing three different styles:

1. Simple - These pages are supposed to be uncomplicated yet stunning and could be completed in less than one hour.
2. Graphic - These pages are more linear and follow the principles and concepts of graphically-inspired design on scrapbook pages.
3. Enhanced - These pages showcase innovative techniques and elaborate designs.

This book should definitely inspire you to branch out and try a new technique or arrangement on your layouts.

I encourage you to leave me a comment below and/or links to your layouts. I look forward to hearing from you!