Thursday 3 October 2013

Circle Journal: Angie


I often have much to say on the topic of scrapbooking, but when it came time to do Angie's Circle Journal, I was at a loss! Her topic was Tips, Tricks and Techniques. The idea is that she'll have a reference book to help her with her scrapping.

There were already entries about sewing, embossing, patterned papers and even "naked" scrapbooking. I really wasn't sure what I could contribute.

Then I thought along the lines of design. The Rule of Thirds is design rule that has helps organize elements on a page; everything from photo and embellishment placement to colour and pattern.

Here's what I wound up including in her book:

While there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to scrapbooking, putting some thought into the design of a page can take your scrapbooking to the next level in several ways. It can spark creativity and inspire pages that are pleasing to the eye. It can organize your photos and thoughts to tell your story more clearly or thoroughly. It can also make scrapbooking a little easier (and more fun) when you have a plan for your pages—you won’t be scrambling to pull elements together because before you begin, you’ll have an idea of how the page should look.

The Rule of Thirds is a design idea that can be applied to various design elements. Here, I’ll focus on four elements important to scrapbooking: page layout, colour, pattern and embellishments.

Don’t feel like you need to apply the Rule of Thirds for every page or every element on your page. Use it as a general guide to bring order and balance to your pages.

And always remember, sometimes,every rule should be broken.

Page Layout: Use the Rule of Thirds to determine where the focal point of your layout should be placed. Imagine a grid on your page (like a # symbol) that splits the page into thirds vertically and horizontally. The places where the lines intersect are where people’s eyes are naturally drawn. Put your focal point on one of these spots. The Rule also applies to blank space on the page. Use 2/3 of the total page for pictures, journaling or other large items. The blank space will give the eye a place to rest. An easy way to create a balanced double-page layout is to arrange elements according to the Rule on one side and do the mirror opposite on the other.

Colour: The simplest way to remember the Rule of Thirds when it comes to colour is this: Gallon, quart, pint. Use a gallon of the main colour (i.e. it will be the base colour of the page). Gallon colours are good for the background page. Use a quart of the secondary colour (i.e. it will be the focus colour of the page). Quart colours are good for patterned papers and titles. Use a pint of a highlight colour (i.e. it will be the “pop” of colour on a page). Pint colours are good for photo mats and embellishments. Remember, using contrasting colours will add energy and vibrancy to a layout, whereas analogous colours will create a calmer layout.

Pattern: The Rule of Thirds as it applies to patterns tells us to be mindful of the amount and type of pattern on a page. Generally, use one stripe, one floral and one dot pattern per page. Also generally, use one large pattern, one small pattern and one linear pattern per page. Pair the rules for pattern with the rules for colour to mix and match papers. For example, use a large floral paper in the gallon colour, a chevron paper in the quart colour and a small dotty paper in the pint colour. Don’t be afraid to mix patterns. All patterns “go” together—the key is to keep them from overwhelming each other. Try sticking to 3 or fewer patterns per page. And remember, flat and textured cardstock is a pattern! (Or absence of one at least.)

Embellishments: When it comes to embellishments, the Rule of Thirds tells us to keep it in 3’s. Use 3 brads in a line. Use 3 flowers clustered together. Use 3 rhinestones in a spray. You can also imagine triangles (a three pointed shape) across you page for placing the embellishments. Remember the grid of your page layout and find triangles around your focal points. Place embellishments at the three corners of the triangles—in threes of course. Create embellishment clusters by using three elements together. For example, layer a flower and a button on a tag. Or place a ribbon, brads and a bow together. You can also use multiples of three for larger embellishment scapes. 

Can you spot all the ways I used the Rule of Thirds on Angie's page?

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