Simple Tutorial Conclusion

If you're just tuning in for this week, you'll want to scroll down and read the Monday and Wednesday entries. They look long, but they make for really fast reading, including illustrations for each. We're continuing on with the third and last guideline for simple, memorable page layouts, using the two sample layouts from Monday's post.

3. Embrace negative space.

"Negative space" refers to the undecorated, or "background" portion of any piece of artwork or graphic material.

Now that you've visualized a grid for your scrapbook page (Monday's tutorial), and you've laid out the elements so that their hierarchy tells the right story (yesterday's tutorial), you might be tempted to fill in all the little empty spaces that are left. Resist the temptation! That negative space is doing as much to help your layout tell its story as the grid and the page hierarchy. The eye takes more in when it has wide open space around what's really important. Think of it like trying to have a meaningful conversation with a friend in a busy subway station, versus chatting with that friend on a nice, quiet bench in the park.

Below, Layout 1 obviously fills up every little space with paper, ink, brads, stickers, and so on. You might say it looks like all of the components for that layout were mixed up really well in a blender and just poured out on the page. In addition to how busy all of those embellishments make the layout feel, there's another simple reason to leave that negative space empty: moolah. That's right. Money. When you add up the cost for all of the embellishments and papers we used on Layout 1, you're looking at a whopping $27.44! Granted, you will still have embellishments leftover for other projects. But let's face it - how many of us have drawers of leftover embellishments that we mean to use again, but never do?


Now, Layout 2 fills in a lot of the negative space around the photo and caption with squares of textured and patterned papers and linen. But those squares contain negative spaces that give the whole page a light, breathable freshness to complement the sunny Easter morning shown in the photo. Also, the negative space in between the squares hints at the "invisible" grid structure, and emphasizes the hierarchy of the page elements. And last, but not least, the paper and embellishments for Layout 2 end up costing $14.98. That's just over half the cost of Layout 1, and again you've got leftovers, if you think you'll use them.


Well, that concludes our tutorials on using simple composition to make the pages of your scrapbook meaningful. Like we mentioned in November's type tutorial, guidelines of this sort are based on principles of good design, but they're still flexible. Start each layout following the basic principles, and then trust your design instincts to tell you where and how to bend the rules. Each page you create will tell the story it's meant to tell.

Again, let us know what you think of these design tutorials. Feel free to comment whether you like them or not, and why, what you would change, and what you might be interested in covering in future posts. We love your feedback!

More projects, tips and tricks, and give-aways on the way!

Simple Tutorial Continued

If you're just tuning in for this week, you'll want to scroll down and read the Monday entry. It looks long, but it's a fast read. We're continuing on with another guideline for simple, memorable page layouts, using the two sample layouts from the last post.

2. It's all about the page hierarchy.

"Page hierarchy" refers to the organization of the elements in any piece of artwork or graphic material, so that the artwork delivers its message in the right order.

Think of each page in your scrapbook like it has a story to tell. The grid is one of many tools to help you put the story in order on each page. Good page hierarchy simply means that the eye is properly led from the first element of the story to the last. Other things that help you emphasize different elements on a page in their right order are size (bigger items demand more attention first), and color (brighter, warmer hues obviously steal the show), among others.

Below, there are numbers in front of the different page elements for both Layouts 1 and 2, with the size of the number showing what order your eye is most likely to move through them. Lots of patterns, overpowering embellishments, and the haphazardly placed photo and text all make Layout 1 a jumbled blur. There isn't a coherent story for your eye to focus on, and Layout 1 will most likely be forgotten as soon as the page is turned.

Layout 2 is more memorable because your eye can focus on the image first and foremost, fixing it in your mind. The caption comes next, so that the image is mentally tied with its story. And lastly, the eye is then free to wander from one little square tile to the next, subtly associating the memory of the image and its story with textures and impressions of, in this case, a bright, sunny Easter day.

Did you notice that there isn't a title on Layout 2? Not every layout needs one. Including titles on layouts is very much a matter of personal preference. Where the caption explains the picture fairly well, and it complements the simplicity of the page, I decided not to add one.


Come back and visit us tomorrow for the final installment for this tutorial. And thank you for all of your responses to our plea for help! We heard you loud and clear and we're cooking up some good stuff for the weeks to come.