Scraps Of Mind

10 Terrific Ideas for Framing your Photos

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I was browsing through my first scrapbook album, as you do. And as I noticed the scrapbooking techniques I used in that album, it occurred to me that the way I frame my photos for scrapbooking today is very different to the way I used to frame them a couple of years ago. Back then I would either mount them on a cardstock matt or place a cut-out frame around them, stick them on my scrapbook layout and that would be that.

These days, whilst I do still use both of these scrapbooking techniques the look is very different. And I now use many other techniques to frame my photos for scrapbooking. When all is said and done, the main reason for framing is to enhance the photo and draw the viewer’s eye to it. Over time I’ve come across many different ways of doing this. So I thought I’d share some of my favourite framing techniques with you and perhaps you can share some of yours with me.

10 Favourite Framing Techniques

1. Photo corners. I usually prefer to use photo corners in just two corners rather than all four. I find that accents the photo without overwhelming it as in the layout of me at 3.
2. Collage. I do love a collage in one corner of the photo to draw the eye into it. Sometimes with a single element on the diagonally opposite corner to offset it.
3. Stamping a digital brush frame on the photo (like in my Independence layout here) is an easy way to add a frame and vary the look of the photo. Or using grungy digital brushes to make a freehand distressed edge to the photo.
4. A row of buttons or brads down two adjoining sides of the photo is a great look. I like to pick a minor colour in the photo when choosing the colour of the buttons rather than the predominant colour.
5. Tracing a swirly flourish (or drawing it freehand for the pencil-gifted folk) onto the back of contrasting or patterned paper and cutting it out makes a great frame. You can see what I mean in my Vamping It Up layout here. Just remember that you’ll be drawing backwards to how the flourish will look on your scrapbook layout.
6. One of my favourite techniques is to duplicate my main photo two or three times (this works particularly well with single photo scrapbook layouts), change it to monotone in my photo editing software and then tint each photo a different colour. Then I angle them slightly behind the main photo as I’ve done in the layout of The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show and the layout I made for National Scrapbook Day.
7. Ribbon makes a fabulous frame. Four strips of ribbon crossing at the corners and held in place with brads look great. There are so many different textures to choose from to create so many different looks. Try hanging a charm from one of the corners as an accent.
8. And how about doodling a design on a transparent sheet and using it to accent a photo like I’ve done on my Old Friends layout.
   
9. Now don’t get the idea that I disdain frames themselves. Sometimes the right frame with the right photo is a marriage made in Heaven. But I particularly like to use frames to highlight an area of my scrapbook layout rather than formally framing a photo. You can see what I mean in my Published…for the very first time layout.
10. And let’s not forget the tried and trusted matt. I still use this technique with complementary and/or contrasting papers. I like to build up two or three layers of matts behind my photo to really make it pop off the scrapbook page. Often I will angle them for added interest, as in my Don Quixote layout.

There are so many interesting and exciting ways to frame and enhance your photos. These are some of my favourites but how about yours? What are your favourite scrapbooking techniques for framing your scrapbook photos? Share them in the comments section and if you have an example posted on your blog, feel free to add the link in your comment.

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Other related posts

Scrapbooking Techniques & Tips - Upsizing Photos
Scrapbooking Techniques & Tips - Rule of Thirds & Z Movement
Scrapbooking Techniques & Tips - How to make a Photo Collage Layout

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