Scrapbook Idea: Dressing Up Your Photos
Welcome to Scraps of Mind. I'm delighted to see you. Why not check out the site, you'll find a bunch of great scrapbooking and blogging articles, tips and tutorials on the Articles Page. And if you enjoy this or any other articles on Scraps of Mind, I'd really appreciate you giving them a thumbs up on StumbleUpon to share them with other Scrapbookers. Thanks for visiting and I look forward to seeing more of you.
A cool scrapbook idea is to add an accent or embellishment to the photo on your scrapbook layout. It can make just the perfect finishing touch to your layout.
Whether you’ve mounted your photo simply on a matt or placed it in a frame, a corner accent can just set off your photo and help draw the eye through your layout.
Often we think of photo corners as the logical accent to put on the corner of a photo. And they can certainly make great accents. But you can create a fabulous corner accent with other embellishments too.
Scrapbook Ideas for Corner Embellishments
- Add some journaling directly onto your photo. This is particularly good if you have a ‘dead’ corner of your photo with nothing much of interest in it. But it can also be very effective if you have a close-up picture and you add the date or a small amount of journaling that goes onto the subject. Digital scrapbookers can play around with the size and positioning of the text. Paper scrapbookers might try writing on a transparency sheet and cutting it out. Make sure you test your pen first to ensure it doesn’t smudge.
- Make an eclectic collage of various embellishments and scraps of patterned paper to sit over a corner of your photo. If you’re not the collage type this might be a bit challenging. Play around with different bits and pieces before committing anything.
- Five brads grouped in an L-shape around diagonally opposite corners of your photo can look absolutely stunning. It’s sometimes the simple things that make the best impact.
Click on thumbnail to view larger image
The layout is from a Step by Step Digital Scrapbook tutorial. - Stamp over one corner of your photo (digital scrapbookers use a brush or I think it’s called a tube in PSP). Let your stamp overlap your photo and the background paper behind it. It’s a great way to visually anchor your photo to the background.
- Doodle in a corner of your photo. You can keep your doodle just on the photo or you can let it meander off onto the background. As above, another good way to anchor your photo.
- Wrap a ribbon around one corner of your photo and tie it in a knot on the front. Position the knot off-centre to the centre of the ribbon.
Click on thumbnail to view larger image
The layout is from a Step by Step Digital Scrapbook tutorial. - Layer a cluster of flowers in a little posy at one of the corners of your photo. Three to five flowers will probably be sufficient to make a gorgeous accent. Always try to use an odd number if possible because the eye finds odd number groupings more pleasing than even number groupings.
- Add a small flower or a button or piece of bling to the hair of your photo subject. I know this isn’t a corner embellishment but it looks really cute, especially if you’ve turned your photo monochrome.
Click on thumbnail to view larger image
Elements from Tailored Flourish kit by Andylyn
What have I missed?
I know this list isn’t complete. Can you think of any other scrapbooking ideas for enhancing your photo with an embellishment? Share you thoughts below.
Other articles you might enjoy
Are you a Scrapbooking Cardmaker or a Cardmaking Scrapbooker?
Top 10 Scrapbook Ideas to rekindle your Inspiration
Stumble it!
|
11 Responses to “Scrapbook Idea: Dressing Up Your Photos”
I’m still amazed about how much just a few embellishments - in the right places - can do for a layout. Very fond of buttons and ribbons atm.
I love the layout of you and Seona, Karen! I really should get over my fear of ‘being in a photo’ and make something like this for my daughters. It’s such a precious memory.
And yes, the stamp is called brush in PSP
Antoinettes last blog post..Booklist, borrowed…
By Antoinette on Nov 5, 2008
Some of these techniques give amazing results. Very effective. I’m now wondering how to enhance my own photos, thanks.
Johns last blog post..Slug
By John on Nov 5, 2008
I agree that buttons are also good to add. Sometimes I use a digital flower and add a real 3-D smaller flower on top . Gives it a real dimensional look. Depending on what the photo is, I use a crown or funny hat. One of my favorites is to copy a ribbon and bow and print out on sticker paper. Then I can place it across the photio in any irection and it helps make the photo “Pop”. I hardly ever just have a plain photo. Most of the time I take the “more is better” approach but have been working on some minimal layouts also. I love to experiment!!
By Laura Kelly on Nov 6, 2008
I don’t tend to use a lot of embellishments on my layouts Antoinette, but I do like to use a couple for accent. I’m a big fan of the understated brad and, of course, flowers.
It doesn’t take much to give your photos a lift John. Even a word printed in the corner can do it.
I like to see ‘more is better’ layouts Laura. But I have difficulty with them myself. I think maybe it’s because I just don’t know when to stop once I get started.
By karooch on Nov 6, 2008
Even though I’m sort of a minimalist, too, I’m always amazed at how a snapshot of a memory can be enhanced and made extra special by scrapbooking techniques.
Like some artwork that you see in which the artist’s work continues onto the mat, it includes the display medium as part of the art. It gives a multi-dimensional depth beyond PhotoShop.
By RhondaL on Nov 7, 2008
I think you’ve nailed it in one Remlane. It’s amazing the difference a simple accent on a photo can make.
By karooch on Nov 7, 2008
WOW! These are such creative projects. I would never think of dressing photos in that fashion!
Thanks for the inspiration!!!
Miss Gisele B.
Miss Gisele B.s last blog post..How do you find beauty and anti-aging products when you don’t live in North America or Europe?
By Miss Gisele B. on Nov 7, 2008
It’s a lot of fun Gisele. I’m glad that the ideas have inspired you to try something with your own photos.
By karooch on Nov 8, 2008
Thankfully I seem to have an eye for it. I used to do a lot of decorative pinting and sometimes I used patterns that I bought. I tought me how to add painted embellishments to enhance not “clutter”. I also “scraplift” designs and follow the basic placement. My girls really like my style and have “Hooked” by brag books to show others. I seemec to have found the happy medium. I’ve registere at many forums just so I can look through all the layouts. It’s a great place for ideas and then I change them enough to make them really mine. It’s harder for me to do the “white space” type layout. I’m going to be working on some of those coming up. Wish me luck!!
By Laura on Nov 8, 2008
It’s great that you have worked out a style that you are happy with Laura. many of us spend ages trying to settle into our style.
The white space thing does take some practice. But once you get the hang of it it will just come naturally. I kind of lean towards a ‘minimalist’ sort of style myself now. i like a bit of white space and only a few embellishments.
By karooch on Nov 8, 2008