Scraps Of Mind

How to Make a Scrapbook Template or Sketch from a Scrapbook Layout

…and a Template Digital Scrapbooking Freebie

Coming up with fresh ideas for your scrapbook layout designs can sometimes be a challenge. So here’s a tip you might find useful:

Recycle your old scrapbook layouts!

I don’t mean that literally of course. But if you choose some of your favorite scrapbook layouts that you have previously done you can easily create a sketch that you can turn into a totally fresh new layout.

How to Create a Sketch from a Scrapbook Layout

Choose a scrapbook layout that has some strong structural elements to the design.
Now sketch the layout on a piece of paper, leaving out all the small details. Just draw basic geometric shapes such as circles, rectangles and triangles to represent the key elements.
The reason for this is that you don’t want to replicate your original scrapbook layout on your new one. You just want to create the structure that you can build your new layout on.
Now turn the sketch around. See how it looks from each of the four sides. You don’t need to necessarily repeat the sketch exactly as the original layout. But you will have the basic structure of the design to build on.

And for digital scrapbookers you can take it a step further and

Create a Template from your Scrapbook Layouts

Choose your scrapbook layout in it’s layered format. As before it’s best to choose one with strong structural elements to the design.
Duplicate the file so you don’t accidentally destroy your original layout.
Delete any layout specific layers like journaling and any embellishment layers that don’t contribute to the overall structure of the layout.
Now Control+Click on one of the layer icons in your layers pallet to select all the pixels on that layer.
Set your color swatch to a shade of grey (just because that’s the usual color for templates) and with your bucket tool, click on the selected element to turn it a solid grey color.
Repeat the previous two steps for each element layer, varying the shade of grey so that you can easily distinguish between the layers.
You now have a digital scrapbook layout template which you can vary to create very different looking layouts.
As with the sketch above, rotate the file so that you can see how the design looks from other angles. And don’t be afraid to discard any of the shapes if they don’t fit what you want to do with your new scrapbook layout.

In the Published scrapbook layout below I turned the template 90 degrees to the right and removed some of the element shapes to create a very different look.

You can download my Karooch Kurvy Template clicking on the template image.

For instructions on how to use your template check out my article on making a Scrapbook Patchwork Quilt. You can pick up another free scrapbooking template there whilst you are at it.

So now you can create many scrapbook layouts from a single favorite.

Do you use sketches and/or templates?

And have you ever tried making your own?

It can be a real boost to the inspiration and it’s very satisfying to get that extra mileage from your favourite scrapbook layouts.