Beginner Scrapbooking

Creative Scrapbooking for the Noob

There is no right formula to scrap booking except the skill to use papers, scissors, glue or pastes, and the heart to do the hobby. Yes, it is a hobby. Assuming you lived in an isolated coast without any influence, do you know how a scrapbook looks like?

From the word scrap, a scrapbook is a collective book size pages containing memories of collaged images. A sophisticated scrapbook can be bought at bookshops, where you can get them hardbound ready for filling up. Actually, it is nothing but empty pages. If you are fond of laborious details, you could create collective empty pages, bind it in a fashionable way, then that's it---you got yourself a scrapbook!

Anybody in intermediate years had done scrapbooks without ever remembering when they started them. For beginners, the knack is when you have a good concept to start with. Usually scrapbooks are motivated by good memories with peers. When two people combine ideas, work hand in hand in putting up personal scrapbooks, then the outcome is priceless.

Scrapbooks do not need to be perfect. Most of the time, they are random combination of pictures with cut outs from magazines to give relevance to the expression and mood related to the picture being collaged. Without too much dwelling on the result, there is the tendency to create very informal compositions. The creator has no one to blame, after all if it is a personal scrapbook.

Nowadays, because of the advent of digital printing, pictures to be used for scrapbooks need not be original developed photos from film. Original photos could be copied, scanned and printed digitally. This will save important photos from being accidentally ruined, in case something goes wrong with the pasting and cutting.

If you are a beginner, how will you start doing your own scrapbook?

It could start with a definite theme coming from grouped sets of pictures. You can do it your own or invite companions to come along to help you. If the pictures contain many people who are close to you, it is best to recopy the pictures to have the freedom of cropping each photo at your own discretion. The over all color scheme of your concept can enhance harmony in composing each page. A sunny beach party could make use of bright earth colors to blend with the overall theme.

Think that you are recycling and making use of old magazines instead of just throwing them away. Sometimes, there are images that can make your composition richer than you expect them to be.

Once you feel accomplished with your compilation, you can include it as your personal memorabilia. Keep it away from dusts just like the way you take care of your photo albums. Scrapbooks are livelier to look at than just photos in a cold album. When shown to friends, scrapbooks are more entertaining.

For beginners, it is important to consider the use of creativity by making use of what is available at home. It does not have to be expensive, unless you really want to use special materials relevant to what you want to accomplish.

Remember the most important ingredient in doing scrapbooks. The sentiment and heart for it comes first. Then you will realize how fun and productive it will turn out to be.