I'm away in France for 10 days. While I'm gone, I have a whole bunch of fun posts for you. Here is today's….
I often get asked about my scrapbook page making process. So I figured I'd go through the basics of how my brain works!
My first decision: what to use? I decided to do a layout for one of my monthly Prima assignments. So now I know that everything I use will be Prima. Easy enough.
But what to do?
My husband and I had a conversation the night before I made the layout about kindness.
Aha! What a great topic!
So I scrolled through my photos to find one of the two of us.
I found it and printed it.
Now what?
Given that it's Fall and the seasons are changing, I decided that I wanted to paint some leaves. (Sometimes I'm motivated by a photo or a story and sometimes it's just technique that's rattling around my head.)
This made choosing a background paper easy! I chose a floral paper with a light enough background that it was paintable.
I used black acrylic paint to create my basic leaves.
Once the acrylic paint was dry, I started in with the watercolors.
And I just kept adding color in layers…
…until I was satisfied!
Okay, now it was time to add my photo and a few flowers.
Ick! Ick! Ick! I *hate* the way those white flowers look. First, they're too small. Secondly, they stand out too much. Thirdly, they match the white flowers in the background paper and it's making me stare at the background paper instead of the photo. I want all the focus to be on the photo!
Time for different flowers.
Ah! Much better! The scale is better and the colors are fantastic! Whew!
Now before I go embellishment crazy, I want to make sure that I get the words on the page. I want to make sure that I tell the story.
I drew some pencil lines for my journaling and added my title using felt letters.
Wow, that black really stands out! I love how bold it is. Because that vine is so colorful, it's really important for me to force the focus back to the photo. A bold title and some black writing can help me do that.
The journaling really helps to balance the page.
I erased the pencil lines and took a step back.
You know, I could have left the page just like this. It's a fine page. Pretty. But for design team assignments I always feel like I want to make it a little more special.
I wanted to add something that would have a lot of impact, but not feel heavy.
I decided to audition some rhinestone swirls.
When I say "audition" what I mean is, I place them onto the layout while they're still on the transparent plastic backing.
This way I can see if I like them.
I liked the swirls, but I needed to cut them up a bit since they were going to get stuck behind some of the flowers.
A little bit of scissor action and voila!
Again, I could have stopped here. But I wanted to add a little bit more texture and layering. It's too obviously put together right now.
I sprinkled some tiny flowers across my leaves.
I knew that these tiny flowers would work because (a) the colors matched, (b) the scale was right, and (c) they had the same little hard yellow center (albeit smaller) as the larger flowers — so they felt like part of a set.
Not to sound like a broken record, but I could have stopped here. But I didn't. I wanted to frame my layout. I like to mix hard and soft, artsy and clean, together. The tension between the two makes for a very satisfying look.
I trimmed the layout down to 11×11, rounded the corners and mounted it onto cardstock.
I did add a few tiny flowers to hide the wrinkles (the top paper was warped from the painting and adhering the two papers caused wrinkles), and had to adjust the word "kind" to fit on the page, but that's pretty much it!
Check out the details:
I hope you've enjoyed taking a peek at how I create! Let me know what you think. What's your process for creating a scrapbook page?
Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for showing your thought process, when you create a page. I follow your blog daily, and am always inspired by your artistry. Your art is always so full of joy, that it is nice when my life doesn’t always leave me time to create, I still get the joy of looking at your work.
Thank you for showing your thought process, when you create a page. I follow your blog daily, and am always inspired by your artistry. Your art is always so full of joy, that it is nice when my life doesn’t always leave me time to create, I still get the joy of looking at your work.
Thank you for showing your thought process, when you create a page. I follow your blog daily, and am always inspired by your artistry. Your art is always so full of joy, that it is nice when my life doesn’t always leave me time to create, I still get the joy of looking at your work.
Thank you for showing your thought process, when you create a page. I follow your blog daily, and am always inspired by your artistry. Your art is always so full of joy, that it is nice when my life doesn’t always leave me time to create, I still get the joy of looking at your work.
this is beautiful! I love to do watercolors too and I scrapbook as well…thanks for the inspiration!
this is beautiful! I love to do watercolors too and I scrapbook as well…thanks for the inspiration!
this is beautiful! I love to do watercolors too and I scrapbook as well…thanks for the inspiration!
this is beautiful! I love to do watercolors too and I scrapbook as well…thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you Julie as always for the inspiration.
Thank you Julie as always for the inspiration.
Thank you Julie as always for the inspiration.
Thank you Julie as always for the inspiration.
This one is gorgeous! Made me remind that I haven’t touched my watercolor paint too long! I’m glad to see that my mind thinks the same way as yours, when I’m building the layers on my layouts.
This one is gorgeous! Made me remind that I haven’t touched my watercolor paint too long! I’m glad to see that my mind thinks the same way as yours, when I’m building the layers on my layouts.
This one is gorgeous! Made me remind that I haven’t touched my watercolor paint too long! I’m glad to see that my mind thinks the same way as yours, when I’m building the layers on my layouts.
This one is gorgeous! Made me remind that I haven’t touched my watercolor paint too long! I’m glad to see that my mind thinks the same way as yours, when I’m building the layers on my layouts.
I enjoyed following this along and my process is similar in that I see what I can add until the LO is “finished”, but I often find that my last step…once glued down…was one step too much. Alas, less is usually more for my LO’s. You, on the other hand, can keep adding and it all fits somehow.
I enjoyed following this along and my process is similar in that I see what I can add until the LO is “finished”, but I often find that my last step…once glued down…was one step too much. Alas, less is usually more for my LO’s. You, on the other hand, can keep adding and it all fits somehow.
I enjoyed following this along and my process is similar in that I see what I can add until the LO is “finished”, but I often find that my last step…once glued down…was one step too much. Alas, less is usually more for my LO’s. You, on the other hand, can keep adding and it all fits somehow.
I enjoyed following this along and my process is similar in that I see what I can add until the LO is “finished”, but I often find that my last step…once glued down…was one step too much. Alas, less is usually more for my LO’s. You, on the other hand, can keep adding and it all fits somehow.
This is GORGEOUS- I absolutely love the incorporation of paints into scrapbooking. I also love your use of “bling”- it’s there, and it makes a huge difference to the finished piece, but it’s not, like, “HEY LOOK- RHINESTONES!!” Beautiful!!
This is GORGEOUS- I absolutely love the incorporation of paints into scrapbooking. I also love your use of “bling”- it’s there, and it makes a huge difference to the finished piece, but it’s not, like, “HEY LOOK- RHINESTONES!!” Beautiful!!
This is GORGEOUS- I absolutely love the incorporation of paints into scrapbooking. I also love your use of “bling”- it’s there, and it makes a huge difference to the finished piece, but it’s not, like, “HEY LOOK- RHINESTONES!!” Beautiful!!
This is GORGEOUS- I absolutely love the incorporation of paints into scrapbooking. I also love your use of “bling”- it’s there, and it makes a huge difference to the finished piece, but it’s not, like, “HEY LOOK- RHINESTONES!!” Beautiful!!
thoroughly enjoyed seeing the whole process and I love the finished page. I tend to add a bit of this and that but not as effectively as you do! I love painting but rarely do it on a LO….really must try it more.
thoroughly enjoyed seeing the whole process and I love the finished page. I tend to add a bit of this and that but not as effectively as you do! I love painting but rarely do it on a LO….really must try it more.
thoroughly enjoyed seeing the whole process and I love the finished page. I tend to add a bit of this and that but not as effectively as you do! I love painting but rarely do it on a LO….really must try it more.
thoroughly enjoyed seeing the whole process and I love the finished page. I tend to add a bit of this and that but not as effectively as you do! I love painting but rarely do it on a LO….really must try it more.
Always enjoy seeing your creative process Julie. I find myself doing very similar. Occasionally I get head of myself and glue down a little prematurely but hey my motto is you can always fix it ; )
Always enjoy seeing your creative process Julie. I find myself doing very similar. Occasionally I get head of myself and glue down a little prematurely but hey my motto is you can always fix it ; )
Always enjoy seeing your creative process Julie. I find myself doing very similar. Occasionally I get head of myself and glue down a little prematurely but hey my motto is you can always fix it ; )
Always enjoy seeing your creative process Julie. I find myself doing very similar. Occasionally I get head of myself and glue down a little prematurely but hey my motto is you can always fix it ; )
i never would have thought to paint additional graphics onto patterned paper. I love how it turned out. I always start with the photos and then start “auditioning” products. I will say though that there are some paper lines that I just love so much that I will sometimes start with the paper, but that’s rare. For me, it’s all about the photo. Thanks for sharing this layout. I can’t wait to take your class in December
rosann
i never would have thought to paint additional graphics onto patterned paper. I love how it turned out. I always start with the photos and then start “auditioning” products. I will say though that there are some paper lines that I just love so much that I will sometimes start with the paper, but that’s rare. For me, it’s all about the photo. Thanks for sharing this layout. I can’t wait to take your class in December
rosann
i never would have thought to paint additional graphics onto patterned paper. I love how it turned out. I always start with the photos and then start “auditioning” products. I will say though that there are some paper lines that I just love so much that I will sometimes start with the paper, but that’s rare. For me, it’s all about the photo. Thanks for sharing this layout. I can’t wait to take your class in December
rosann
i never would have thought to paint additional graphics onto patterned paper. I love how it turned out. I always start with the photos and then start “auditioning” products. I will say though that there are some paper lines that I just love so much that I will sometimes start with the paper, but that’s rare. For me, it’s all about the photo. Thanks for sharing this layout. I can’t wait to take your class in December
rosann
such a beautiful page and i’m so glad to see how you made it! you are truly an inspiration. i love that you create for YOU and do what you feel at the time, not what other people think it should look like! you take risks and i love that about you!
danielle
such a beautiful page and i’m so glad to see how you made it! you are truly an inspiration. i love that you create for YOU and do what you feel at the time, not what other people think it should look like! you take risks and i love that about you!
danielle
such a beautiful page and i’m so glad to see how you made it! you are truly an inspiration. i love that you create for YOU and do what you feel at the time, not what other people think it should look like! you take risks and i love that about you!
danielle
such a beautiful page and i’m so glad to see how you made it! you are truly an inspiration. i love that you create for YOU and do what you feel at the time, not what other people think it should look like! you take risks and i love that about you!
danielle
Julie, this is incredibly helpful – almost an entire design class in a post! Thanks for sharing your inner machinations!
Julie, this is incredibly helpful – almost an entire design class in a post! Thanks for sharing your inner machinations!
Julie, this is incredibly helpful – almost an entire design class in a post! Thanks for sharing your inner machinations!
Julie, this is incredibly helpful – almost an entire design class in a post! Thanks for sharing your inner machinations!
Thanks for sharing your process Julie! You’re such a confident and talented artist — that comes through in your work! Love it!!
Thanks for sharing your process Julie! You’re such a confident and talented artist — that comes through in your work! Love it!!
Thanks for sharing your process Julie! You’re such a confident and talented artist — that comes through in your work! Love it!!
Thanks for sharing your process Julie! You’re such a confident and talented artist — that comes through in your work! Love it!!
SEI GENIALE !!!
ADORO LE TUE CREAZIONI SEMPRE SUPER 🙂
kiss mary
SEI GENIALE !!!
ADORO LE TUE CREAZIONI SEMPRE SUPER 🙂
kiss mary
SEI GENIALE !!!
ADORO LE TUE CREAZIONI SEMPRE SUPER 🙂
kiss mary
SEI GENIALE !!!
ADORO LE TUE CREAZIONI SEMPRE SUPER 🙂
kiss mary
Julie, I love the way you combined acrylics with the watercolors. I love mixing things up too and you certainly have inspired me to try some new combinations. I enjoyed very much seeing your process.
Julie, I love the way you combined acrylics with the watercolors. I love mixing things up too and you certainly have inspired me to try some new combinations. I enjoyed very much seeing your process.
Julie, I love the way you combined acrylics with the watercolors. I love mixing things up too and you certainly have inspired me to try some new combinations. I enjoyed very much seeing your process.
Julie, I love the way you combined acrylics with the watercolors. I love mixing things up too and you certainly have inspired me to try some new combinations. I enjoyed very much seeing your process.
beeeeautifuuuul xox
beeeeautifuuuul xox
beeeeautifuuuul xox
beeeeautifuuuul xox
what a fantastic process – i do the same with things like pearl or rhinestone flourishes! i never thought of painting on a background paper its awesome!!
what a fantastic process – i do the same with things like pearl or rhinestone flourishes! i never thought of painting on a background paper its awesome!!
what a fantastic process – i do the same with things like pearl or rhinestone flourishes! i never thought of painting on a background paper its awesome!!
what a fantastic process – i do the same with things like pearl or rhinestone flourishes! i never thought of painting on a background paper its awesome!!
Love seeing the process, very nice!
Love seeing the process, very nice!
Love seeing the process, very nice!
Love seeing the process, very nice!