I often start off my layouts with the photos. I have a tendency to move them around the page to achieve the best fit. It’s not always obvious to me, but I have tendency to work with the same basic design composition over the course of several layouts. Creating my own sketches helps me to see which compositions I am currently drawn to. Knowing that I have a trend in the way I am currently working helps me to adapt the page elements and my process. Let’s take a look at two recent layouts which are very similar to one another.
One Day Adventure by Christy Strickler |Supplies Patterned Paper, Flair: Amy Tangerine; Letters: Basic Grey, Amy Tangerine; Jewels: Hero Arts
I recently created this layout for a Get It Scrapped Article. I used one 12×12 print of patterned paper and two 6×6 pieces of patterned paper layered with the photo. I added a journaling card cut from the 6×6 paper pad and layered journal strips over it.
A few weeks later, I created this layout for JBS Mercantile. At the time I created it, I had no idea how similar it really was to the first layout. My goal was to showcase as much of the car themed patterned paperas possible. I put two 6×6 pieces of paper in the lower right corner . I used two photos and added in a strip of patterned paper. I cut the journal card in half and used it vertically. I also added a shelf to this layout by cutting the ends off a black label sticker.
Though both layouts are unique, it’s easy to see the similarities in both. I placed my page elements on the lower right corner and used two 6×6 pieces of paper to house the photos. I varied the design a bit with the title placement, the number of photos, and the number of layers. I hadn’t really thought about how similar the two pages were until I created this sketch. The sketch is based off of Just Steer. With any sketch, it’s easy to add, omit, or vary the parts to create a pleasing design. It’s not unusual to use the same basic designs over and over again. The products you choose and how you place them on that basic design offers the variety.
The easiest way for you to figure out your favorite go to design composition is to create sketches.The sketches don’t need to be complex. All you need is a piece of paper and a pencil. Look at some layouts you have made over the past month or so. Pick one, then look at the basic shapes of paper you used to create your layout. Draw the basic shapes and repeat the exercise with a few more pages. Are they all different, or were the shapes often placed in similar compositions? If they are similar, you now have a stepping stone from which to work. You know your go to compositions which can help you speed up your process.You also know which compositions to try when you want to break out from your normal habits.