Scrapbooking sketch of the week
Switching it up for this week’s sketch with a bit of an older layout and no video this week while I’m working on the road (not to worry – the video will be back next Wednesday) because this layout has a few things I’ve been wanting to discuss on a sketch day. Things like using four small images as a photo strip in place of larger images. Or opting for black and white photos but pairing them with plenty of colour. Or the differences from a sketch to a finished page.
When I look at this design in sketch form, it already feels quite busy to me, but if you compare it to the layout, I actually added way more stuff than what’s here on the sketch. Recently someone mentioned they felt my layouts were coming out more “dynamic and alive” from the sketches and goodness, that was just such a lovely thing to say! But it also made me want to identify what it is that created that feeling she wanted to recreate on her own and I think the extra stuff is part of that. When I scrap from a sketch, I start with those basic shapes, but then I put the sketch aside and start adding more bits and pieces with extra layers. A lot of it comes in paper strips – either just plain rectangles or scalloped pieces from die-cuts or border punches. Then I realised I needed more room to journal and added two journaling die-cuts. Then layered those circles to become embellishment rather than just a shape. And eventually decided some butterflies could tie all those different shapes together. (Also I am very excited to tell you this time butterflies are actually relevant, since these photos are from Laura’s wedding and there were butterflies in her wedding decorations!) Perhaps it also helps that when I add extra stuff, I try to add the same stuff in multiple places – so the butterflies repeat, the ribbon repeats, the dotty label stickers and so on. I don’t often scrap from just one collection of supplies, but I do repeat the same elements in multiple places on a page to make it obvious that they belong.
You may want to add more stuff or you may want to stay more in line with the sketch – and either is fine, of course! I love hearing about our process in creating your page, so if you have a real system for how you build or interpret a sketch, feel free to share in the comments!
As always, the weekly sketch is no-stress and just for fun! If you use it, I’d love to see, so please leave a link so we can see your work.
Last week left a few regulars really stumped with the mix of square and standard sized prints on one page, but I loved the variation in the layouts from those who were up to the challenge. Here are four of my favourites this week, and I love how all of them are clearly from the sketch but they have each chosen something in particular to change and make the design their own. Click the corresponding links to see any of these pages in more detail:
Top left
Top right
Bottom left
Bottom right
Thank you to everyone who participated in last week’s sketch! I hope you’ll join us again!
xlovesx
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6 July 2011, 03:42
Hi Shimelle,
This is a great question to go with the sketch this week.
When I see a sketch I think of a few things. This week’s for example, I think how I can combine a strip of photos, convert the sketch into 8.5×11, add some circular element, plenty of room for journaling and the ease of converting it all into a digital format.
I used to think I had to replicate the sketch, now I like to see what the main elements are and find a way to make it work for me … always making sure there is plenty of room for journaling. I prefer my journaling to be out on the page and I usually have a fair bit to say, so finding a way to add a larger journaling block, that is computer printed, is often a challenge in any number of sketches.
What I really like about this weeks example is how you identified some of the key elements – that in turn gives me ideas of how to adapt the sketch to my style and to still have new ideas to play with.
Thanks Shimelle.
6 July 2011, 12:53
I had a photo strip sitting on my desk when you published this sketch… so this was an easy one for me!! Plus, I got to use some of my fav colors! Thanks!!
7 July 2011, 23:43
Thanks for taking the time to talk about this, I feel fervently about this and I take pleasure in learning about this topic. Please, as you gain information, please update this blog with more information. I have found it very useful.
8 July 2011, 15:50
I loved your sketch for this week. I just got my instax camera, so I decided to use the little vertical photos by turning the sketch 1/4 turn. I always tend to go a little overboard when I have all coordinating elements to use. However, I like the overall feel of the finished layout. Thanks for the inspiration!
9 July 2011, 11:31
Haven’t done a sketch of the week for a while and it was just what I needed.
10 July 2011, 04:37
Great sketch, loved all the layering.
10 July 2011, 07:23
Great sketch and another page done for my Northumberland album!
10 July 2011, 12:38
Happily back to my scrapbooking after a week hiatus :) Great sketch – this was a perfect way to use these photos I took last summer of my sister and her family being silly. Thanks for the inspiration!
10 July 2011, 15:59
Sorry, Shimelle! I accidentally linked my 10 things post here and I don’t know how to delete it.
11 July 2011, 02:52
I pretty much try to stay with the sketch as-is. It’s nice not to have to think about where I’m going to place things. Of course, digital makes it so much quicker too.
11 July 2011, 18:12
Great sketch but mine was done too quickly as not much time and have been desperate to play for weeks!!! Thanks Shimelle
12 July 2011, 18:36
My page is Harry Potter themed which I’m hoping makes up for its tardiness … Thanks for the sketch. :-)
12 July 2011, 18:43
Whew…just about got in on time I think! Another fabulous one Shimelle, thanks so much! And thanks for showing mine from last week xxx
13 July 2011, 04:42
Love the challenge that this sketch provided for me. I used scraps from one layout to create a second page using this sketch. Lots of fun once again.
14 July 2011, 10:49
Not sure what it is about this sketch, but I just LOVE IT! I stayed up till midnight on a weekday just so I could get it done. TFS.
17 July 2011, 05:16
Thank you very much for distributing this.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along.
I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading.Nice blog,I will keep visiting this blog very often.