1. Choose a Theme & Color Scheme
When you begin scrapbooking, the first thing you need to do is decide what story your beautiful scrapbook is going to tell.. are you telling a cherished story about your life? your child’s life? a vacation? a time capsule?
If you step back for a moment, you will begin to see that you have many many cherished
stories to tell…
Now let’s pick a title for your scrapbook page… here’s an excellent website that can inspire
your imagination:
Once you pick your theme, you next need to pick a color scheme for your story… picking
a color scheme helps your pages flow together and keeps your scrapbooking simple… it also helps your readers emotionally connect to your cherished story…
If you are using Stampin’ Up! Colors… please check this site out… it will help you decide
on color combinations using Stampin’ Up! colors!
Here’s some of my all time favorite color combinations from Stampin’ Up!:
If you notice, the same Stampin’ Up! colors are used in different themes… this way I
can mix and match colors that I have with a few new ones to keep my supply investment
amount lower and I can use scraps from one page to another… These color schemes also have Simply Scrappin’ Kits to match… so if I need to scrap a page quickly… I can simply order a Simply Scrappin’ Kit to match my favorite colors!
Also there are many Stampin’ Up! coordinating designer series papers that match the above color schemes… this allows me to be creative and still keep my scrappin’ investment amount low…
As you get more advanced, you can experiment a bit and try more advanced color
combinations. Here’s some tips that can help you bring your cherished memories alive:
- Less Colors allow more focus to your photo. Remember your photograph is colorful enough. Adding too many colors to your page could actually distract instead of attract the eye.
- Colors can actually bring meaning to emotions. If you have a sunset photo you are using, use more soothing warm colors. If you have an action photo, use more bolder colors that cause you to think energy and excitement.
- Fashion always helps us when it comes to colors and what looks great and what does not. Use your mom’s golden rule: Brown matches everything and looks great.
- Stickwith three color combinations and use different amounts of each color. Use a neutral color to be your main color and the dominant color (used most) in your photo to be the highlight color (used least) and then pick a third color to add interest (used between the dominant and highlight color)
- Decide what your photo’s focal point color is and choose a dominant color that is darker than the focal point color.
Colors can cause a person to feel emotions. Here’s a few guides to help you:
