Once a month learn how to use scrapbook sketches and adapt them to fit different styles, photo sizes, and themes.
The first Sketch Week of 2020! I've got a new FREE two-page sketch to share with you, along with three layout examples showing varying options for using a sketch.
If you are new to Sketch Week here's how it goes:
Over this week I will share one sketch and three different layout variations based on that same sketch. The point is to show you how versatile scrapbook sketches are and how you can adapt them to fit your needs.
Now on to the new sketch that is the inspiration for my layouts this week.
You can download the full sketch with measurements and placements by clicking here.
I had these pictures of my boys getting their hair dyed pink and green and when I saw this sketch and the flipped design a light bulb lit up in my brain. What if I did one side pink for Jackson and the other green for Drew!? A flipped design would be the perfect set up for a hair-dye color war!
Just think of similar options with this sketch design...
• His and hers.
• Yours and mine.
• This and that.
• Here and now.
• Big and little.
• Likes and dislikes.
• Day and night.
• Winter and Summer.
• Old and new.
Use one side to showcase one person/place/thing/opinion/etc and the other side to showcase the opposite/different.
Now onto the Sketch Week fun! Let's look at how I changed up the sketch to fit my needs.
Variation #1 - Changing photo sizes.
I had several photos that I wanted to include, more than what the sketch had. I decided to use 3 x 3" photos and arrange them in a block, just like the photos are on the sketch. This meant that my photos ended up being 6" high instead of 4" and the width had an extra 1" on each side.
I did make a few adjustments on the rest of the layout to accommodate those extra inches.
Variation #2 - Adjusting backgrounds to fit.
Since I had those extra inches in my photo block, I increased the size of my background piece. On the sketch there is 2" of background showing above, below, to the left, and to the right of the photo block. I liked that ratio of background showing, so I stuck with it. Because I had increased the inches of my photo block, I was now working with an 11 x 10" background to keep that same even frame around the photos.
Variation #3 - Using strips in place of a large block of paper.
To help create a cohesive design while showcasing the two separate colors, I chose to use slanted strips so that a little bit of one color would be on the opposite page.
I started by using two 11 x 10" pieces of white cardstock as my base and cut several 1" strips in both pink and green.
I placed the two cardstock pieces together and found the center as best as I could. I wasn't too worried about it not being perfect. I just want a little bit of the pink on the green side and little bit of the green on the pink side.
With those first three strips I added, I had to make sure that they covered both the left and right background piece.
I adhered the strips side by side until I had one whole piece covered.
Next, I cut off the excess on the top, the left side, and the bottom.
When cutting off the right side, I had to be very careful because these strips will also be adhered onto the right page.
After I cut those strips off the right edge, I lined the two papers up, and adhered the strips onto the right page so that they would line up with the strips on the left page.
To finish, I added the green strips the same way.
I also added in some "extra" strips on top of the 1" strips. I like the competing pink and green colors, but I still wanted them to connect in a way. I added a few 1/4" strips of a stripe (the ultimate way to tie your colors together) and 1/2" strips of a black patterned paper with both pink and green in the design.
Variation #4 - Adjusting the title and journaling.
I kept my title and journaling in the same general areas as they are on the sketch while also customizing them to fit my layout.
Side note: I really lucked out that I happened to have Thickers in the exact same style for BOTH pink and green! I may have done a little scrapbooker happy dance!
The green title is exactly as it is on the sketch. I did omit the 2 x 2" photos on the sketch.
Then I added a pink title on the left page to go with the whole pink/green color war situation.
By adding that pink title it eliminated the space for my journaling. My solution was to create a journaling block that would fit within the photo block.
The stars are pretty much the same as they are on the sketch. I did adjust the sizes a little since I didn't have as much room.
That's all for today! Be sure to check back tomorrow for another layout based on the Sketch Week sketch #5!
Supplies used: Cardstock: Bazzill and American Crafts; Patterned paper: Simple Stories, My Mind's Eye, Jillibean Soup, Bella Blvd, and Photoplay; Foam alphabet stickers: American crafts; Star cut files: Silhouette and Kristen Magee; Star punch: Fiskars; Embroidery floss: DMC; Computer font: American Typewriter.