How to Put Photos on a Page in Scrapbooking

How you organize your photos on your scrapbook page is very important. Having the wrong layout can decrease the effectiveness of the page, or give the impression there's something lacking. On the other hand, the perfect layout can greatly boost the attractiveness of a page and may even inspire better scrapbooking work in the future. While some people are born with an innate sense of how to properly put things in artistic order, most of us need to practice several times before it's done correctly.

Things You'll Need

• Adhesive
• Background paper
• Photographs
• Mat paper

Instructions

Put Photos on a Page in Scrapbooking

1. Decide which photos you want to use. All of your photos don't need to be from the same event, but they should tie into some greater theme, such as vacations, family or holidays.

2. Pick a photo to become the focal point of your page. It should be larger than the other photos you've selected and should be colorful enough to draw the eye immediately.

3. Think about the background paper you want for your page. You can go with one solid color or you can mix and match patterns and solids.

4. Choose the colors you want to mat your photos on. The best way to select colors is to choose those which coordinate or contrast with the ones you've already selected for the background colors. You may also want to select colors which reflect the theme or personality of the page or give emphasis to a color in the photograph.

5. Assemble your photos on the page so you can get a good idea of your layout options. You'll want to rearrange your photos several times to find the right combination for the page.

6. Put your photos on the mat using either a special photo glue stick or double-sided photo tabs.

7. Secure mats on your scrapbook page using the layout you decided on previously. Use relatively heavy adhesive to put them on the page, due to the weight of the photographs and the mats.

8. Enclose the entire page in a page protector, insert it in your scrapbooking album immediately and store in a dry, cool place away from direct sunlight.

Tips & Warnings

• For a unique page, consider experimenting with your photo mats. Instead of using straight-edge mats, you can try ones with scalloped edges, or even ones shaped like hearts, circles or triangles.

• Be sure the adhesive you use is safe for use on photographs. Certain types of adhesives may cause photos to deteriorate quickly, and may cause staining. For the best results, search for acid-free, acrylic-based adhesives.