This is the last lesson which explores scrapbooking styles. That isn't to suggest that I have covered every style - to do so would be virtually impossible, and there are new styles emerging all the time. I have tried to cover the more common styles that I have seen in circulation, and enough of a variety to give you an idea of what is out there. Hopefully, I have also piqued your creativity just a little bit. This week, I'll cover shabby chic, collage, and layered.
What's old is new again. Shabby chic is all the rage, both in home decorating and in scrapbooking. Anything that looks distressed, aged, scuffed, worn, torn, or otherwise abused can find a home in a shabby chic layout. You can distress paper, cardstock, and some embellishments yourself, with judicious use of sandpaper, acrylic paint, and a hammer.
I must admit - this is the style I struggle with the most. I know there are scrapbook artists out there who can produce page after page of beautifully executed, pleasing layouts using overlapping elements in a variety of materials and styles. When I try that, it just looks like the top of someone else's trash can. Luckily for me, manufacturers now sell products - papers, stickers, epoxy embellishments - that are "pre-collaged."
This is the style that probably most closely represents my own tendencies. I love layering patterned papers and cardstock to make pleasing and eye-catching designs, while still giving the photos the focus. The trick is to vary the scale of the prints, and to choose prints with coordinating colors even if they're not produced by the same manufacturer.
You've probably already picked up on the fact that some pages will fit more than one theme. A layout might be whimsical and retro; it might be layered and geometric. My goal is not to have everyone - or even every layout - fit into a particular box. Far from it! I only illustrate different styles to give you some ideas about what's popular, what's available, and what might work for you. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - and "scraplifting" (copying someone else's design) is a time-honored tradition - but I encourage you to use what you've read here to spark something new in your own work.
Design a layout using one of the art styles described above.
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