Creating a Radiant Scrapbook Layout from a Sketch
When I saw this sketch, created by our very own, Misty Murphy, with its large circular focal point and photo cluster along the bottom, I remembered this paper I had by Vicki Boutin. I was immediately inspired to create a vibrant page that highlights two special birthdays. Our granddaughter was born on my husband’s birthday, so what better way to celebrate this special day shared across generations. The sketch gave me a great foundation for my design.
Translating the Sketch to a Radiant Layout
The first thing I did was flip the sketch. I placed my focal photo inside the circle. By choosing the paper that I did, most of the work was done for me. There was already a burst of vibrant colors in a circle with rays radiating outward from the central circle. I cut my focal photo into a circle so it would fit within the colorful burst.
Stitched Details and Personalized Touches
One of the elements I loved from the sketch was the implied movement from the center outward. I extended this idea by using embroidery floss and stitching radiating lines from the edge of the central circle to the edge of the paper. The stitching helps draw the viewer’s eye to the main photo.
For the bottom portion, where the sketch featured three 2×3 photos, I chose to include one single photo, matted with green polka dotted paper which compliments the rainbow color scheme above. I also added some small patterned paper accents to echo the horizontal lines in the sketch. My final touch was to add matching colored sequins along the outer edges.
Title and Journaling Choices
The sketch suggested a spot for a title and subtitle in the lower left, but I decided to move my title to the right of the central photo for better balance. I chose the title “Generations of Celebration” because I felt it perfectly captured the essence of this layout…..two generations honoring their shared birthdays.
Rather than include a large block of journaling I let the photos and design elements tell most of the story, However, there is still room for a brief note if I decide to add more details later.
Final Thoughts
Using a sketch as inspiration gives me the structure I needed to begin creating a layout, but the freedom to interpret it in my own way makes the process fun and rewarding. Hopefully this has shown you how versatile sketches can be. They’re not rules to follow, but creative springboards to explore.
I love how my layout turned out……full of color, texture, movement and most importantly, meaning. This layout has captured a joyful, multi-generational moment in a way that feels artistic and personal.
If this has inspired you to create a layout using this sketch, and I hope it has, please share and tag us @scraphappy so that we can see.