I’ve never been good at successfully describing my own scrapbooking style, although I’m sure I have one. While I long for a couple of catchy adjectives that sum it up in one quick phrase, the reality is more a series of design choices which combined together make a page definitively mine. A typical layout for me consists of two pages, multiple photos and a patterned-paper background. Usually clean and linear overall, but increasingly with artistic elements included.
Like many who spend time online, I read the blogs and admire the work of a number of well-known scrappers. Message board and podcast discussions cover everything from different scrapping styles to keeping your own work authentic. So I got to thinking, can you adopt someone else’s style and still create a page that is true to yourself? After finishing this page recently I think you can.
Wilna Furstenberg – and specifically her Art Class on Two Peas in a Bucket – was the inspiration here. It has become my goal this year to incorporate more mixed media techniques and products on my pages, and Wilna’s class provides an excellent primer for many of these techniques. In the album for my recent trip to Barbados many of my photos will simply be included in pocketed page protectors, but I thought I’d have a go at the class lessons using the trip photos that I wish to highlight, and will augment the album with these scrapped pages.
A stencil and gesso were this lesson’s focus resulting in a very organic start to the page – making it quite different from my usual process. From there though, I can see that most of the choices are ones I’d normally make. The earthtone palette and Thickers title are typical, as is the variety of themed embellishments suggesting a visual triangle – despite attempting to put said embellishments in a vertical line as Wilna did.
So although I began by intentionally setting aside my usual process, my final page does feel very much ‘me’. It will be interesting to see, as I work through the wealth of ideas artfully shared in class, if and how my current style evolves. But regardless of that outcome, I know I’ll have a good time getting messy and exploring the possibilities of my growing arsenal of mixed media products.
I would love to hear – do you have an identifiable scrapbook style, and how has it evolved?
Keitha – your style is inspiring! I love what you do with pages and the one above is no exception.
Interesting concept. I don’t think I could do that. I follow sketches, but only ones that appeal to me. Ultimately its my style using ideas that speak to me.
Very nicely done and very similiar to something I would create. I, too, do not have a style, I just use whatever items I have on hand to make my layouts look balanced.
Very interesting Keitha. I love the way you stretch your creativity.
awesome work Keitha!
Beautiful, Keitha. I’m not sure how I’d describe your style, but I love it!
Great work! I have no idea of my style. I just do what I like and that looks good to me. The way I have evolved is doing things in challenges that I would never do on my own. I do like your work that you do on your projects.
very creative, love it!
Ahhh! This is beautiful! Art and scrapbooking is a journey and i can totally relate wih you. The fact that no matter what i try and experiment with the style always comes back as my own. And to me, that’s a good thing. Hopw to see moee of your pages!