The Scrapbook Designer's Workbook: Unlocking the Secrets to Great Page Design
by Kari Hansen
List Price:
Our Price: $4.29
You Save: $18.70 (81%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.54 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Kari HansenEdition: Hardcover-spiral
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-01-09
ISBN: 1892127954
Number of pages: 128
Publisher: Memory Makers
Book Reviews of The Scrapbook Designer's Workbook: Unlocking the Secrets to Great Page Design
Book Review: (Actually 3 1/2 stars) Too firm on "how to scrapbook"
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm a graphic designer, and when I started scrapbooking, I felt myself at a total loss as far as design in the "real world" - ie, 3d images, texture, etc. So I decided to re-educate myself on the principles of design with a specific focus on paper arts and mixed media. Since then, I have been gobbling up all the "design principle" books I can get my hands on, and was very excited about getting Kari Hansen's book. It seemed exactly what I was looking for- a course in design principles, geared towards scrapbooking.
The problem is that Hansen's philosophy is not very flexible. It seems like this book is really geared for scrapbookers who wish to be published rather than those of us looking to develop our own styles and techniques. Hansen makes it clear in the first few sections that she was on the submission team for a magazine and had very specific criteria for a "good" page. Things must be neat- no glue showing, NO mistakes. Journaling must be typed or done in a very very neat handwriting, NO spelling or grammar mistakes, practive several times before committing to the layout. Titles must be witty and clear to anyone seeing the page. All cutting must be precise, everything measured. All photos properly resized before putting together layouts- there mujst ALWAYS be a larger focal photo (not so good for those of us who scrap 4x6, or who don't have time to rezise all our photos planning for layouts...) No "hanging" embellishments, no empty space. Yikes!
I appreciate her vision, but found myself frequently intimidated by her "this is what makes a bad layout" writing style. Scrapbooking is supposed to be personal, and for those of us who have no interest in getting published, sometimes we do have a little glue going beyond the edge of a photo by accident, or some messy handwriting. Sometimes we don't have time to resize a photo to make it the spotlight of the page. Sometimes we can't redo an entire page because we made a mistake that no one will probably notice but us, and maybe Kari Hansen if she were to check out the page. To me, these aren't design principles, but sort of perfectionist details. I'm interested in color theory, and balancing my elements. I'm not interested in someone reminding me over and over that the little crinkle on the corner of my page makes it a bad page.
I appreciate the overview of design and color. It's wonderful, and Hansen knows her stuff. But there is too much focus in the early chapter on what makes a scrapbook page UNACCEPTABLE or boring, which I sort of find insulting. I'm not a perfect scrapper, and I'm trying to get better. I don't want a design book telling me some of the things I've done, or mistakes I've made in my pages thus far make them useless. I much prefer the warmer writing style of Ali Edwards (with her motto "IT IS OKAY") and many others who have written about the same topic.
As far as the layouts, as far as I can tell they are all by Hansen. They are used to demonstrated the ideas and lessons Hansen is writing about rather than to function as inspiration. So this isn't a great book for those who want some visual inspiration.
So I would absolutely recommend the book, but I would try and take it with a grain of salt. If you are a serious scrapper, looking to elevate your design to the next level or learn what it takes to get published, take note to EVERYTHING Hansen says. But if you are just trying to learn a more technical way of creating personal pages, learning balance, flow, color ideas, and information on typography, I would skim the Hansen's personal feelings on what makes a scrapbook "good" and pay close attention to her design lessons. Apply them to your own pages, but don't lose what makes your pages YOU. Glue smudges and all!
Summary of The Scrapbook Designer's Workbook: Unlocking the Secrets to Great Page Design
Everything you need to know for amazing scrapbook design!Wondering if your title and journaling typography match? Perplexed when selecting the best color palette to complement your photographs? The answers to these design questions and so many more are handily collected here in Scrapbook Designer's Workbook. Noted scrapbook designer and columnist Kari Hansen teaches you the basics of design as they relate to scrapbooking. From color wheels to curvilinear lines, you'll find a wealth of information you'll reference again and again as your design knowledge grows and your style matures.
Inside you'll find:
- Easy-to-reference lists of design tips and tricks
- In-depth information on scrapbook design basics, elements, principles and color concepts
- Color palettes, layout sketches and other bonus materials to make page design easier
- An illustrated glossary of design terms
Crafts & Hobbies Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Crafts & Hobbies Books
Collins Complete Artist's Manualby Simon Jennings
HARPER COLLINS 0 PUB; Published: 2005-10-03; Hardcover; Book
Indoor Artistby Linda Birch
Harper Collins; Published: 2004-02-02; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.39
Drawing on the Artist Withinby Betty Edwards
Harpercollins; Published: 1988-04-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $176.90
Carolyn Warrender's Book of Colour Scheming: How to Identify the Colours That Are Right for Your Homeby CAROLYN WARRENDER
HARPERCOLLINS ILLUSTRATED; Published: 1999; Paperback; Book
Learn to Paint Gouache Pbby Moira Huntly
Harpercollins; Published: 1995-10; Paperback; Book
Learn to Frame (Collins Learn to Paint)by Sheila Fairbrass
Collins; Published: 1990-06-04; Paperback; Book
Art of Preserved Flower Arrangementby Maureen Foster
HarperCollins Distribution Services; Published: 1984-03-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.94
Design-It-Yourself Clothes: Patternmaking Simplifiedby Cal Patch
Potter Craft; Published: 2009-09-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.89
Price in other shops:
Continuous Cables: An Exploration of Knitted Cabled Knots, Rings, Swirls, and Curlicuesby Melissa Leapman
Potter Craft Books; Potter Craft; Published: 2008-10-07; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.82
Price in other shops:
How Not to Look Fatby Danica Lo
Harper Paperbacks; Published: 2006-05-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.45
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Focal Point: New Page Ideas and Techniques to Showcase Your Favorite Photosby Memory Makers
Memory Makers; Published: 2006-11-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.26
Price in other shops:
Scraplifting Inspirations (Leisure Arts #5559) (Creating Keepsakes)by Creative Crafts Group LLC
Leisure Arts, Inc.; Published: 2011-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.29
Price in other shops:
The Amazing Page: 650 Scrapbook Page Ideas, Tips and Techniques (Memory Makers)by Memory Makers
Memory Makers; Published: 2006-06-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.03
Price in other shops:
Type Cast: Creative Page Design Using Words, Type and Lettersby Editors Of Memory Makers Books
Memory Makers; Published: 2007-02-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.56
Price in other shops:
Cherish: Scrapbook Layouts Made Beautifully Simpleby Jeanette Lynton
Gibbs Smith; Published: 2008-07-23; Spiral-bound; Book
Best price: $17.47
Price in other shops:
Tantalizing Textures: Ideas and Techniques for Scrapbookersby Trudy Sigurdson
Memory Makers; Published: 2007-07-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
What About the Words? Creative Journaling for Scrapbookers (Memory Makers)by Memory Makers
Memory Makers; Published: 2006-02-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.15
Price in other shops:
Scrapbook Page Maps: Sketches For Creative Layoutsby Becky Fleck
Memory Makers; Published: 2008-04-01; Spiral-bound; Book
Best price: $2.34
Price in other shops:
Scrapbook Page Maps 2: More Sketches for Creative Layouts and Cardsby Becky Fleck
Memory Makers; Published: 2010-10-12; Hardcover-spiral; Book
Best price: $10.64
Price in other shops:
The Scrapbook Embellishment Handbookby Sherry Steveson
Memory Makers; Published: 2009-08-11; Hardcover-spiral; Book
Best price: $4.97
Price in other shops: