Test Your Skills 1
Test Your Skills
Want to sharpen your design skills? Try taking our quiz to see if you can spot common mistakes often seen in scrapbook galleries! Use the Design No-no’s PDF checklist to help in your search.
Take the Quiz
Using the above list, can you find 3-4 Design No-no’s in the page below? (Answers at bottom)
- ELEMENTS: Randomly placed elements
Explanation: Even though it would make sense to have an airplane flying across the sky, the airplane element is distracting from the other important elements. It would be better to move the airplane in proximity with everything else. - ELEMENTS: Trapped space
Explanation: There is a large area of space between the title of the page and the dashed vertical lines. These two things need to be snuggled up with each other in order to satisfy the principle of proximity. - TYPE: Journaling with a decorative font
Explanation: Journaling should always be done with a font that is easy to read. The three best category choices for journaling are: a serif font, a san serif font, or a handwriting font. Most font shops have their fonts separated into categories. - EXTRA CREDIT: PHOTOS: The horizon line is crooked
Explanation: A crooked horizon can add an artsy effect to a scrapbook page, but for guaranteed success, always straighten photos containing a horizon. Both Photoshop Elements and Adobe Photoshop have tools for straightening a horizon.
Here’s the above scrapbook page with all the no-no’s fixed.
Credits: Above the Clouds
- Page by Jen White
- Photos: Jen White
- Class/Template: QwikLearn | Design Beautiful Pages
- Kit: World Travel by HGD by Laurie Ann
- Fonts: Courier New, Carlotta, DJB ANNALISE 2011
Quiz #2: An Eye for Design
Question One
Consider the principle of Balance. When you think of balance, think of a weight scale or measuring stick. In regards to the scrapbook page above, can you spot at least three ways the principle of Balance is being applied?
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Solution One
Balance #1 is represented by the blue horizontal arrows. The width of the photo is balanced with the width of the title. A title can be lengthened not only by increasing the font size, but also by increasing the Tracking.
Balance #2 is represented by the red vertical arrows.The height of the main photo is balanced with the height of the text box. To create a longer text box, increase the Leading of your type.
Balance #3 is represented by the green circles. The diameter of the circular photo is balanced to the diameter of the flower.
Question Two
Consider the principle of Flow. Where does your eye land first on this page? Use your finger to draw the flow of the design. Remember, the most common flow lines are: a slanted line, a vertical/horizontal line, a triangle, a zigzag, and a circle.
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Solution Two
My eye first went to the small circular photo. Then, it traveled to the right across the title to the flower. Next, I was drawn back to the main photo and down to the date cluster. Finally, I returned to the circular photo. I think the flow of this page is a triangle. Is that what you think?
Question Three
Consider the principle of Repetition. Remember that repetition includes elements, colors, shapes, and even sizes of things. What three colors are being repeated throughout this page?
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Solution Three
The colors green, pink, and black are repeated throughout the page.
Why do you think there is no repetition of blue? When repeating colors, one is good, two is better, but three is NOT best. Introducing a third color often makes the page look cluttered. It’s unnecessary.
But wait, isn’t black a third repeated “color?” Black is not really considered a color when designing. It’s more of a necessary ingredient and can be used as much as you want along with other neutral colors like beige, grey, and white.
Credits: On Being Buttercup
- Page by Jen White
- Photos: Jen White
- Class/Template: QwikLearn | Design Beautiful Pages
- Kit: XOX by Brandy Murry
- Fonts: Euphorigenic, Avenir Next Condensed, DJB ANNALISE 2011