Transparencies in Scrapbooking by Tristann (As seen in Correspondence Art Summer 2004)

Transparencies are an easy way to add variety and life to your scrapbook pages. From journaling to pictures, transparencies provide an easy and inexpensive way to add some pizzazz and style to your scrapbook layouts.The most common use for transparencies is for journaling. Since they are clear, transparencies provide an excellent way to place journaling on your page while allowing the background to show through without covering it or muting it as vellum does. Because transparencies are clear, the journaling is readable without taking away the feel of the photos or the paper. In my July 4th layout (Figure 1) I wanted to add some phrases from the American National Anthem over the pictures of the fireworks and the flag. I determined where I wanted the printing to be on the pictures, measured the pictures to determine the size of the area my printing needed to fit in and then typed the phrases in Microsoft Word so I could adjust the size and style of font. I used WordArt in Microsoft word to change the font into block letters, and then I printed the phrases in a color to coordinate with the pictures on a transparency. To give a little more style to the printed letters, I filled the letters with glitter. This let me put my journaling over my pictures without actually marking up the pictures and added a little pizzazz to the page.Figure 1  July 4th layoutYou can see another example of journaling on my Family Tradition layout (Figure 2). Here I wanted a crisp look to my page so I did my journaling on the computer. I liked the color of the cardstock and I wanted the journaling to look as if it was actually printed on the cardstock. To get this effect, I determined where I wanted my printing to be on the cardstock; measured the area to determine the size my journaling needed to fit in and then typed it in Microsoft Word. Then I printed the journaling on the transparency, trimmed around it and attached it to the layout. This provided a clean, crisp look without the muted look of vellum.Figure 2 - Family Tradition layoutBesides journaling, you can use transparencies to print your pictures on instead of photo paper, which allows you to achieve a softer look to your pictures. You can also print your picture onto photo paper, then print the same picture on a transparency, and then place the picture on the transparency over the picture on the photo paper for a more vibrant, dimensional look. You can see this technique in the picture comparisons in Figure 3. The first picture was printed on photo paper, the second picture was printed on a transparency and the third picture is the picture printed on a transparency that is placed on top of the picture printed on photo paper. Same picture but three very different looks.Figure 3 - Picture comparison (photo paper, transparency, transparency on photo paper)You can also take this effect one step further by printing one picture on photo paper and a different picture on a transparency and then placing the transparency on the photo paper as I did on my Autumn layout (Figure 4) for a layered look. On the left-hand corner of the layout, I printed one picture of leaves on photo paper and a different picture at a larger size on a transparency and laid it over the first picture. This created a layered look, brought out the color of the leaves in the photo and allowed the background paper to show through on the edges creating a soft border. For the road I printed a horizontal picture of the road on photo paper and a vertical picture of the road on transparency film. Then I placed the vertical picture over the horizontal picture matching up the trees in both photos to create a vivid, three-dimensional look with part of the horizontal photo, while allowing a soft, distant look with the vertical photo where the background paper shows through. To make the photos of my parents more vibrant, I first printed their picture on photo paper, and then I printed it on a transparency. I laid the transparency film over the photo paper matching the images to create a more vibrant, dimensional photo. One layout with several different looks all by using transparencies. Figure 4 - Autumn layoutTransparencies provide an easy way to add style and pizzazz to your scrapbook pages. From journaling to photos to special effects, transparencies are a great tool to use to make beautiful, unique layouts for your scrapbooks. The only limit is your imagination.