Layout Critique #4

This week's layout comes from Harriett.

Please follow the directions carefully. Be specific and make a "good feeling sandwich" (something you like, something you'd improve, something you like). Comments that do not follow the guidelines may be deleted.

I'm hoping to make this a regular feature on the blog. If you'd like to submit a layout for critique please email it to me at [email protected]

Tags:

layout critique

Recent Comments

Judy Underhill Tue, 04/09/2013 - 14:31

Sorry that I am late this time. I love the pictures and the colors you chose. I myself love shadowing. I think that because of the white background it does seem to be floating. I agree with everyone about adding dirt to the page, but I suggest that you use some grunge. To give a boyish look with a little wear and tear look around the outer edges of elements and page. I love the pictures but I suggest only using the outdoor shot. You could match it with a photo that doesn't leave the outdoor one so far in the back of your layout. Maybe putting brown on the page would have solved that. Boys are so difficult to scrap. There is so much out there to use for girls and women. I think you are on the right track and have the foundation for a great page. Sometimes it takes only one more element, to get the wow factor. Thank you for sharing this moment in his life with us. He sure is a cutie.

Harriett Humphries Sun, 04/07/2013 - 15:21

Thank you all for your comments. It's nice to hear unprejudiced opinions and advice from experienced scrappers. My style has evolved over the years and I agree with many of the suggestions. Cooper is turning 8 this year and still producing charming situations to be scrapped.

Melissa Bechtloff Sun, 04/07/2013 - 10:19

I love the colours; the different shades of blue with the strips. I agree with most of the others that instead of the daisy's maybe use some muddy puddles or mud prints (top right)/foot prints(bottom left). The font is super cute, which one did you use? oh, and the fact the Cooper is absolutely adorable helps, lol. I bet he's going to be a trouble maker ... albeit a cute and adorable one!

Fiona Foo Wed, 04/03/2013 - 22:28

I love the different shades of blue used. As the theme is on walking, perhaps you can experiment on including some muddy footprints around instead of the pure and white flowers. Instead of the 2 big photos, having them in different sizes may give the layout more dimension. I certainly won't mind being driven nuts with more photos of Cooper's smiles and cheeks! Thank you for sharing this layout.

Cynthia Arnett Wed, 04/03/2013 - 18:23

Love how you picked colors from the shirt for background and used the strips to accent. In place of daisies maybe a little dump truck with aome dirt in it. I also feel that the Journaling could be a little closer to pictures maybe even overlap a little. I think the size of your pictures is good and the content is great. Thanks for letting us critique I feel we all learn when we share.

Lana Fischer Wed, 04/03/2013 - 03:16

Love the photos and the paper choices for a boy. I think the only thing I would do is downsize the text some. I know I like to put my layouts on my desktop (and hide the icons), to see how it will look when I actually get something printed out. Sometimes I do it over and over until it looks rights to me and I might even leave it up all day just to study it before I actually save it for the last time. I like the different fonts you used at the bottom!

Meridy Reeve Tue, 04/02/2013 - 21:52

What a cutie! Love the cheeks. I think the title piece and journal on the bottom, need to be moved up closer to the picture. My eyes feel distracted moving up and down between the pictures and the words. I love the paper strips, but I also think that the pictures need to be more grounded with a frame or a mat behind them. The strips just aren't enough by themselves even though I love them. I agree with Sarah about the daises and adding in more bugs and mud puddles. I really love colors. They work well with the photos and help them stand out. :)

Lórien Rezende Tue, 04/02/2013 - 20:31

I think your page is adorable. Coopper is really cute. The only thing I´d do is to decrease a bit the size of the shadows, so things don´t seem to be floating. I know it´s easier to make than to do, as I also have problems shadowing. My favorite part of the layout is the title/journalling. It´s a great and fun quotation :)

Sarah Lewis Tue, 04/02/2013 - 08:54

I like your use of paper strips and the photos on top of them. The daisies don't seem quite right to me for a messy boy page. I keep thinking of more boy elements like more bugs and some mud puddles for your elements, perhaps. That would go along with your journaling. I absolutely love the photos of Cooper. I just want to pinch those adorable cheeks! Thanks for sharing your page with us.

Blog By

Marisa Lerin

About Me

Hi There! I’m Marisa Lerin and you’ll see me around at DigitalScrapbook.com a lot. I started this site in 2010 soon after I discovered a new love in digital scrapbooking. DigitalScrapbook.com has gone through some significant changes since that time and it’s grown into this lovely community site you are seeing now. I am daily surprised by the turn of life’s events that has led me down this path. If you're new to the site, welcome! Here are a few tidbits about me that I hope will help you get to know me better!

I’m originally from Minnesota, USA, but spent a good chunk of my childhood living abroad (in Bolivia and Hong Kong). I returned to Minnesota to attend university, got married and then moved overseas again (Korea, then Jordan and 1 year of traveling). My designs are heavily influenced by these many nomadic years. I am currently back in the USA, now living in the great state of Oregon!

I have no official training for what I’m doing, since I decided very wisely (haha) to study physics in university. I am always learning new things about digital scrapbooking, and this community has been immensely helpful for that!

If I manage to stop digital scrapbooking you will probably find me watching TV, reading or baking. I also enjoy writing for the blog here at DigitalScrapbook.com where I talk about whatever happens to be catching my fancy at the moment.