Should You Create a One-Page or Two-Page Layout?

by Amy Chow

When looking at your photos, the first thing you must decide is whether you want to create a one-page or two-page layout. A layout is simply another name for a page or set of pages.

Some scrapbookers only create one-page layouts, and some scrapbookers only create two-page layouts. Some scrapbookers mix and match, depending on the occasion and number of photos. What's the difference? It's really up to you.

Create One-Page Layouts if you...
don't take, or have, too many photos
like to use very few embellishments
want to get your pages done faster
like the look of having 2 pages that are completely different

Create Two-Page Layouts if you...
take LOTS of pictures (like me)
like to do a lot of journaling
want more space to do some creative embellishing
like to have two side-by-side pages that match

I'm sure there are many more reasons why you would choose one style over another. You should experiment and see what you like better. If you know that you're a snap-happy photographer like me, you should definitely consider the two-page layouts. I personally prefer the two-page layouts, because I feel less restricted when planning my layout. I like having space to play around. Of course, it then becomes a challenge when I barely have enough photos for a two-page layout, but I can usually figure something out. Often at times, I find that I have too many photos to fit on only two pages.

What happens if you only have one picture of an event, and you want to do a two-page layout?

First, make sure that you can stretch it out over two pages. If you only have that one picture, and one picture only, I don't think you would be able to do much with that.

Next, see if you have something you can include in the layout. Do you have some journaling to include? Do you have some memorabilia for the page? If it's a birthday picture, could you include some birthday cards? Why not take some pictures of opened gifts that are still in good condition, and add them in? No one is going to know that the pictures weren't taken on the day of the birthday party.

Last, add some creative elements if desired, and now you have a two-page layout.

A recent one-picture layout I did, was of me and my cousins at Disneyland. We just love the Mouse! :) I only had one good picture of all five of us with Mickey and Goofy, but the picture was too important to include with any other pictures. This layout was easy for me, because I knew I had two HUGE stickers of Mickey and Goofy, plus I had a nice long story to include. So what resulted was a simple, clean layout, with one picture, that I stretched over two pages.

So the choice is really up to you. You can mix and match one-page and two-page layouts, and once you feel comfortable, you can even do 4-page layouts, which are called Panoramic layouts.