You don’t have to stop at one visual triangle on your scrapbook page design

The visual triangle

When you have three spots on your page that have something in common and that stand
out, they catch the viewer’s eye. The viewer’s mind looks for things that stand out. Check out these idea for making visual triangles: 4 ways to make visual triangles on your scrapbook pages from Doris Sander.

Why triangle rather than square?

• Odd numbers are more interesting to the eye than even numbers. An odd number of objects can be arranged both symmetrically and asymmetrically. Three is the odd number that is most frequently used in all kinds of design. Just for a start, look for it in architecture, home decor, and floral design.
• The triangle makes a path that will go through your focal point rather than around it. You want your viewer to enter into your design not circle around the outside of it.

Don’t stop with one triangle

You can include more than one visual triangle in your design and we’ve got ideas below.

 

Doris Sander says, “The visual triangle is my go-to method for balancing my pages.  I like to make visual triangles based on color and call it the ‘color dance.'”

“I think the key to good visual triangles is subtlety.  On “Fleeting,” I count at least four visual triangles based on color, but, really, the only obvious one is in yellow with the butterfly stencil page, scattered sequin flowers, and punched butterfly.  

The other visual triangles aren’t as easy to spot, but using them has helped me balance my color scheme across the page. They are triangles of color:

• grey (silver title, grey bow, and the sky in the photo)
• green (tickets, vintage manilla graphic under the photo, and the machine stitching on the buttom tab)
• pink ones (random splotch on the butterfly paper, label sticker in vellum pocket, and pink hues in the photo)

Marie-Pierre Capistran  says, “This is the story of how I felt when I saw the first snow falling this year and of what I did with my kids.”

See these triangles:

• three photos with a hint of red in every photo
• three embellishments clusters, each with blue, grey chipboard, and white snowflakes

Kiki Kougioumtzi says, “This layout is about our pets,their character and the relationship they have.”

See these visual triangles:

• 3 photos each with green background and white animals
• 3 heart and star clusters,
• banner + flower series at bottom right + embellishment series below journaling.

Amanda Jones   says, “This page documents my son’s school photo at the age of nine.”

See these visual triangles:

• 3 small red stars
• 3 chipboard bursts
• 3 spots of red and white patterned washi tape / paper
• 3 spots of swirled twine 

Barb Brookbank says, “This layout is about my grandson being bundled up and playing hockey for the first time.”

See the visual triangles:

• 3 photos
• 3 snowflake stamps clusters
• 3 spots of journaling

Brenda Becknell says, ” My grandson is such a happy boy. I love to get photos of his sweet smile.”

See these visual triangles:

• blue (circle of paper at top, polka dot papers, airplane
• green (sticker in title, polka dot paper behind photos, green alphas at bottom right)
• 3 embellishment + word clusters (title on cloud, “5 months” at bottom right, “remember these days” at left)

Sue Althouse  says, ” This page is about our grown son playing softball.”

To guide the eye around the page, visual triangles are incorporated in five different ways that feature color, pattern, shape and texture.

• 3 black buttons
• 3 white circle clusters
• 3 floral strips
• 3 yellow chevron strips
• 3 polka-dot circles

Amy Kingsford says, “This page is about a fun day trip that my husband I took this past fall.”

“I’ve used a variety of visual triangles to keep the eye moving  and unite the entire canvas even though a strong division is created by the stark white strip with journaling on the right side.”

See these visual triangles:

• 3 spots of deep purple (leaf at top left, shadows in photo, washi tape)
• greys (cluster bleeding off top right, pattern paper block behind photos, grey flower in cluster at bottom right)
• 3 primary groupings (tag + button grouping at top right, 3 photos creating the focal point, photo cluster at bottom right)

Jennifer Matott  says, “A friend of mine takes professional photos and I saw this one she took of a friend’s daughter and knew since I don’t have girls, that I wanted to use this one!”

See the visual triangles here:

• 3 floral clusters, each with a red flowers and yellow leaves
• 3 swirls of pearls

Adriana Puckett  says, “This playful layout showcases pictures from an afternoon where my husband took our daughters out to fly their new dragon kite in our front field.”

“There are many visual triangles here – the strongest are the three cluster groups defined by the chevron paper, flags, and wooden birds. There is also a visual triangle of the three small photos in the upper left-hand corner.”

 

Adryane Driscoll says, “This is a story about a day spend exploring the park.”

See these triangles:

• the main triangle is of the three photos
• critter + butterfly brushwork
• 3 small spots of red (ladybugs and the splash)

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