How to make a scrapbook with photo prints

The first step for any photo print scrapbook is printing your pictures. Whether you want to order prints from your mobile online for same-day printing or in-store, there are a wide range of options available to you. 

When ordering your photo prints, you want to make sure they’re the perfect size for your scrapbook. Cutting up your photos can help you include more and allow you to be more creative when sticking them in, but you don’t want to cut anything important out. 

Photo prints come in many different sizes, including 6x4”, 7x5”, 8x6”, 10x8”, 12x8”, A4, A3 and A2. Alternatively, square prints are available in 4x4”, 5x5” and 6x6”. We recommend printing photographs no larger than 8x6” (roughly around the size of A5), when making a homemade scrapbook. 

You may also want to choose different photo print styles for your scrapbook, such as retro photo prints for vintage-style photos, or lustre photo prints for a more subtle matte-like finish. 

If you’re struggling to start, or perhaps overwhelmed with the idea of making a scrapbook from scratch, then consider making a pre-made photo book of memories instead. Filled with all your chosen photos, you can then just customise the book with all your personal touches!

Next, you’ll want to organise your photographs. This could include categorising the photos by theme, event or chronologically - however, you want to lay them out and group them together in your scrapbook and tell your story. 

Organising your photo prints before sticking them into your scrapbook will ensure that you have space for all the photos you want to include, as well as helping you lay them out cohesively when it comes time to stick them in. 

Once you’ve organised your photo prints, the next step is to plan the layout of your whole scrapbook - including any decorations and embellishments. Many people find sketching out the layout beforehand, or experimenting with placement and taking a photograph before sticking the best way to do this. Be creative with this step and explore different layout styles, including collages, grids and themed spreads - ensure you leave space for journaling and captions too!

By planning the layout ahead of time, you can be sure to have space to include everything you want in your scrapbook and have a plan of how you want to stick everything in without risking forgetting anything. 

Now it’s time to start sticking in your photo prints. Using your layout plan, securely stick down all your photos. Many people choose to use glue over tape, as this creates a more professional finish. However, whatever you choose, we recommend picking an acid-free adhesive, to preserve the longevity of your photos and scrapbook, and prevent damage over time. 

The next step of creating your photo print scrapbook is to add your personal touches. Once again, using your layout plan, start to stick in your decorations, embellishments and memorabilia. 

This might also be the step where you also choose to add in handwritten notes, captions, song lyrics and anecdotes - or just journal entries describing your memories. Some people find writing prompts helpful during this stage, to help trigger memories and provide a starting point for writing. 

Combined, all these personal touches will enhance the storytelling aspect of your scrapbook and help you remember these memories for years to come. 

The final step to creating your handmade scrapbook is your final touches. This stage starts by reviewing your scrapbook and making any changes before it’s too late. Some people like to come back to their scrapbook periodically to add new memories over time, so make sure to leave some room if that's something you think you'd like to do. 

Part of your final touches is also protecting your scrapbook from wear and tear. This includes adding page protectors, to prevent the pages from being worn and pieces from becoming unstuck and moving around, and storing them in a cool, dry place. If you have some leftover photo prints or memorabilia that didn't make it into your scrapbook, you could choose to store your scrapbook in a box with these pieces - keeping them all together, safely. 

What is the best way to print photos for scrapbooking?

The best way to print photos for scrapbooking is by using a photo printing service, such as ours at Max Spielmann. Forget purchasing photo paper and risking your printer from running out of ink - our specialist printers and helpful in-store colleagues will ensure that your photos are always printed perfectly. 

What is the best way to put photos in a scrapbook?

We have found that the best way to put your photo prints into a scrapbook is using glue - whether that be with a glue stick, glue dots or liquid glue. Tape runs the risk of damaging your prints, as well as leaving quite a messy look. However, some people like to use decorative washi tape on the corners of their photo prints, as an extra embellishment. 

How many pictures should go in a scrapbook?

This is completely up to you! Just remember to not overcrowd the page, as this could lose memories into the background, as well as preventing your scrapbook from closing, which could cause unwanted damage. 

What is the rule of three in scrapbooking?

The rule of three in scrapbooking is to create 3 different points of interest in the scrapbook to keep the viewer’s eye moving. This is often done in a triangle, but you could design your scrapbook to move across the two pages next to each other. 3 points of interest could include a couple of photographs, a journal entry and matching pieces of memorabilia or embellishments. 

How do you protect photos in a scrapbook?

The best way to protect your scrapbook photos is to use page protectors. However, other ways you can protect them is keeping your scrapbook in a slipcase or box to prevent dust from gathering on your pages.

Looking for more creative things you can do with your memories? Find inspiration over at the Max Spielmann blog or ask one of our helpful in-store colleagues, today!