Scrapbook front cover ideas
Build a scrapbook front cover around one recognisable image, object or colour from the book. Keep the title readable and any raised decoration clear of the hinge and page edges.
Check how the book will sit on a shelf. A title visible on the closed cover helps distinguish it from other albums, especially when the covers use similar colours.
Finish the cover after choosing the inside pages. Use an image that identifies the subject, such as the house, venue or person the book records.
Try this in your own scrapbook
Arrange your photos on the pages of a digital scrapbook in your browser.
Choose a cover that identifies the subject
Use a view of the place, a portrait or an object shown inside the book. If the title names a place, keep a recognisable landmark in the image.
- Single photograph with the title in a plain area beneath.
- Small object image centred within a wide paper border.
- Map segment with the relevant area visible.
- Plain cover with a label and a dated photograph inset.
Keep the cover readable at a glance
Put words on a quiet background instead of across faces or fine map labels. A long title needs more space than a small decorative label gives it.
Use one title and, if necessary, a date range. Move the maker, contents and longer context to the inside title page.
Check the cover opens and closes
For a paper book, avoid loose corners or thick pieces near the spine. Check that the cover can open fully with its proposed decoration.
For a digital cover, test it as a small preview as well as a full page. Thin lettering over a detailed photograph can disappear when reduced.
Steps
Photo cover
Set one landscape photograph across the upper half. Leave a plain lower area for a short title and the relevant dates.
Object cover
Centre an image of a key, ticket or drawing, keeping its full outline. Place the title below and leave generous space around both.
Map cover
Use a cropped map as the background while preserving the place name. Put the title in a plain box that avoids the main route.
Label cover
Choose one paper colour from the inside book. Position a simple label above a small familiar photograph, with both aligned to the same centre.
Questions
Should the scrapbook cover use the first photo in the book?
It can, but a later image may identify the subject better. Choose after reviewing the whole selection.
How much information belongs on the front cover?
Use the subject and any necessary date range. Names of contributors and explanations can go on the inside title page.
Can a scrapbook cover be plain?
Yes. Use a readable label and a colour from the inside pages. Add a small photograph only if it helps identify the book.