Creating a digital scrapbook entails arranging collage art and photos around an evocative theme. Digital scrapbooks are generally made up of a series of photo collages, and today’s digital scrapbook templates make the process easy and enjoyable–even for those who aren’t computer savvy.The reason it’s so simple to make a digital scrapbook is that today’s digital collage art provides the designed backgrounds, frames, titles and scrapbook pages, so you don’t need to spend hours searching for products or deciding on a layout. All you need to do is add your photographs and some journaling or captions, and voila: a completed digital scrapbook!Often referred to as “premade pages” or “premade layouts,” digital scrapbook templates are scrapbook pages that are nearly finished. You may find it helpful and inspiring to view other scrappers’ work to gain insight into the range of possibilities before you get started. You’ll find an endless array of the latest and greatest digital scrapbook layouts and collage art online, along with examples of beautiful pages submitted by users.Photos and ThemeA digital scrapbook generally features photos and collage art depicting a theme and words or journaling that evoke, explain and expand upon that theme. Decide on your theme and select photos for your page. Scrappers often use pictures from the same shoot, which helps with color coordination as well as theme consistency.If you’re making a photo collage as a gift for someone, your theme could just be that person and their friends or family. You could also make photo collages for your home using the theme of a vacation, childhood or family photos, pets, or special events such as a wedding, graduation, prom or birthday party. Experiment by placing your photos into a few digital scrapbook layouts to settle on a balanced composition and to give you an idea of how much “real estate” you have to develop.Create a folder on your computer, go through all your digital photos, and copy and paste into the folder any that match your theme or might look good in your photo collage. After you’ve sorted through and edited all your photos and have many in the folder, start to cut it down to a reasonable number of prints.For a collage that is made up entirely of photos (no other memorabilia items), following are maximum estimates for the number of photos:18×24 inch collage – No more than 40 photos24x36 inch collage – No more than 60 photosIf your photo collage is bigger or smaller, adjust your size accordingly. A popular size is 12″ x 12″.Design!You have infinite options when designing your digital photo collage. Give some thought in advance about what you might like your digital collage to look like so you don’t get overwhelmed. Here are some ideas:* Photos enhanced with memorabilia. For example, in a wedding collage, you might include the scanned program or wedding announcement from the newspaper.* Several photos with a quote featured in the center. Family photos might use a quotation about love or home. You can find many ideas for quotes online.* All black and white photosWhen placing your photos, start with the edges of your photo collage first, as you might when piecing together a puzzle. Put your favorite or most eye-catching photos in the corners because they tend to draw attention. After you have the outline completed, begin filling in the center. Next choose collage art and scrapbook designs for your photo collages. Consider what types of additional embellishments you’d like to use to decorate. When selecting collage art for your background and embellishments, choose colors that dominate or accent your photographs.Journal ArtYour pictures comprise just one part of the story. Once you’ve placed them, add text in the form of captions, titles or even prose to explain what the photos depict. This is called journaling, and it can help preserve memories for generations to come.Plan your journaling: What title and other words can you use to tie the photos together? Think about your audience and the people in the photos. What might evoke a memory or smile for them?The words you select form a significant part of your collage art. Even the fonts you choose give words visual expression. Just as we use volume and tone to add expression to the spoken word, scrapbookers use fonts, letter placement and color for emphasis or subtle touches.Practice these steps, and you’ll be a master of the art of digital scrapbooking in no time!