DST Feature: Getting Creative with Type with Brian Tippetts

Editor's Note: The following article was previously published in the August 2009 issue of DST Insider, a publication of DigiShopTalk.com.

A passion for type, and how it communicates and coveys emotion, led Brian Tippetts to create the book Get Creative with Type.

His book not only focuses on his passion, but also helps scrapbookers learn how to effectively use type within their layouts.

“[Type] quickly communicates the theme or concept of the layout and also creates a mood,” Tippetts explained. “Additionally, the stories are told and type helps convey the feelings in journaling.”

Tippetts believes Get Creative with Type is different from other scrapbooking books or on-line tutorials, in part, because of his experience using type as
a graphic artist.

“I have spent my entire career focusing on what type is out there and how it can help communicate to the reader,” he said. “The concepts and chapters in
Get Creative with Type are instruction on what typefaces to use and why, and cool things you can do with type.

“I also knew I wasn’t an expert of scrapbooking so I picked a number of talented scrapbookers that have an ability to use type well and together we have an amazing book on type.”

Thirteen scrapbooking artists, featuring a mix of hybrid, digital and paper, are featured within the book’s layouts.

“I wanted to have a wide range of talent, but most importantly, I wanted the most talented group of scrapbook designers that were already known for their use of type on layouts. Ali Edwards, Amanda Probst and Heidi Swapp are authors already and they are very talented with it comes to type use,” Tippetts said.

Other scrapbook artists, using hybrid and digital techniques, featured in the book include Jessica Sprague, Nicole LaRue and Deena Wuest.

“As the layouts were coming in for the book, I remember thinking that they surpassed my highest expectations and many times WOWed me,” Tippetts said.

Regardless of the method they use to build pages, Tippetts believes all scrapbookers can find ways to use the lessons in this book to enhance their layouts, because “type transcends the format or the way we pull together memories.”

To help readers explore the minds of the various designers featured within the book, Tippetts included a “Type Profile” section at the beginning, which asks each contributor two questions: What is your favorite font, and what font are you.

The style section is also fun, Tippetts said, because it provides a plethora of information for scrapbookers concerning the type options for a variety of ages.

“I want scrapbookers to come away feeling empowered to have fun with type,” Tippetts said. “Also, to have more appreciation for selecting appropriate type and using it well.”

A look at Type
Tippetts has a bit of advice for scrapbookers as they use type on their pages.

“The use of type on a layout can get out of hand very quickly,” Tippetts said. “I would encourage not to excessively use all caps or [a]ransom note style (mixed fonts).”

He suggests, scrapbookers limit their type to one to three typefaces per layout, and instead utilize the “family” of type styles, i.e. bold, italic, thin, condensed, etc.

“There are a ton of fonts out there and they don’t all have to be used,” Tippetts said. “Find those typefaces which reflect your personality and stick with them. I like to see consistent albums with similar typefaces to unify the whole package.”

Tippetts said his favorite journaling or clean title font is Gotham. For fun or “funky” layouts, he usually picks Feel Script or Cocktail Shaker – but his choices depend upon the feeling he wants to convey and the potential audience.

“I love seeing well executed type on a path,” Tippetts said. “Type that follows a specific shape, whether it be a circle, square, letter or numeral, can add dimension to a layout and a fun solution to a page.”

His favorite type artists include Neville Brody and David Carson, because of their innovative and experimental type treatments. He has found inspiration by font foundries like Adobe, Émigré, House Industries and Font Bureau.

“When I worked at the computer software company, WordPerfect, I was known as the ‘type guru’ and could identify any font that coworkers need to know,” Tippetts said. “It is fun for me to research and find typefaces that are used in advertising or elsewhere.

“I was also in charge of licensing fonts for use with WordPerfect software, so I was able to meet with many type designers and discuss the hard work and talent required to complete a typeface.”

More about Brian
Tippetts is, first and foremost, a selfdescribed family man.

“My family comes first, and I enjoy traveling and being with my wife and four kids. We love to play tennis, golf ride bikes, hike in the mountains, snowboard and many other outdoor activities,” he explained.

For the past 10 years, Tippetts has worked with Creating Keepsakes. Due to a recent acquisition by New Track Media Company, he is no longer the dditor-in-chief at Creating Keepsakes Magazine.

Tippits finds type inspiration in a variety of places.

“Just recently, Ford Motor Company ran some TV spots where type was animated and moving around the screen simultaneously with the cars and trucks,” Tippetts said. “It was very inspiring.”


Review: Get Creative with Type
I’ll admit it. I’ve been wondering if I should add Get Creative with Type to the growing piles of scrabooking books that line my bookshelves.

Ever since my college newspaper made the switch to digital publishing in 1992, I began to develop a life-long love affair with type styles.

While I’m not a self-described “type guru” like Brian Tippetts, I can spot a great serif or sans serif font in layouts or within an advertisement. I love figuring out what fonts are used where (thanks Brian for pointing out that Cocktail Shaker is one of the fonts used in the “new” Creating Keepsakes logo). I also love finding “font” combos that work well together.

So when my copy of Get Creative with Type arrived, I set it aside for a day when I could pursue the pages without interruption.

The 160-page book is filled with a variety of tips and tricks scrabookers can use to effectively use type within their layouts and projects.

In three sections: Design, Style and Cool Techniques, Tippetts and his guest designers, show scrapbookers the basics related to using type on any project, as well as the right techniques to bring out a variety of emotions.

I love the section at the beginning of the book which asks each designer about the fonts they love. I also love the nuggets of font information found within the pages, ranging from why a designer chose to use a specific font, to the lists of their top fonts for a specific theme.

I love looking at the projects within the book and seeing how different people use type as a design element. I might not try all of the tips or techniques, but like a painting in a museum, I can appreciate the artistic effort used to create the layout or project.

The bonus cd features a variety of fonts, printables, screensavers and type paths that digital and hybrid scrabookers alike will love.

Overall, I think Get Creative with Type has the possibility of becoming a “must-have” for a scrapbook library. Who knows, maybe it will inspire you to step out of your “type rut” and try something new. 

As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of "Get Creative with Type" by CK Media. This column/feature was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about ths detail.   

Blog Re-Design: Be Merry

I was inspired by "Be Merry" - a new digi scrapbooking kit by Ashalee Wall and Amanda Taylor (TaylorMade Designs) at Oscraps.com - to do a quick re-design of my blog.

Here's a closer look of the entire kit.....which goes on sale today, Black Friday, at Oscraps.com.

(Here's a quick link to the full kit.)

DST Feature: Modern Memory Keeping with Ali Edwards

Editor's Note: The following articles were previously published in the Nov. 2009 issue of DST Insider, a publication of DigiShopTalk.com.

Mother, photographer, wife, blogger, teacher. Ali Edwards juggles a lot of titles as she moves about life each day. Since 2002, Edwards has worn the title “scrapbooker.”

For her, scrapbooking is more than a crafty hobby, it is a way to focus on two things she loves: documenting and celebrating life’s various ups and downs.

“I want to capture the little and big details of our lives,” Edwards said. “I want to tell the stories that really matter. I want to enjoy the process.”

She does this by recording an overall picture of her family, which includes the silliness, blessings, challenges, celebrations and especially their “everyday lives.”

“I hope that I am telling the stories that will really be meaningful down the road,” Edwards explained.

Edwards’ current passion involves getting “back to the basics” of scrapbooking, focusing on photos and words, as well as encouraging people to tell their stories.

“There is magic that happens when a photo is accompanied with your own personal perspective on the photo, event and memory,” Edwards said.

In 2008, Edwards added to her traditional scrapbooking stash when she began to design her own line of digital elements and papers.

“I use a lot of word art and journaling frames for my paper layouts which are printed on cardstock,” Edwards
explained. “I also like to add text and frames to my photos before printing.”

She also likes to incorporate full-page overlay outlines into her designs, because she likes the structure the grids provide in terms of creating homes for elements.

Rather than pick one method or another to create her layouts, Edwards has merged paper and digital into a
hybrid style all her own.

“I like them both equally because they help me tell my story,” she explained. “I like traditional because I like the feel of the paper and the products in my hands. I like digital because I like the precise control over the elements.

“It’s interesting because I am one of those people that loves a vintage modern look. In many ways working with paper is more “vintage” simply because it is created by hand (what I love about vintage is the worn/used/recycled nature) and working with a computer is more modern.What I love best is combining the two; both in how I decorate my home and in how I tell our stories.”

Edwards said there are many benefits to mixing the two scrapbooking mediums.

“The benefit for me is that I have options when I am telling stories,” she said. “Sometimes paper fits better
and other times digital is just right for the project. Combining them both together is what I enjoy most.”

Regardless of method, Edwards said the most important thing a scrapbooker can do is to record family memories.

“I think memory keeping in 2009 offers so many opportunities to take advantage of all the digital tools at our fingertips,” she said. “At the same time all those digital tools can easily overwhelm and make things way more
complicated than they need to be.

“My focus is to simplify the process and to use those tools (computer, camera, etc.) to my advantage to actually get the meaningful stories of our family told.”

Edwards said scrapbooking continues to evolve to reflect the age in which the hobbyist lives.

“The recounting of stories is a huge part of how our history is passed down,” she said. “What I love to see is people including more of their stories in with their ephemera vs. traditional scrapbooks where it was more ephemera, ticket stubs, photos, etc., but very few words to complete the stories.”\

Want to learn more about Edwards and her scrapbooking style? You can see samples of her layouts, descriptions of upcoming classes at Big Picture Scrapbooking, and find links to her digital products on her blog: http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/

Sidebar: Recording the December Holidays, Day by Day
While many scrapbookers focus on “large” projects, Ali Edwards often creates mini scrapbooks, which focus on specific events or holidays.

For the past few years, Edwards has captured the Christmas holidays with a “Daily December” project.

“I am a big fan of the holiday season,” she said. “I decided to document the season by chronicling the month of December in a minibook (I do December 1 through the 25) and it has become one of my favorite projects.”

Edwards said the key to the project is to create the “bones” of the album in advance.

“Before December I take some time to choose an album and create the base-framework for the album,” she explained. “The goal is to have that all done so I can then simply take photos, print, and journal a little bit each day.”

Keep it simple
“I have learned that it does not need to be complicated.” Edwards said. “I write just a little each day and sometimes only include a photo. I continue to keep the emphasis on the photos and the words rather than trying to stuff it full of techniques and embellishments.”

Edwards said creating a mini book focused on December helps capture traditions which are exclusive to the month.

“It is awesome to look back at the albums from the last few years during the holidays; it becomes a tradition in and of itself,” she said. “I also think that it helps me focus on the joy of the season, to slow down and savor what is good.”

Edwards has captured the essence of creating mini books in her book “Sharing your story: Recording life’s details in mini books.”

Published in 2008 by CK Media, the book includes a variety of ways to capture life in small stories. The book remains available in book stores and on-line at Amazon.com.

As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Ali Edwards. This column/feature was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail. 

DST Feature: Preserving Memories: One story at a time

Editor's Note: The following article was previously published in the October 2009 issue of DST Insider, a publication of DigiShopTalk.com. 

It started out as a simple lunchtime conversation. I was with friends, celebrating a parent’s birthday. To help spur on the conversation I started asking questions about memories surrounding the guest of honor.

After a few jokes, the stories began to swirl around the table and I was allowed the privilege of learning more of their family history—stories that are told and re-told during a variety of gatherings.


I’ve always said that everyone has a story, you just have to find a way to record it.

It’s probably why I love history, and why I found myself bypassing the novels and other works of fiction, and instead picking up nonfiction books, ranging from a memoir of growing up under Hitler’s rule to stories from the “dirty” thirties, the dust bowl.

For the last few weeks, I’ve been absorbing the stories found within these books. It’s reminded me how important it is to preserve our family stories.

Think of it this way. As scrapbookers we talk about archiving our photographs and layouts, but first and foremost, we must remember to preserve our stories. Our stories make a powerful impact.

In “The Worst Hard Times” by Timothy Egan, Egan uses interviews and family stories to bring to life the dust bowl that covered the American High Plains during the 1930s.

The book jacket sums up the story in a few words: “This is the story of those who stayed and survived – those who, now in their eighties and nineties, will soon carry their memories to the grave - and it is an extraordinary story of endurance and heroism.”

To the grave. Wow. Think about all of the first-hand accounts of this period in history which will be lost, forever, in just a few short years.

Since starting this book, I’ve wondered what life was like for my dad’s parents. They were farmers living around Dodge City, Kansas at the time of the dust bowl. I can’t even begin to imagine what this time period
was like for them. In fact, I know very little of my grandparents’ life during much of their lives.

Egan’s book gives me a glimpse of what they might have faced during the depression and dust bowl. But, unfortunately, like many families, I can’t find out.

My grandparents carried their stories to the grave. It’s a piece of family history I’ll never have a chance to capture.

As scrapbookers we create a variety of layouts. I think the layouts that will have lasting impact are the ones
that truly capture the stories that define who we are, as individuals and families.

Unless we take time, even in the midst of life’s hustle and bustle, to find a way document our stories, they will
disappear, like dust in the wind.

Make it a goal this month to capture a few stories on paper. Take time to talk with a family member or two, and write down those conversations.

Maybe you won’t create a scrapbook page immediately. That’s OK. “Archive” your raw journaling. Get your thoughts down on paper or in typed form. You can always create a heritage layout or two later.

The important thing is to get your stories down, into a way you can save them for future generations.

In my short life (yes, to many, it’s short), I’ve lived through the bicentennial of America (no, I don’t remember much), the assassination attempt on President Reagan, two space shuttle explosions, and of course, Sept. 11; and those are just the “big” events.

Reading Egan’s book has made me want to jot down a few memories these and other incidents in my life. Words are powerful. What words define who you are? What is your story?

DST Feature: Turning Good Layouts Great: Design Tips from Cathy Z

Editor's Note: The following article was previously published in the September 2009 issue of DST Insider, a publication of DigiShopTalk.com.  
We all have them—scrapbook layouts we created a few year ago and loved, but now, as our style and skills have evolved, may cry out for a “do-over.”

Cathy Zielske, former art director at Simple Scrapbooks, may have an answer for those layouts. She has created a new feature on her blog, called “CZ’s Design Do-Overs.”

Since April, Zielske has taken layouts, submitted by her readers, and shown readers some basic design principles they can apply to the pages for a new, sometimes graphic, look.

“[Most] scrapbook magazines out there don’t show page makeovers,” explained Zielske. “At Simple Scrapbooks, we never wanted to send the message that what you’ve created isn’t good enough. But here’s the deal: do you want to know how to make pages look better? If so, I’m going to show you how to do it.

“I figured that my blog readers would appreciate an honest look at true page makeovers in order to learn how to use design to make their own layouts look better overall.”

While Zielske is not suggesting readers go back and recreate completed layouts, she is simply using previously created pages as illustrations or tools for the feature.

“To tell the truth? I would tell people don’t bother designing old pages over. Truly,” Zielske said. “Just learn from my blog column how to make better choices in the here and now. This is really just a way to teach design and show how by making a few simple choices, you will create a much stronger impact with your overall design.”

For many of the “do-overs,” Zielske said the pages simply need a rearrangement of elements into a “visually pleasing arrangement.”

“I know that sounds pretty basic, but that’s really what goes into it,” she explained. “I get the digital photo files from the do-over candidate, and start there.”

With each “do-over,” Zielske follows some basic steps. She creates a design framework, finds her color scheme, identifies her papers and elements and then begins sketching in Adobe InDesign. She continues to work with the design until she achieves the desired look.

Zielske uses the photos and layout theme to set the mood for the design. With all layouts, she “strips the design down” as she cleans up the design.

“I look for layouts that are close but miss the mark, design wise,” Zielske said. “I’m not looking for stellar photos and great products. Just pages that could use a little TLD (tender loving design.)”

Looking for additional design help?
In addition to tips found on her blog, Zielske has two books that show scrapbookers how they can take a “simple, noncluttered and more relaxed approach to scrapbooking.”

The first book, Clean & Simple Scrapbooking, is more design related. The second, Clean & Simple Scrapbooking: The Sequel is more philosophy related.

Zielske created the books because it gave her an opportunity to feature a style she loved.

“I figured, ‘hey there might be others like me…people who don’t consider themselves the ‘crafty’ type, but love the idea of combining stories and pictures,”  Zielske said.“My design style is very linear and straightforward. I don’t want viewers of my pages to have to search for content, or hidden meanings. I want to tell a story directly and with strong design.

“For me, keeping it simple allows this to happen.”

Zielske said her second book stands out from other tutorials and books because it’s “a bit cheeky in spots.”

“My tone is very conversational, and with good reason: I think people need to chill out with their scrapbooking and have more fun when they’re doing it,” she said. “If they’re stressed out or feeling behind or any number of things that get in the way of having fun. I’m hoping by reading my book, they’ll have a few ‘a-ha’ moments on the way to more fun with this hobby.”

Regardless of layout style, digital or hybrid, Zielske hopes people will find someone they can relate to: someone who uses her computer to tell stories.

“I’ve been hybrid since the very first page I made, which used computer journaling, combined with photos. My technology helps me to be a better scrapbooker overall,” Zielske said.

Outside of design, Zielske wants scrapbookers to remember one basic thing—stories should be the foundation of every layout.

“Tell your stories, and [don’t] skimp on the details,” she said. “[Also] have fun with it. Life’s too short to get hung on the perfect scrapbook page.”

More about Cathy Z:
Zielske is a graphic artist and the former art director at Simple Scrapbooks magazine. She is currently a freelance graphic artist as well as an instructor for Big Picture Scrapbooking.

She jokes that she’s also spending time trying to “figure out how come I feel busier than when I had a full-time 40 hour a week job.”

“I love what I do for a living, even though I’m not doing as full time as I once was (being a designer),” Zielske said.

She describes herself as a “total tech geek” who loves HBO and Showtime (even though she doesn’t have either). She also loves dogs (even though she doesn’t
own one). Ultimately, she loves to tell stories, which is why she loves scrapbooking.

Zielske also authors a blog: http://cathyzielske.typepad.com/, which she says contains “Bits and Pieces” of her life. In addition to the Design Do-Over feature, her blog often includes a variety of scrapbooking tips and techniques, as well as snippets from her life.

Zielske said she finds her scrapbooking inspiration from a variety of everyday sources, including music, technology, cool fronts during the summertime and good coffee.

“I’m more inspired by possible stories to tell than anything,” she said. “Products and trends don’t really do the trick. It’s usually something someone in my life says or does and I think: ‘I need to remember this.’”

Ultimately, she said, she creates scrapbook layouts simply to “remember and celebrate” her life.

As anyone who follows Cathy’s blog knows, music plays a very big part in her life. When asked to list the Top 10 most played songs on her iPod, she replied, “Down to the River to Pray” by Allison Krause and nine songs by Crowded House. “I have obsession issues with Neil Fiinn.”

Design Do-Overs
Want to find out more about the “do-over” feature: check it out on Cathy’s blog HERE.


Some design tips from Cathy Z
Fonts:
Favorite method/use: Zielske recommends using one font for the title, and a second font for the journaling, which creates some contrast. She said she favors using a big title and a nice, readable point size for the journaling. She also encourages using ample leading (the space between the lines of text).

Least favorite use of fonts: Zielske said scrapbookers often suffer from “font sneeze.” “You know [its when you use] a bunch of different fonts so that it looks like someone spilled type all over your page.”

One thing to remember about fonts: “Type is an art form. Type designers have created these amazing letter forms for us to use, so don’t abuse them. Keep it simple and classic.”

Her favorite fonts: Zielske said her favorite journaling and title fonts include Adobe Garamond, Archer and Avenire. “I really do stick to classic type, regardless of the type of page I’m doing.”

Use of White Space:
Can white space be your friend? Yes! “The reason why white space is a friend to scrapbookers is that it allows room for your design to breathe. It creates a sense of calm and peace. It invites viewers into the experience of looking at your page, rather than demanding they look at it because it’s all full of mucky muck.”

Design:
Something to remember: “Everything in design has a purpose,” Zielske said. “Your layouts should have a purpose and look like stuff goes together. “The relationship between elements on a layout is the single most important design aspect, and the place where things usually go the most wrong. Elements need to
make sense in the scheme of the overall design.”

“To capture the essence of a story, the thing that’s cool is that you don’t have to have a gazillion pictures on a page or tons of words to do it,” she said. "You just have to be specific and get it down onto the page.”

What Zielske typically uses on all pages:
“You will usually see layouts designed with a single font. That’s something I do most of the time. As far as design techniques, you’ll see lots of photo groupings in squares, and equal amounts of space between my elements.