When working on a layout, do you....

[Darcy Baldwin]

Do paper first or elements first?

(assuming your photos are done)

[MommaTrish]

Ummm... paper first, because paper's a big part of my page design. Sometimes though I will narrow it down to like 2-3 papers per paper part and after the page is fully set up go back and forth between them to decide which I like best.

[newfiemountiewife]

Paper, but I tend to switch out the papers a million times before deciding on the final product lol

[Keely~B]

Usually paper but it depends on the page. I actually sort of do them at the same time and I usually change things a gazillion times during the process.

[Ingridfasquelle]

Papers, elements and finally the pics !

[pomi]

Lately, I do papers first, then photos, then titlework and then elements and journaling.

[cardinalskate]

Paper first, always. Well, actually, for me, it's photos first (unless it's CT work).

[emmasmommy]

um, neither? i pick photos first, then papers, then elements.

[Darcy Baldwin]

Well, this is assuming you've already done the photos..I never do a layout without the photos first because that's how I scrap..but I was curious if people were paper layers or element clusterers first

[rach3975]

Pictures, then papers, then elements.

[rachaelsscraps]

I always put my photos on, then start my papers. I put on elements and then do the rest of the papers (like the small snippets behind the photos). I always wait on those smaller ones so I don't use too many of the same colors (colors of the elements around the photos).

[4noisyboys]

like a lot of the girls, I choose the papers first...that's the first folder I open (actually, I open up the elements just to see what I'm working with...how many cool things there are in it). I'll usually change my mind a bunch of times though and sometimes change the papers after I've already finished, saved and uploaded! lol

[heathergw]

Originally Posted by newfiemountiewife

Paper, but I tend to switch out the papers a million times before deciding on the final product lol

this is me too lol

[heathergw]

now that I think about it... I usually start w/ frames

[joelsgirl]

I love paper. It's the best part of a layout for me. I hate embellishing and titlework, so I always play with paper first and then browse the Internet a bit and then embellish.

[scrappurple]

Paper.

[ColleenSwerb]

Paper. Paper is what got me into scrapping in the first place, lol. I usually open and put on my page every single paper in the kit, and then play with layers and clipping and all that good stuff. I. Love. Paper.

[lovely1m]

Paper first.

[AmyG]

Paper. I love it too!

[NatalieKW]

Originally Posted by joelsgirl

I love paper. It's the best part of a layout for me. I hate embellishing and titlework, so I always play with paper first and then browse the Internet a bit and then embellish.

This is me... My worst part is picking pictures cause I usually have to go through dozens to find the best one in a set. That's after finally deciding on what pictures to use too...

[Paula]

I do the papers first because it determines the color scheme I'm going to go with.

[aly321]

I do both... no method to my madness!

[Julie Billingsley]

I guess I'll be the odd one. Elements first for me. Once I have the main elements selected and placed then I know what color paper I want to compliment it.

[eranslow]

It depends. Normally it's paper, elements, picture. But sometimes I like to switch things up and do picture, elements, paper (like the layout I started working on last night I did in this order). It all depends upon the mood I'm in

[kscwgirl]

paper first, then elements, then photos, then title, journal, date. I'm a paper layerer.

[MandaT]

Photos, (template), paper, elements, title(sometimes), elements, journal, & if i remember, a date.

[Leah]

Paper here too.

[kendallt]

It's always paper first for me. Now, the order after that varies all the time depending on my mood. But paper is always first! I can't function any other way.

[Giseli Freitas]

imma paper 1st too. buuuut I often change them in my page during all the work.

[jessica31876]

elements for me as well. I usually do not know what papers I am going to use until the layout is almost done. Since I use templates for almost all my layouts now I do use papers as elements (well since it is paper piecing I consider them elements LOL)

[Nettio]

Originally Posted by ColleenSwerb

Paper. Paper is what got me into scrapping in the first place, lol. I usually open and put on my page every single paper in the kit, and then play with layers and clipping and all that good stuff. I. Love. Paper.

This is me too, although I lay out my basic design first using the shape tool, then I drag all the papers in and start clipping.

[TracerM]

Assuming the photos are done, then I do papers first and then elements. I tend to swap out papers a lot until I get the right look and then I can move on.

[Aggie Aviso]

Papers. After I move the pictures a hundred times LOL.

[scrapperjade]

Definitely the paper! The paper is what sells me on a kit actually! I generally don't even look at the elements included in the kit, I'm totally focused on the papers that are included, lol.

[nietis]

Paper for me

[switchwiz]

absolutely the papers first, that's my foundation for everything else, but I also tend to change some of them around after my first placement, but until I like my paper selections and placement, I won't add anything else. That's not to say I won't change them up some more after I start placing elements though

[adrianka]

Paper. Even though it tends to get changed a lot in the process. But I need some background for the LO when working on it. Sometimes (rarely) I just fill the background with a colour instead of choosing a paper.

[Gemma]

Paper, I usually put 3 or 4 on, do everything else then see which paper goes best with what I've done!

[HeatherKS]

Photos, then papers, then elements. Although I might change the main bg paper three or four times before the layout it totally done depending on which way the elements take me.

[jaylensmom]

Originally Posted by aly321

I do both... no method to my madness!

This is me...ni method to my madness

[nun69]

Originally Posted by ColleenSwerb

Paper. Paper is what got me into scrapping in the first place, lol. I usually open and put on my page every single paper in the kit, and then play with layers and clipping and all that good stuff. I. Love. Paper.

this is ME...you hould see all the paper in my scraproom

[Jengerbread88]

I have a really silly process.

1) If it's for a challenge, like for the portfolio, where you have to use x papers, x flowers, x ribbon, x staples, I go and find a kit that has everything I need first, and open ALL of the papers, ribbons, flowers, staples, etc that I really like. Then I kind of organize those the way I like them and choose photos to match.

2) If it's for a specific photo or photos, I go through and open EVERYTHING I like. Seriously. I find the kit and open papers, elements, and extras that I like... AFTER I open everything, I just sort of plop on papers and elements willy nilly. It is truly a process of "Oh. I like the texture of that paper. Let's throw that on as the background. Ooh, that flower looks nice. Let's pile on a bunch of these flowers here. Oh. Wait. Now there's not enough contrast between the background and the flowers, so let's top that paper with another paper..." So it's papers, elements, more papers. Or, sometimes I'll put the photo down and say "These elements really need to go here, here, and here," and I put the elements down, and then I think "Well, I used these elements, and this paper would look really cool with it, so I think I'll put this paper underneath there," and then I choose my papers based on my elements.

I guess I do a little of everything, because I just start with whatever feels... "right" at the time.

[cbettua]

Always paper first of course after the photos.

[carriesmom]

Paper first and then I start embellish and then add or subtract papers to suit the ellies, title is usually last but not always.

[AmberK]

meeeee to!

Originally Posted by Keely~B

Usually paper but it depends on the page. I actually sort of do them at the same time and I usually change things a gazillion times during the process.

[ZaCola3]

Paper...then elements...alpha,journal...then pictures.

[CA Dreamer]

Papers. I find the papers that make my photos look the best, then work with the elements.

[mariewilcox]

Pictures, paper, elements, title, journaling, date. Every time - LOL - I'm a predictable sort of person!

[Kjersti]

Lately I've been placing the elements first!
I have two Easter layouts that I can't figure out what BG paper I want so they've been sitting there for weeks!!!

[profiler_mar]

Always paper first! I can't cope otherwise, lol!