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Self-Paced Workshop

Design Your Life

Design Your Life: How to apply graphic-design principles to your scrapbook pages

Taught by Cathy Zielske

Do you want to become a better scrapbook layout designer? Do you want to spend less time staring at a blank piece of cardstock and more time turning it into something with a wow factor? Do you simply want more confidence in how you put everything together?

Yes? Then Cathy Zielske's popular class, Design Your Life, is for you. This class is an intensive but practical study of graphic design as it applies to the hobby you love. 

But don't expect this to be a dry, old-school lecture approach. Cathy will deliver this class as only she can, with her sense of humor and signature style, so prepare to learn AND have a really good time in the process. Cathy will also share 36 of her unpublished layouts in the class handouts.

In this self-paced version of Design Your Life, you will receive 12 weeks of content upfront, so you can create at your own pace. You will create the ultimate design binder/scrapbook featuring a collection of your own 36 layouts, ranging in size from 8" x 8 " to 12" x 12" and everything in between. When it's all over, you'll have both a scrapbook that documents your life and a vital design resource you'll use for years to come. Finally, you will walk away with the design confidence you need to make beautifully designed pages.


  • INCLUDES
  • Instant access
  • Private online classroom
  • 12 slideshows
  • 36 layout assignments
  • PDF handouts
  • Digital downloads
  • Layered .PSD templates
  • Sketches
  • Student gallery

Learn More

About Cathy

Cathy Zielske has been working as a graphic designer for 24 years and is also the author of two definitive books on scrapbook design, Clean&Simple Scrapbooking and Clean&Simple Scrapbooking: The Sequel

Cathy believes that design is as much a tool for scrapbookers as a paper trimmer or adhesive. The more you understand, the better your pages will look and the more confidence you'll have. She believes it's not about the latest and greatest products or how awesome your camera is or how creative you are; it's about how you work with images, spaces, and words. There's no one more qualified than Cathy to show you how to elevate your own style through time-tested principles of design.

  • INCLUDES
  • Instant access
  • Private online classroom
  • 12 slideshows
  • 36 layout assignments
  • PDF handouts
  • Digital downloads
  • Layered .PSD templates
  • Sketches
  • Student gallery

Design Your Life includes:

  • Twelve slideshow presentations for each design lesson
  • Fun video messages from Cathy
  • Detailed, colorful handouts, loaded with tips and featuring Cathy's unpublished pages and sketch designs 
  • 36 scrapbook layout assignments based on Cathy's sketch designs
  • Exclusive hybrid elements (PDF format) designed by Cathy for use on assignments
  • Bonus handouts offering Real World Color and Real World Design tips
  • Private posting gallery
  • Fully layered .psd templates available for digital scrappers who want to complete the layouts digitally (a $100 value!)
  • All class sketches compiled into a final reference PDF
  • Course syllabus and master supply list

Please note: the emphasis will be on using what you have on hand for this class, not specific products.

  • Basic Tool Kit
  • An inkjet printer—this is an absolute requirement for class. It’s needed to print out the digital downloads each week for use on scrapbook page assignments. (Regular format 8 1/2” x 11” printer is all you need!)
  • Lots of cardstock, patterned papers and embellishments you love! (You will need 15-25 sheets of white 8 1/2” x 11” cardstock for printing out various digital downloads and 15 sheets of kraft, 12” x 12” cardstock.)
  • A 12” x 12” American Crafts Modern Album (or other) in Red, Brown or Green—I will have only one color scheme for the “Design Your Life” title page materials & spine art. All three will work with these binder colors. These binders come with one set of 12” x 12” pages protectors which we will use for this class.
  • 1 1/2” metal office circle tag and 1 1/4” circle punch (for customizing the album spine).
  • 2 packages of 8 1/2” x 11” American Crafts (or other) page protectors
  • 1 package of 8” x 8” American Crafts (or other) page protectors
  • 1 package of 6” x 6” American Crafts (or other) page protectors
  • An open mind and willingness to try other sizes and color combinations than your own, and to TRUST me that this album is going to be a really, really cool resource for you in the long run!

Following is a syllabus outlining the general weekly topic umbrellas. There are principles that require two week’s worth of study because I have to be honest: they’re BIG! There will be some weekly bonus handouts on Real World Color throughout the class that will fall outside of the weekly topics, design wise. They will strictly be pure color inspiration from the real world around us. See you in class.

Week #1—Balance (Symmetry)
Week #2—Balance (Asymmetry)
Week #3— Repetition
Week #4—Repetition
Week #5— White Space
Week #6—Unity
Week #7— Contrast/Emphasis
Week #8— Contrast/Emphasis
Week #9—Elements (size, margins, line)
Week #10—Elements (color)
Week #11— Type
Week #12— Putting it all Together

A "Self-Paced Workshop" allows you to create and be inspired on your own timetable. Comprised of video or audio files, PDF downloads, supply lists, and more, these eCourses offer a complete learning experience inside a private online classroom.  This classroom will be available for access and download in your account until January 31, 2015.

Just follow the instructor's lead, add your own creativity and perspective, and then upload your work to the private classroom gallery.

Self-Paced Workshops do not include a message board to chat with fellow students or live interaction from the instructor. But you can always interact with us by emailing admin@bigpictureclasses.com. Enjoy!

 

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