Salve lector/lectrix! I’m Reva, VJCL Historian. This year, I submitted two scrapbooks at Nats- A traditional one on behalf of VA (tinyurl.com/vjclscrapbook2020) and a digital one for my local chapter, TJHSST (tinyurl.com/tjscrapbook2020). Both scrapbooks scored really well (492/500 and 475/500, respectively) and earned Summa Cum Laude, so I’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks that I learned along the way.
Before I get into that, you may be wondering: what are the pros and cons of digital and traditional scrapbooks?
A digital scrapbook is much more convenient and easier to collaborate on than a traditional scrapbook. You don’t really need to worry about buying materials, and you have a lot more room for error; if you mess up a page, you can just hit the undo button. However, putting in art can be a little tricky since you have to either draw digitally or scan and upload your art. I also found that digital scrapbooks tended to limit my creativity, since I couldn’t do any interactive elements or pop ups. Still, I was able to put in links and videos which was nice!
A traditional scrapbook definitely requires more time and materials than a digital one, but I feel that the end product is much more rewarding and impressive. I spent about nine months drawing and cutting out characters and printing and captioning photos, and at the end of it all, it was really satisfying to see all of it fit together. You also have a lot more creative liberty and get to play around with various interactive elements. One of my favorite features of my traditional scrapbook was the faux fur spine, which would have never been possible with a digital version.
Before you begin:
1. Start early!!!! I began the VJCL Scrapbook in early December, and I was adding to it until the day before the July 11 deadline.
2. Set deadlines for yourself. I kept myself on track by giving brief “scrapbook updates” at VJCL meetings. These updates also ensured that the rest of the board was kept in the loop, which meant that I wouldn’t have to make any drastic design or changes later on.
3. Make sure your board can easily access the photos you’ve taken.
4. Upload, organize, and caption photos right after you take them. One of the hardest parts of the scrapbook was remembering what school a certain Certamen team was from or identifying a specific JCLer, so make sure you caption photos while the event details are fresh in your mind.
5. Don’t forget to have fun! This is a chance for you to be as creative as you want and show off your art and design skills!
Planning:
6. Don’t be afraid to ask for ideas, and discuss your work with friends from your delegation.
7. Look for inspiration, but be careful not to plagiarize.
8. Pick a unique theme that you find interesting.There are some scrapbook themes, like constellations/zodiacs and Olympian gods that I personally think are everywhere. When I chose a theme I wanted to choose something that was really different, and not obviously related to classics, which is how I settled on fairy tales. Do a theme that interests you! The theme doesn’t have to be directly related to classics.
9. Pay attention to copyright laws.
10. Make a list of everything you need to include and map out the general structure of the scrapbook
11. Don’t forget to relate the scrapbook to classics somehow. My state scrapbook theme wasn’t explicitly related to Greece or Rome, but I tied it to the classics by featuring a Latin phrase, motto, or quote that related to the fairy tale on the page.
Make a couple page sketches to get motivated!
Start thinking of a title for the scrapbook
If you’re working with others, decide how you’re going to divide the work and make sure everyone’s on the same page.
40 tips for making a JCL scrapbook
an abridged scrapbook guide
written by VJCL
Historian Reva Hirave
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