• Hi everyone! Welcome to class.  I am Jen Veguilla-Lezan and I’ll be  the one guiding you through this creative course. I’m a freelance graphic designer, illustrator and educator based out of the midwest and I run Bella + Sophia Creative studio. If you want to learn more about me, you can find me online at: www.bellasophiacreative.com. You can also check out my YouTube channel: The Creative studio where you will get a behind the scenes view of the work I do as a creative freelancer and find a huge library of free tutorials catered to those of you interested in graphic design, programs like Affinity and procreate as well as art and illustration.

A few of the skills students will learn

Learning how to scrapbook or create a visual journal in Procreate involves a mix of creative, technical, and organizational skills. Here’s a breakdown of the essential skills you’ll want to develop:

Creative & Design Skills

Composition & Layout Design

• Understanding how to balance elements on a page (text, images, stickers).
• Using principles like alignment, contrast, and whitespace effectively.

Color Theory

• Choosing harmonious color palettes
• Understanding how colors set mood or convey a theme.

Typography

• Choosing and pairing fonts.
• Hand lettering or digital calligraphy for titles, quotes, or journaling entries.

Visual Storytelling

• Communicating a memory, mood, or moment through visuals.
• Using visual metaphors, symbols, and thematic imagery.

 Technical Skills in Procreate

Brush Handling

• Learning to use different brush types (for drawing, painting, texture).
• Customizing or importing brushes for specific effects (e.g., watercolor, calligraphy, texture stamps).

Layer Management

• Organizing layers for different elements (e.g., background, photos, stickers, text).
• Using blend modes, clipping masks, and alpha lock.

Image Importing & Manipulation

• Importing photos, scanned textures, or stickers.
• Resizing, rotating, masking, and applying effects.

Text Tool Mastery

• Using Procreate’s text tool efficiently for journaling and decorative titles.
• Combining typed text with hand lettering.

Digital Collaging

• Combining various media (paper textures, images, drawings).
• Creating depth and variety using shadows, layer styles, and textures.