To print or not to print? That is the question

For many digital scrapbookers, this is not even a question. Whether they are paper scrapbookers converted to digital, or digital scrapbookers from the start, many fans will find various ways to get their layouts printed. Maybe the reason is that we are familiar with the paper format, in books or albums. This is a hard habit to break. Is it better to print or not? That is not a question that has a single answer. Or I should say, the single answer is “it depends on you”.

Why would you print a layout?

You can print a layout if you want to display it, in a frame, in an album, etc. Maybe you want a souvenir book of your vacation to leave on the coffee table to display in a traditional manner. Maybe you want to create an album for someone who is not using emails, DVD, or slideshow on the internet. Printing an album or layouts can make great gifts for special occasion, or any occasion. Some digital scrapbook fans also love the old feeling of paper scrapbooking. They will gladly combine the digital part of it, with some paper elements, or memorabilia that are meaningful to them.

Why not print?

Most of the work is done digitally, and viewed on a computer screen. It can stay that way, and viewers can still enjoy them in various ways. Digital layouts can make a great desktop on your computer. Digital photo frames are also perfect to display multiple layouts, as if you had a dynamic photo album. More and more scrapbookers are also concerned by the environment, and realized that printing everything is not always necessary. They are becoming more selective in their decision to print, if they print at all. They tend to be very creative in their use of the digital layouts. Since printing does cost money, it is also a way to cut down in the costs of their hobby, giving them more options to purchase other supplies.

All in all, the decision to print or not comes down to personal preference, and how you want to use your digital layouts. What do you prefer, and why?