Traditional paper scrapbooking has many adepts, and not everyone will want to dive into digital. However, for some scrapbookers who might not have started, here are some advantages of the digital medium.
1- Storage
Digital scrapbooking relies on your computer. All your supplies, your completed pages, and your work in progress will fit on your hard drive, or maybe, at the most, on an external drive. No need for shelves, cupboards, or a separate room to keep it all.
2- Space to work
Unlike traditional paper scrapbooking, you don't need to take over the dining room table or have a designated table. Or course, you CAN work on the common space table if you want, but you won't take that much room with your laptop.
3- Time to work
Because you don't have to pull out your material, and then put everything away, you can work in shorter periods. This can be important because if you are in a situation where you only have short time slots available, and you can't use it because the whole process of setting up is taking too long, you would simply not do it. When scrapbooking digitally, you can work for as little as 10 minutes, leave your work to attend to something else, and come back later, without wasting any time.
4- Reusable supplies
When you work on a project, if you like that blue moire paper and use it on your project, it is still available in your stash to reuse for another layout. If you downloaded one pretty pink flower, you can duplicate it as often as you want and you can use 10 copies if you want. No re-purchase is necessary. This also applies to your photos: you can reuse the same photo several times without having to print it over and over again.
5- Editable supplies
Another great advantage of digital scrapbooking is that you are able to change the supplies you already have. You like that paper pattern but it is green and you wanted it blue? No problem, you can colorize it. Your frame is too big for your project? No problem, you can size it down.
6- Online resources
Although you can reuse and edit the supplies you already have, if you want to shop for something else, you don't have to drive anywhere nor wait for the store to open. You can shop online 24/7.
7- Creating from scratch
If you know your graphic program enough, you will be able to create many supplies yourself. You will be able to draw those patterns, create those elements, or even make something from something else.
8- Undo
The most often used command in digital scrapbooking has to be "undo". It can help you if you make a mistake but it can also help you try things: if you like what you see, you keep it. If you don't, you can always undo it. Furthermore, you will never waste any supplies because you cut it too small or at the wrong angle.
9- Easy sharing
When you create a digital page or a digital album, you can easily share your projects on different platforms, like Facebook, Flickr, Google photos, galleries, or even just by sending an email. And if you choose to print your album, it is just as easy to get a second (or third) copy printed for a friend or a relative. Can you imagine having to recreate a traditional paper album for two sets of grandparents?
10- Portable
Although it might not be as convenient if you are working on a desktop, if you have a laptop, you can continue your hobby anywhere you can bring it. If you are on the road, on vacation, visiting relatives, if you can use your laptop, you can scrap. If you want to lounge at the picnic table, on the beach, or by the pool, you can do it too.
11- Cost
Although it is possible to spend a lot while scrapping digitally, since you have the possibility to use, reuse and edit your supplies, you can stretch your budget considerably. And since you can also create your own supplies, those would not cost you a penny once you have your program.
12- Size
If you like the idea of turning pages of a scrapbook album, you might not like the space they take in your bookshelf. Traditional paper scrapbook albums are often thick and heavy and you have to be careful flipping those pages (you would not want any embellishment to come off). When you get an album printed from digital layouts, the book will be much thinner and there is no risk to lose anything!
What other advantages do you see in digital over traditional paper scrapbooking?
