How to Create a Beautiful Photo Book from Your Child's Artwork

You've saved hundreds of drawings, paintings, and craft projects over the years. Now they're stuffed in boxes, folders, and drawers. What if you could transform all that artwork into a single, beautiful keepsake book?

Photo books made from children's artwork are becoming one of the most popular ways to preserve creative memories while reclaiming physical storage space. Here's your complete guide to creating one.

Why Make an Art Photo Book?

• Reduce clutter without losing memories
• Create a professional-looking keepsake
• Easy to share with grandparents and family
• Compact storage – hundreds of pieces in one book
• Documents growth and artistic development over time

Step 1: Gather and Sort Your Artwork

Before you start, collect all the artwork you want to include. Then sort it:

• By year – Most powerful for showing development
• By theme – All animals, all family portraits, etc.
• By technique – Paintings, drawings, collages, crafts

Don't try to include everything. Curate the best 50-100 pieces for the most impactful book.

Step 2: Digitize the Artwork

This is the most important step. You need high-quality digital copies of each piece.

Option A: Smartphone Scanning Use your phone's built-in document scanner or an app like ArtKeep. Make sure to:

• Use good lighting (natural daylight is best)
• Keep the camera parallel to the artwork
• Capture the entire piece with a small border
• Use the app's enhancement features to correct colors

Option B: Flatbed Scanner For ultimate quality, use a flatbed scanner at 300 DPI or higher. This works best for flat pieces that fit on the scanner bed.

Option C: Professional Scanning Service Some services will scan your artwork for you. This is expensive but produces excellent results.

Step 3: Organize Your Digital Files

Step 3: Organize Your Digital Files

Once scanned, organize your files. If you use a specialized app like ArtKeep, simply tagging them is enough. If organizing comfortably on a computer, give them a meaningful description:

Rainbow Unicorn
First Family Portrait

You usually don't need to put the date or child's name in the filename, as apps and metadata handle that better.

Step 4: Choose a Photo Book Service

There are many great services available online. When choosing one, look for:

• Online Printing Services – Search for "photo books" in your region. Most offer drag-and-drop editors.
• Local Print Shops – Support local businesses; they often provide high-quality, professional binding.
• Professional Photobook Makers – For gallery-quality results, look for services that specialize in lay-flat binding and archival paper.

Compare prices, paper quality, and shipping times before deciding.

Step 5: Design Your Book

Most services provide templates. Tips for a great design:

• One piece per page for important artwork
• Collages work well for smaller or similar pieces
• Add captions with child's name, age, and any story behind the art
• Include photos of your child creating the art
• Leave white space – don't overcrowd pages
• Use chronological order to show artistic journey

Step 6: Review and Order

Always preview before ordering:

• Check for image quality issues
• Verify spelling in captions
• Ensure page order is correct
• Consider ordering a second copy for grandparents!

Pro Tips for the Best Results

1. Create annual books – One book per year is manageable and creates a collection over time
2. Include firsts – First drawing, first time using scissors, first painting
3. Add milestones – Note what grade they were in, what they were interested in
4. Interview your child – Ask them about their favorite pieces and include their quotes

What About 3D Artwork?

Photo books can't capture sculptures, but you can:

• Photograph them from multiple angles
• Include a "3D Art" section in your book
• Photograph your child holding the item for scale

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Make It Easy with ArtKeep

ArtKeep simplifies the entire process:

• Scan artwork instantly with your phone
• Automatic organization by child and year
• Export ready-for-print images
• Share with family for input on what to include

Start your digital archive today and you'll have everything ready for your next photo book project.