Wednesday, July 7, 2010

a few thoughts on the cardmaking process



The tactile nature of card making is why I love doing it. I love the textures, the hands-on, the variety. When I do too much on the computer, it's nice to come back to paper, scissors, glitter and glue. But I also like that it's not a huge time commitment. Simple and done. Here are a few thoughts on my card making process. aka. a few design principles I use.




1. Use at least 4-5 elements (papers, embellishments, cut outs, words, etc. )You can get away with more, possibly, but too few and your card doesn't look complete.

2. Have a focal point! You need one main place that you want everything else centered around. (Like a flower, or a word, etc. . . )

3. Have the most contrast (dark vs. light, opposites) at your focal point, usually this is also a good place to put your most 3D items.

4. small, simple designs (like polka dots or stripes all in one color) are important and offset busier, more intense designs. These are what add depth. Don't use too many intense designs all on one page. Choose one or two if they are close. Fill in with simple designs.




5. Words will draw the eye more than anything-so make sure they are close to the focal point-or make them part of it.

6. Group things together, close together.

7. Don't be afraid to bag something if it's not working out.


I'm sure there are lots of other things I could say, but this is what came to mind. Most of all just enjoy it! I like to think of it as a puzzle I'm putting together, figuring out where things go. I like puzzles ;)

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