Aussie Scrap Source

readers challenge: design principles

Welcome to the final week in our Design Principles Readers Challenge.  Each week we’ve been posting information about a different design concept, together with sketches from Becky Fleck at Pagemaps and our design team, that work to demonstrate the concept.  We’d love you to join in by creating your own layouts, either using any one of Becky’s sketches OR creating your own design that showcases that week’s design principle.  This week we are looking at the overriding principle of Unity in design.

Please EMAIL your pages or cards to us by next Tuesday 10th July to appear in our Readers Challenge blog post.

Please try and use products supplied by Aussie Scrap Source brands (you’re quite spoiled for choice there!).

Our favourite layout each week (as voted for by our design team) will win a prize pack of Aussie Scrap Source goodies!

Week 8: Unity 

Unity is the underlying principle that sums up all of the principles and elements of design. Unity refers to the combination of all the principles working together to achieve a sense of harmony, and this can be by any or many of the methods mentioned in previous weeks. It can be achieved through proximity- grouping elements closely together which allows us to see disparate elements as a whole. Repetition and rhythm can be used to unite a page as discussed earlier, but this week we focus on the more subtle method of continuation, whereby elements of a page overlap or line up so that the eye travels from one element to another easily.

 

 

 

Iris designs pages with lots of colour and embellishments. Because of this, she always pays close attention to having unity in her pages. According to Iris, her approach to achieving unity in design is to focus on three things... clustering of embellishments, a continuity in theme, and a constant presence of a colour scheme throughout the page.

In this layout, she created yellow rays of sunshine using mists and a stencil. She then continued the colour scheme through the yellow pleated ribbon at the lower side of the page.

She also clustered embellishments together like the chipboard bird cage and the branch with blossoms. Finally she made sure that there was a continuity in the theme of the page by using embellishments that are nature themed... birds, flowers, butterflies, flowers etc.

 

Here is another example of unity from Iris. This time she focused on the bee hive pattern on the background paper and took it further by cutting out the hexagon patterns and placing it around the page. Again the theme is nature - birds, bird cages, flowers, etc.

You can also note here that she successfully blended her picture with the rest of the page by carefully lifting the colours from the photo and brining it to dimensional elements in her layout.

 

Louise is a big fan of layering and clustering and repeating elements to give a sense of unity. Here she’s scattered flowers and butterflies to give a cohesive feel to the layout and draw your  eye across it too. The circular title also helps bring the elements together visually.

 

 

 

Unity is achieved in this layout through the lining up (and repetition) of the photo shapes, which then overlap the journal block, and the string of the kit travels through both figuratively tying the elements together.

   

In this layout a number of disparate elements are united as they overlap each other, tricking the eye into believing it’s just one single element.

readers challenge: design principles

Welcome to Week 7 in our Design Principles Readers Challenge.  Each week we’ll be posting information about a different design concept, together with sketches from Becky Fleck at Pagemaps, and our design team, that work to demonstrate the concept.  We’d love you to join in by creating your own layouts, either using any one of Becky’s sketches OR creating your own design that showcases that week’s design principle.  This week we are looking at the Z theory.

Please EMAIL your pages or cards to us by next Tuesday 3rd July to appear in our Readers Challenge blog post.

Please try and use products supplied by Aussie Scrap Source brands (you’re quite spoiled for choice there!).

Our favourite layout each week (as voted for by our design team) will win a prize pack of Aussie Scrap Source goodies!

 

WEEK 7: Flow – the Z Theory 

When we design a page, ultimately we want to be able to control where the viewers eye lands, and where it travels. The premise of the Z theory is a simple one and is based on the theory that western cultures read from left to right.   If you overlay your page with an imaginary Z, placing the important elements along the z and its intersections can create a more dynamic page.  The eye will naturally follow the path of the Z.   You can use this rule on its own or alongside the rule of thirds to create many successful designs.  In advertising or website design, the ‘call to action’ would be at the end of the ‘Z’ as that’s where the eye stops.

Be aware of the way your eye moves over the following layouts from our design team, and the two sketches we have provided by way of inspiration this week.

 

Jill van Iperen has illustrated the Flow design principle from left to right across her page.  Her page features flowers, butterflies,ribbon and journalling cards from the Prima Fairy Belle range.  You will see how she has incorporated the lace in a curved line to help draw your eye across the page.

 

Janine has used the Ambrosia line by Bo Bunny to create this LO on the design principle of Flow.  She has used her title and a trio of floral clusters to draw you eye across the page in a Z like motion. Starting with the sub title and finishing on the final sub title and adding weight to the items in between so they do not go un-noticed either.

 

 

 

 

WEEK 6: Rule of Thirds

Welcome to Week 6 in our Design Principles Readers Challenge.  Each week we’ll be posting information about a different design concept, together with sketches from Becky Fleck at Pagemaps, and our design team, that work to demonstrate the concept.  We’d love you to join in by creating your own layouts, either using any one of Becky’s sketches OR creating your own design that showcases that week’s design principle.  This week we are looking at the use of the rule of thirds in design.

Please EMAIL your pages or cards to us by next Tuesday 26 June to appear in our Readers Challenge blog post. 

Please try and use products supplied by Aussie Scrap Source brands (you’re quite spoiled for choice there!). 

Our favourite layout each week (as voted for by our design team) will win a prize pack of Aussie Scrap Source goodies!

WEEK 6: Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is a compositional tool used in photography as well as graphic design, and is based on the idea that the most interesting compositions are those in which the primary elements are off-centre.

To achieve this, a photograph or image is divided into nine by two imaginary, equally spaced horizontal and two vertical lines (imagine a noughts & crosses board), and the most important elements of your layout should be placed either along these lines, or at one or two of their intersections. 

 

It is believed that intentionally placing important elements in these positions gives your design more tension, energy and interest than simply centering them.

 

 

 

Janine based her LO on the card sketch for the Rule of Thirds Design Principle. By creating an inverse L shape in her design, Janine has used the top and RH side thirds of the page to cluster all her design elements, allowing a block of white space in the bottom LH area of her page.

Janine set off the design by using the gorgeous Pink Paislee Spring Jubilee range, with lots of fun watercolour techniques for her background paper.

 

 

 

Kim has used My Mind’s Eye Indie Chic Citron range to create this happy layout.  She principally used the two horizontal lines from the rule of thirds grid for this layout, but note that she has included one of the photos at the intersection in the bottom left corner of the grid.

 

 

 

 

As usual we’ve included above a couple of Pagemaps by Becky Fleck for you to use as a guide when designing your layouts.  You may choose to use one of these, base your design on one of our design team’s layouts, or make up your own design.  It’s up to you!

readers challenge–design - white space

Welcome to Week 4 in our Design Principles Readers Challenge.  Each week we’ll be posting information about a different design concept, together with sketches from Becky Fleck at Pagemaps, and our design team, that work to demonstrate the concept.  We’d love you to join in by creating your own layouts, either using any one of Becky’s sketches OR creating your own design that showcases that week’s design principle.  This week we are looking at the use of white or negative space in design.

Please EMAIL your pages or cards to us by next Tuesday 19June to appear on our blog.  Please try and use products supplied by Aussie Scrap Source brands (you’re quite spoiled for choice there!).  Our favourite layout each week (as voted for by our design team) will win a prize pack of Aussie Scrap Source goodies!

 

WEEK 5: White Space

White space or negative space, as a balance to positive space, in a composition is considered by many as an integral part of good design.  White space is simply the absence of text, graphics or embellishments in areas of a page. 

Despite its name, white space doesn’t need to be white, it just needs to be empty, neutral or provide a more restful contrast to the other elements.   It provides a kind of visual breathing room for the eye to rest, which increases the appeal of a design.   Often, the busier or more detailed one group of elements or part of your page is, the more necessary the white space around it.

 

 

Louise Nelson is of course, our Queen of White Space!  For Lou this space is a key element of her layout design and her creative style. Whilst not all of Louise's layout background is left blank she has left a large proportion of it unadorned and this balances perfectly with her dribbled gesso effect.

 

With this layout, Danielle shows how white space can be used as breathing room on a layout without necessary being blank. The background is patterned and layered, but as it is consistent with the background of the entire page, it doesn't add any distracting weight to the page. The emphasis is on the cluster in the bottom left corner, which forms the most meaningful part of the page and draws the eye. A couple of small details in the opposite corner balance the design, with the white space in between allowing the eye to dance around the page and take it all in without being overwhelmed.

 

 

 

Finally, some sketches from Becky Fleck at Pagemaps.  We invite you to use any one of the sketches, or our design teams layouts as guides or inspiration for your own pages.  We look forward to seeing your entries!

readers challenge – design

Welcome to Week 4 in our Design Principles Readers Challenge.  Each week we’ll be posting information about a different design concept, together with sketches from Becky Fleck at Pagemaps, and our design team, that work to demonstrate the concept.  We’d love you to join in by creating your own layouts, either using any one of Becky’s sketches OR creating your own design that showcases that week’s design principle.  This week we are looking at the principles of contrast and visual hierarchy in design.

Please EMAIL your pages or cards to us by next Tuesday 12 June to appear on our blog.  Please try and use products supplied by Aussie Scrap Source brands (you’re quite spoiled for choice there!).  Our favourite layout each week (as voted for by our design team) will win a prize pack of Aussie Scrap Source goodies!

 

WEEK 4: Contrast / Visual Hierarchy

Moving on from the principles of scale and proportion discussed last week, another tool which can succeed in drawing the eye to a focal point is that of contrast. If most of the elements on a page are grouped closely together, a single object by itself will stand out as a focal point. If all your elements are dark, a splash of light will catch the eye. If all of your elements are round, a square will stand out. These (and many more) are ways of using contrast to establish a visual hierarchy so that the viewers eye is first drawn to your intended focal point.

 

 

 

 

 

Jilly has used a combination of stunning Prima Ledger Papers, the Martha Stewart Classic Butterfly punch and the Graphic 45 Old Curiosity Shoppe - Cling Stamps to demonstrate how contrast doesn't have to extreme to make it work.

By repeating the classic vintage feel of the Prima papers and the Butterfly punch, Jill has subtly highlighted her "feature" area contrasting her subject (from classic to comical), the shape (from square to round) and the texture (from 3D to flat). 

 

 

The graphic elements that stand out in this layout are the three odd elements – those that aren’t squares. The two birds balance each other though, and the title in its circle draws the eye because of its unique shape.

 

There are a few ways that you can add contrast to your pages. And the most obvious one to Leeann is using shapes. Leeann cut out circles in the background and embellished with a mixed of papers and stickers from crate paper. Then she used a square photo. You can visual see that the focal point is the photo. Another way of adding contrast is using colour. Dark against light, notice how the background just pops. And lastly in type, by using different fonts and colour. Leeann also used the sketch provided so that you can visual see how she used contrast to make this page pleasing on the eye!

readers challenge – design

Welcome to Week 3 in our Design Principles Readers Challenge.  Each week we’ll be posting information about a different design concept, together with sketches from Becky Fleck at Pagemaps, and our design team, that work to demonstrate the concept.  We’d love you to join in by creating your own layouts, either using any one of Becky’s sketches OR creating your own design that showcases that week’s design principle.  This week we are looking at rhythm and repetition in design.

Please email your pages or cards to us by next Tuesday 5 June to appear on our blog.  Please try and use products supplied by Aussie Scrap Source brands (you’re quite spoiled for choice there!).  Our favourite layout each week (as voted for by our design team) will win a prize pack of Aussie Scrap Source goodies!

 

WEEK 3: Proportion/Scale - Emphasis

Scale and proportion is all about the relationship of elements to other elements, based on their size. Scale can be used to draw our attention to the unexpected or exaggerated. Creating a focal point draws your attention to the most important element on the page, and one of easiest ways of doing this is by making this element appear bigger than the other elements on your page. This size or ‘visual hierarchy’ is determined by the scale of all the elements on the layout.

 

 

   

Louise Williams often uses a focal photograph with smaller ones and loosely based this layout on the sketch by Becky Fleck. Another way she makes one photo in particular the focus is by making the main one colour and the others in black and white.

 

 

Leeann Pearce has used the sketch as this shows a very clear example of scale, but she’s definitely added her own creative twist to it. By enlarging the main photo it makes this the focal point.  Leeann has used a mixed of Studio Calico papers and embellishments.

 

 

This fabulous layout from Nikki Hobbs is a perfect illustration of proportion in design. The large photo is accentuated by its size whereas the two smaller ones are balanced with the journaling while the whole layout is tied together with the central band of paper.

 

We look forward to seeing what you can do to create a focal point on your layout using the simple but effective principle of scale and proportion!

readers challenge–design

 

Welcome to Week 2 in our Design Principles Readers Challenge.  Each week we’ll be posting information about a different design concept, together with sketches from Becky Fleck at Pagemaps, and our design team, that work to demonstrate the concept.  We’d love you to join in by creating your own layouts, either using the sketches OR creating your own design that showcases that week’s design principle.  This week we are looking at rhythm and repetition in design. 

Please email your pages or cards to us by next Tuesday 31 May to appear on our blog.  Please try and use products supplied by Aussie Scrap Source brands (you’re quite spoiled for choice there!).  Our favourite layout each week (as voted for by our design team) will win a prize pack of Aussie Scrap Source goodies!

 

 

Welcome to Week 2:  Rhythm and Repetition

Repetition is exactly as it sounds, the repeating of one or more design elements to add consistency to a design.  It can add visual interest and often reinforce an idea within your page. These elements can be as simple as the repetition of colour, the space between elements or a texture or shape. This repetition creates a rhythm and reassuring predictability to a design.

 

  

 

Sue had a wonderful time creating this page using the Becky Fleck sketch.  Using a sketch takes all of the hard work out of designing a page!  Sue stayed fairly true to the sketch which surprised her as usually her pages end up looking very different from what she begins with.  The repetition of hearts on the page add a lovely softness to complement the photos of Sue's daughter, Lily.  Sue has used Prima Fairy Belle papers and flowers to create her page and also added texture with the use of hessian and washi tape.  The stitching, sequins and beads finished off the look Sue was trying to achieve.       

 

 

 

 

 

Chris went for a repetitive pattern and colours on this card. She stamped the Heidi Swapp Foam Dot Stamp with the different coloured inks onto white cardstock then punch them out with a circle punch and alligned them in columns on the card. She then stamped the letters with the corresponding colours to create this very effective card.

 

June 2009 Cardmaps

 

Chris says that working with the Becky Fleck CardMaps sketch certainly makes creating easier.  Becky had done all the hard work by putting together the design for this card and all Chris had to do was decide on some patterned paper, a sentiment and a little bit of embellishment!  In keeping with the repetition theme Chris went for all the same pattern, polka dots and she also went for a repetitive sentiment.

 

The obvious repetitive design Chris used on this card is circles. There are also little repetitions within the circles, Chris has used triangle wedges, diamond patterns and semi circles.

 

Chris spotted these great examples of repetition design in the following two cards from Cecilia Hsieh.  In this card Cecilia has used the repetitive pattern of the four panels of cardstock and she has also stamped the butterfly from the Antique flowers and butterflies stamp and frame cut set repetitively over the cardstock panels and as the main embellishment for the card.

 

In this next card by Cecilia we see more repetition in the design.  Cecilia has again used repetitive panels and butterfly embellishments.  3 of everything on this card!  Cecilia has used Basic Grey Picadilly pattern papers to create this well balanced, repetitive design.  Thank you Cecilia for sharing your lovely creations with us.

readers challenge–design

We’re starting a new series here on the Aussie Blog, covering basic design principles.  We’re lucky enough to be using many sketches by Becky Fleck of PageMaps to illustrate many of the concepts, and we’d love you to join in with us as we go through them.

Each week we’ll be posting information about a different design principle, together with sketches.  You can use the sketches, OR create your own design to illustrate the concept of the week.  So for this first week for example, you could create a page using either sketch below, make up your own design that clearly showcases either the symmetrical or assymetrical concept, or even use our design teams layouts as a basis for your own.  Cardmakers are welcome too, and we’ll include CardMaps from Becky as well where they apply. 

 

We would love you to join in our Design Challenge and we have a prize pack to give away each week to our favourite layouts! As always we’d prefer you to use our suppliers, but with so many fabulous brands to choose from this is an easy task! Please email us your pages by next Tuesday 22 May to appear on our blog in our next post.

 

Balance – Symmetry

Balance is the concept of visual equilibrium. It’s about using elements in a composition that results in visual stability. This can be achieved using either perfect or implied symmetry or less obviously though asymmetry.

Symmetrical pages, like the sketch above, are where elements are organised aligned along a vertical or horizontal axis, like a mirrored image. So if you were to fold your page in half (in the case of this example, in half vertically), each half of the page is identical.

 

 

Suz has used the sketch above to create this simple but effective layout using Heidi Swapp’s new line with Pink Paislee, No Limits.  As you can see what is created on one side of the page is echoed almost exactly on the opposite site.

 

 

 

Louise has used 3 element points; Prima Cloissone flower, Tattered Angels Chalkboard mist, and an alpha title to achieve balance in this layout. These three elements come together to create symmetry, despite all being very different in size and design. The centred arrangement and colour coordination helps to ensure a visual balance.

 

 

Balance: Assymetry

Assymetrical balance is achieved where design elements that differ in size and/or shape are organised and positioned against each other. This is more difficult to define, but balance is achieved where the elements are equal in visual weight, rather than shape or size. For example a darker graphic element may need to be balanced by several lighter items, or a small photo and details can be balanced with texture in the background papers. Though this asymmetrical balance may appear more casual, it can be more difficult to achieve successfully.

 

There is an obvious asymmetry to this page and yet visually it is balanced by the equal weight of the elements on either side.

 

 

Here Louse shows how smaller areas with more detailed textures or elements can balance a larger area with less texture or detail.

 

 

So join in!  We’d love to see your pages as we go through the Design Principles together.  If you have any questions about the series, leave us a comment and we’ll get back to you with answers!