I have had the nightmares and woke up screaming in the middle of the night because of it! As I have admitted before I am a true paper addict. My worst fear is that due to digi cameras, filing systems and digi scrappin the manufactures are going to stop printing and selling my beloved paper. It's a little too realistic lately - what with all of the local scrap stores dying one by one. But the hard fact is you need paper to actually scrapbook. Oh sure you can digi scrap all day with the prints on your computer- the same prints over and over again.... or you can spend a fortune to have a virtual library... which loses the whole physical art to me. I love the smell of the undo and the feel of the paper and all the tiny embellishments in my hands. There is something truly satisfying to the artist in me with physical scrapping.
One of my talents, I am told, is the ability to envision the papers as I am shopping them in the store. I can browse a wall of paper and manage to pick out "good" papers. I have done this now for years.... which means I now have a WALL of paper in my studio. I realize that a lot of people struggle with this part of the process, and this brings me to the topic of the day....
How do I buy the right paper?
How do I choose the right paper for my layouts?
It's all about the pictures folks. Most of you know this. I watch people trying to match their kids shirts or a particular car or something in the photo all the time.
This is where we scrappers sometimes go horribly wrong. Take a step back for a moment. The whole point of scrapbooking is to draw the focus to the photo. When we match a color in the photo exactly- we actually lose the focal point in that photo. The idea is to compliment the colors in the photo. To draw the eye inward.
SO, this is where you get out the old fashioned color wheel. Use the color in the photo that you want to accent, as the base color in your color wheel. Then chose your paper from the complimentary colors your color wheel points to. The color you choose from there is where you begin your search for the perfect paper. (Note-If there is a theme to the photos start with theme then find a paper in that theme within the color range of complimentary colors.)
By the same token if you have a photo with a color that you want to tone down or draw attention away from- you can try to match your matte paper to that color so it draws your eye outward and away from that point in the photo,sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't, there is always digitally changing the photo to sepia tones or black and white.
This is where it gets easy...this is my true secret. The papers and or embellishments we use to compliment our photos have already been created by professional artists and designers with an eye for color. SO- tap into their knowledge by using the color scheme already provided for you in the patterned papers you choose for your photos and if needed, one neutral color. It will work for you nearly every time.
One of my talents, I am told, is the ability to envision the papers as I am shopping them in the store. I can browse a wall of paper and manage to pick out "good" papers. I have done this now for years.... which means I now have a WALL of paper in my studio. I realize that a lot of people struggle with this part of the process, and this brings me to the topic of the day....
How do I buy the right paper?
- Generally the papers that have themes are my first choices when I am searching for paper because most of my photos are themed in some way.
- I will usually shy away from anything with a frame type body on the paper or anything with a large pattern that when cut up loses its impact.
- Is the pattern so busy or distracting that it will take away from my photos? If so I only need to buy one sheet and use very little of that paper- and generally I do NOT use that paper to mat my photos with. (A strip along the bottom, a thin line at the top or side or a center chunk or circle is all you need)
- Do I like both sides of this paper? If so I buy at least two sheets-sometimes three.
- Does it have matching papers and if so do I have at least two patterns I like together?
How do I choose the right paper for my layouts?
It's all about the pictures folks. Most of you know this. I watch people trying to match their kids shirts or a particular car or something in the photo all the time.
This is where we scrappers sometimes go horribly wrong. Take a step back for a moment. The whole point of scrapbooking is to draw the focus to the photo. When we match a color in the photo exactly- we actually lose the focal point in that photo. The idea is to compliment the colors in the photo. To draw the eye inward.
SO, this is where you get out the old fashioned color wheel. Use the color in the photo that you want to accent, as the base color in your color wheel. Then chose your paper from the complimentary colors your color wheel points to. The color you choose from there is where you begin your search for the perfect paper. (Note-If there is a theme to the photos start with theme then find a paper in that theme within the color range of complimentary colors.)
By the same token if you have a photo with a color that you want to tone down or draw attention away from- you can try to match your matte paper to that color so it draws your eye outward and away from that point in the photo,sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't, there is always digitally changing the photo to sepia tones or black and white.
This is where it gets easy...this is my true secret. The papers and or embellishments we use to compliment our photos have already been created by professional artists and designers with an eye for color. SO- tap into their knowledge by using the color scheme already provided for you in the patterned papers you choose for your photos and if needed, one neutral color. It will work for you nearly every time.
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