WHAT NOT TO DO
This stamp from Embrace Life by StampinUp is gorgeous, but using it centered on a card in this way makes it look like a bikini bottom. Or something else. I'm censoring my dirty English major mind right now. You're welcome.
WHAT TO DO
Use the rule of thirds, and, when possible, use the shape of the stamp to guide the eye to your focal point. I learned about the rule of thirds from an article on photography years ago. Divide your space into thirds with imaginary lines. The line marking one-third of the space is visually pleasing...your eye wants to go there.
On this card, I stamped the image twice to get the border on the left third of the card. Also, the pointy end (ohmygosh, I must restrain myself!) directs the eye right to the sentiment, which is the focal point of the card and is located on the line of the bottom third of the card (well, if I'd stamped it a smidge higher, it would be where it should be). Using the horizontal and vertical thirds in this case gives a nice balance to the card.
Supplies
stamps: SU Kindred Spirits, Hero Arts
ink: VersaColor
paper: PTI vintage cream
accessories: none
I couldn't see the bikini bottom or even the "something else", but then neither could I, on the first card, see a reason for buying the stamp in the first place.
ReplyDeleteThen you made that stamp earn its keep, in spades, on the second card. You make magic with EVERY stamp.
Once you'd pointed it out that's all I could see! But in saying that , the second card is gorgeous, I love the simplicity.
ReplyDeleteYou just crack me up! Love your simple style!!
ReplyDeleteOy! Didn't see the bikini until you mentioned it. But...I like BOTH cards, bikini or not. You have such a great understanding of the placement thing. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSusan,I think I'm going to have a try at this over the edge stamping,they look stunning! x
ReplyDeleteI actually thought the first one was nice and I didn't see any bikini bottom until you mentioned it. But I do like the second card better. The stamping on the side is more pleasing to look at and is an accent to your sentiment rather than the focal point itself.
ReplyDeleteI thought the 1st card was lovely AND THEN I saw the 2nd one - what a difference. I'd love to be you for a day - it'd do wonders for my card making. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteMary Mac
Thanks for doing this series on design. Your before & after really emphasize the impact you get from using the rule of 3. And today's card shows me a different way to do rule of 3.
ReplyDeleteI'm learning so much from your blog! Thanks for this post and the explanation. I'd have done what you did in the first card and thought it was okay, but when you explain why you did it off the edge in the second card, I can see why it's so much better. Thank you. Please keep on with this design series.
ReplyDeleteI think Medieval English major minds are the dirtiest :) HIlarious! Oh, but the second card is just lovely - and not dirty in the slightest.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card! I love seeing both
ReplyDeleteexamples as a demonstration of just
how important stamp placement is for
the overall design.
Wow! The second card is so much more pleasing to the eye! Thanks for the lesson :)
ReplyDeletewell, your mind is certainly somewhere it shouldn't be this morning, hehehee!! This is a great comparison. Totally brings me back to the Design Lessons I did a while back. Love that stamp, is it all one or have you randomly stamped it???
ReplyDeleteThanks for explaining why the second card is more pleasing to the eye. I generally just use the trial & error technique. That's why I have so many UnFinished Objects in my UFO box!
ReplyDeleteGreat design tip!
ReplyDeleteYou English majors are a wild bunch! Second card is very elegant in its simplicity.
ReplyDeleteI have that stamp, and I realized the first time I used it that it needed to be stamped off the page. It's a great stamp...but so BIG!!! LOVE the way the second card looks!
ReplyDeleteFrom all of us visual learners....thank you! This made so much sense to me. I will look at stamps in a whole new way! Yay!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips Susan. This is very nice.
ReplyDeleteI guess your first card could be used as a Rorschach test... ;) Until you say "bikini", the first card is fine, but the second card is so much better! Your design tips are always appreciated. (And now I have a card to go back and look at, to make sure I didn't accidently create anything naughty...)
ReplyDeleteThe title for this card should be "Franks & Beans". But it's the prettiest darn franks & beans I've ever seen. Which isn't saying much, but still.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was - hey, I like the first card! But then I totally liked the second card better - hah!
ReplyDeleteMost of all I love the color you used - it looks gorgeous.
Aaahhh, you do educate us about the important things in life: pears, bikini bottoms, and design. Love your blog! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips, sometimes one's eye does the work without understanding the concept behind it... the second one certainly is more pleasing and I chuckled at the bikini bottom reference... you're SO right!
ReplyDeleteJust lovely!
Chrissie
Just checking back on some your great cards that I might have missed and I fell about laughing when I hit this one. Oh yes I suffer from the same grubby mind I'm afraid, hilarious, so glad that you rearranged now it's so much more pleasing to the eye LOL :D xx
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