1. Start with your sentiment, if you're using one. Put it in a "sweet spot" on your card or stamped panel. If you're not starting with a sentiment, put whatever you want to be the focal point in a sweet spot (usually the largest image you're stamping). Remember that the sweet spots are the points where lines dividing the space into thirds intersect.
2. Start with the largest random image. Stamp three of them in a triangle. I try to position the first one in a way that draws the eye to the focal point, and then add the next two corners of the triangle. Remember to stamp some images off the edges of the paper occasionally. If your large image is huge for the space, you might only stamp it once.
3. Pick another image and add another triangle. Notice that the angles and sides of the triangles are different. If you use all equilateral triangles, you won't end up with a random look. Mix up those acute and obtuse triangles. (And yes, I took geometry in high school and still remember some of it. Thank you, Dr. Collins!)
4. Keep going...
5. ...and going...
6. ...and going until you are either satisfied or you have messed it up beyond repair, in which case you turn the paper over and try again. Like I said at the beginning, this takes practice. I mess random stamping up frequently, but not as frequently as I did early on.
Also note that I could have stopped at step 4...that looks pretty good. But I wanted to really flood this panel with colors and images to make it extra happy!
7. Dress your randomly-stamped panel up and make a card of it!
I hope that helps you plan your own random stamping with a little bit more confidence!
Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts (retired clear set)
ink: Memento
paper: Papertrey Ink
accessories: rhinestones in assorted colors and sizes, dimensionals
Wonderful, wonderful tutorial. It may inspire me to begin stamping again. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteFabulous card and some great tips!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this tutorial! I needed to see this, sounds strange, but I struggle with random.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan, I really struggle with 'random' stamping! Jo x
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to post this tutorial!
ReplyDeleteI find this extra interesting because, to me, the card does not look randomly stamped at all! To my eyes, it looks like the images are in diagonal stripes across the white panel.
I feel like this is one of those optical illusion situations. I'm trying to squint and see some triangles instead of stripes! :)
Thank you -- I have a hard time with random.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the step that says keep going until you are happy or until you've messed it up. I'm glad to know that is an official step. I'm also glad for this tutorial on randomness. I'm not good at it but you've given me some direction!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent explanation of why you stamped what you did and where. Creating my own backgrounds are difficult but with your tips I'm up to the challenge. Thanks for sharing your beautiful card & technique, Susan!
ReplyDeleteGreat tutorial - thanks for explaining what you meant by sweet spot. I had read about stamping in 3's but did not really understand what was meant until you explained it perfectly. So this weekend I am going to try this out. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love this kind of stamping but only did the step of choosing the biggest stamp first etc. I haven't used the triangle before but I am off to try it-thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tutrial, it really helps
ReplyDeleteExcellent tutorial, Susan. It amazes me, however, that the technique is called "random."
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, that definitely helps. My random stamping never worked out (probably because it was really too random and just ended up a mess) but I will try it with the idea of triangles in my mind, and going from larger stamp to smallest. I'm going to get out my snowflake stamps now....
ReplyDeleteI know you were giving guidance and the card is wonderful...it just doesn't look like yours. Lots of colors and not much white space! I'm not complaining, just commenting. Thanks for all of your advice.
ReplyDeleteSusan, thank you so much for this very helpful tutorial! To be honest, I love to play with stamps and paper, but I'm afraid I am sadly lacking in creativity. In short, I CASE a lot. This gives me ideas on how to actually make a card my own once in a while!
ReplyDeleteOh Happy Day! I wondered if there was a method to this madness and now you have explained it. Thanks for sharing your time and gifts with us : )
ReplyDeleteOUTSTANDING info.! This would make a great splitcoaststampers or paper crafting magazine tutorial! TFS
ReplyDeleteAha - brilliant :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for explaining this! It makes so much more sense now. Hopefully I will find time to practice this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't me referencing to this wonderful tutorial...it is perfect! Your card is gorgeous~I love the happy colors!
ReplyDeleteThe technique does, indeed, take practice. I've long known about stamping "randomly" in triangular forms, but even doing that can looked contrived. I've bookmarked this post as a "practice session prompt."
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