Style questions -- Vintage? Distressed?

[Valli]

Hi all! I have style questions, so I'm coming to you experts!

My stamping friends and I are wondering: What are the defining characteristics of "vintage," "distressed," and "collage" styles? We know there are similarities and cross-overs, but if you had to name distinctions among them, what are they?

Are there certain colors, materials, techniques, or drawing styles that define them?

Are distressed creations usually done in browns/neutrals?

Stampin' Up's Summer Mini and Archiver's Colorful Creations card workshop samples using Distress Ink (http://www.archiversonline.com/events#859) have started us thinking about this.

What do you think??

Can't wait to hear from everyone!

[vanislandwoman]

Interesting question! I looked at dictionary dot com for a few definitions. The basic meaning of course referes to wines. The word is now often used to describe a certain quality or design look, of course.

noun:an exceptionally fine wine from the crop of a good year.

adjective:
9.representing the high quality of a past time: vintage cars; vintage movies.
10.old-fashioned or obsolete: vintage jokes.
11.being the best of its kind: They praised the play as vintage O'Neill.

For me, I think of adjective definition 9 when I think of vintage- high quality of past times. Of course, 'past' is a relative word too! I generally think of pre World War2 when I think of vintage, although I'm starting to also think of 40's and early 50's looks.
I do NOT think that 'vintage' has to look distressed. The colours need not be faded or browned, although they often are- many old things have faded colours even if they are in impeccable shape.

I think 'distressed' is just that- it looks worn, perhaps tattered or age-discoloured. It's been under stress.

Collage is completely different- it's a method, an artistic technique, that has bits of different things brought together into a new thing. The artist finds common (or uncommon) characteristics to blend the items together. It definitely is not tied to 'vintage' or distressed.

Anyway, that's my opinion. I'll be interested to see what others think.

[gregzgurl]

If you want to go by antique dealers terms, "vintage" refers to anything older than 20 years, while "antique" is 60 years or more. Not completely helpful as related to papercrafts, but interesting...

My take on the differences are:

Vintage - think "old-fashioned" and you're probably close. Generally a patina of age (copper oxidized to green, linens/lace yellowed with age, etc.) Colors appropriate to the era of the image/style

Distressed - showing signs of wear: tattered or frayed edges, staining, fading, etc. In papercrafts, I generally think of images that have "missing" spots in them (like the old Flannel Plaid background), cardstock or paper that has either scissor-distressing or ink distressing on the edges, crumpled paper or cardstock, etc.

Collage - Generally layers of ephemera, images, embellishments, etc., combined to make one item - either an accent or an entire card front.

This is MY take on it - not necessarily the "correct" answer... Hope that helps!

[KatarinaM]

I tend to think that 'shabby' is more elegant than vintage. Think cabbage roses, flourishes, birdcages, peeling, crackling white, pale aqua or sage green paint. Lots of lace and frills. As another poster said I agree that vintage is old fashioned. You look at it and think, wow, I remember grandma having that tablecloth!
As far as distressed being all brown and neutrals. I don't think so. I've distressed all colors of cards. It does, however, tone down the color somewhat, because when I distress my cards I use beige or brown inks sponged on the edges and corners. It could be a bright red, but it's more subtle because of the distressing. I hope that makes sense!
I'm glad this topic came up because I do sometimes wonder what all these styles do actually mean, and whether my take on them is accurate.

[msntlm]

I agree with Gregzgurl - I see vintage as old-fashioned-looking and distressed as worn. I personally prefer the distressed look over the vintage look. I do this because I love color, and I like the look of bold, exciting colors being distressed. Kinda like a favorite pair of heels or a child's book. Worn, but loved.

I've done a lot of collage (and digital collage) work and I had to realize very early that my form of collage is not "antique" looking. I don't work with brown very often, but I work with cream a lot.

[Valli]

Thanks for all of the input -- lots to think about!

We're adding "Shabby Chic" to our list of questions.

Anybody else want to chime in?

[Julia S]

Hmmm I'm probably just saying the same thing but I think in all cases there is some overlap of the styles.

Distressed: just using distressing technique such as a distressed worn edge and can be used in a myriad of styles

Shabby Chic: very feminine, whites and pastels, paint, stitching, florals, fabric, lace, ribbon can be some things used in the style, can also incorporate some newer trendy items

Vintage: Very old look using found, vintage elements, traditional color schemes, can use vintage art from times past, can include distressing and collage

Collage: collage is a grouping of elements and can encompass a wide variety of styles from vintage, shabby, altered art, steam punk, modern styles as well as trendy or indie style

I mostly design in a shabby chic style but almost always use collage elements even if I don't.
That's my two cents for what it's worth. ;)

Julia

[creatingisfun]

love this thread, love vintage/shabby chic looks. just obsessing so much on buying stamps, just so pretty, and tim holtz stamps are perfect for vintage!

[Rebecca Ednie]

I thnk the confusion comes from the fact that the styles overlap so much. Shabby often uses distressing with ink on papers and ephemera and can often include vintage looking items. If you visit LilyBean Paperie, Melissa uses light ink distressing on her cards a lot. Melissa Frances does too and they are the two I think of first when I think shabby. When we create vintage looks, we use ink and tearing to make the items we are using look old when they are not.

Basically, I think of shabby and vintage as a styles while distressing is a Group of techniques. I agree with other posters that shabby involves lace, ribbon, buttons and pretty papers, often florals, stripes and gingham, worn painted edges, frayed fabric, and often light distressing or aging. It is usually feminine but I've seen it done beautifully for masculine cards as well. Vintage uses images and papers that are or look old. They often use period colours which tended to be dark for practicality because dirt showed less on clothing, bedding, furniture, drapes and walls. But I've made vintage baby cards that were soft pastels so you aren't limited to those colours. After all, this is art, we can do what we want and call it what we want! Personally, I think of vintage as pre-40's. I think of the 40's to 70's as retro. But that is just me!

[eyestitch]

This is an interesting question, because when I have tried to ask what the advantage of Tim Holtz distress inks are and when you use them, I just get the answer. Use them if you like that "distressed" look. Well, that is as clear as mud. I understand roughing edges of paper to make it look distressed, but I don't understand how only inking and stamping with distress ink is a "distressed" look. Does the ink not cover the whole solid image?

[arkip]

I also would like to know how distressed inks differ from other inks if used with the same stamp.

[gregzgurl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyestitch

This is an interesting question, because when I have tried to ask what the advantage of Tim Holtz distress inks are and when you use them, I just get the answer. Use them if you like that "distressed" look. Well, that is as clear as mud. I understand roughing edges of paper to make it look distressed, but I don't understand how only inking and stamping with distress ink is a "distressed" look. Does the ink not cover the whole solid image?

If you're inking up a stamp with distress ink, it works the same as any other ink (except that it stays wet longer). I believe what they are referring to is inking the edges of the paper or cardstock to make them look aged or "dirty" or both. I've used non-distress inks for this method, too, and it works just fine. Jennifer McGuire did a fabulous series of classes on 2Peas using distress inks, if you want to see all the different things they'll do. Here's a link to the first video There are two more involving distress inks, and MANY more on other products, as well! Hope that helps...

[gobarb26]

I was told that distressed embossing powder from Tim Holtz has sand added to it in order to make it look distressed or old...

[gregzgurl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gobarb26

I was told that distressed embossing powder from Tim Holtz has sand added to it in order to make it look distressed or old...

I don't know if what they add is sand, but they do add something so that, after you melt the powder, you can rub over the embossed image and some of it actually comes off, making the resulting embossing look "distressed". Heck, I've done that by accident LOTS of times! (I'm sure you get more consistent, better-looking results with this product, though!)

[Valli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregzgurl

you can rub over the embossed image and some of it actually comes off, making the resulting embossing look "distressed". Heck, I've done that by accident LOTS of times! (I'm sure you get more consistent, better-looking results with this product, though!)

Oh, now I can add that to my "I meant to do that" list!!

[stampindoll]

Let's see if all these classes paid off... collage combines a number of varied images that touch & overlap in various directions & remains relatively flat. Assemblege on the other hand is lumpy... think bolts, door knobs, even bigger stuff, along with the flat stuff. Vintage seems to be something from an earlier time... not necessarily showing wear. For me it's something from my Mother's youth... for my grandaughter it's tie dye Tshirts and me. Distressed is when things are made to look shabby....showing signs of wear. Shabby Chic is a term that was coined for interior design by The World of Interiors magazine in the 1980s and became extremely popular in the US in the '90s. I think of distressed as more rustic and the shabby chic as softer and more feminine.

[Valli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stampindoll

Let's see if all these classes paid off... collage combines a number of varied images that touch & overlap in various directions & remains relatively flat. Assemblege on the other hand is lumpy... think bolts, door knobs, even bigger stuff, along with the flat stuff. Vintage seems to be something from an earlier time... not necessarily showing wear. For me it's something from my Mother's youth... for my grandaughter it's tie dye Tshirts and me. Distressed is when things are made to look shabby....showing signs of wear. Shabby Chic is a term that was coined for interior design by The World of Interiors magazine in the 1980s and became extremely popular in the US in the '90s. I think of distressed as more rustic and the shabby chic as softer and more feminine.

I like it!

Thanks for the help!