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Just curious how everyone get ideas for making cards, or are most of you crafty and come up with your own ideas? I am at a stand still, I can't seem to come up with any ideas lately....... Thank you.
Mostly I get my ideas from art I find online. Allposters.com is a site I go to often for ideas. I also love to participate in challenges. The featured stamper challenge and inspiration challenge here at SCS are a few of my faves.
Challenges are often a great kick start if you get stuck in a rut. Just pick something that helps with whatever aspect you're stuck with (so a sketch challenge if you're not sure what layout you want to use, an inspiration challenge for something very free form, a colour challenge to get you using different colour combos etc). There's a different type of challenge every day here at SCS (plus a handful that change each week like the CAS one and Mother Mark's Teapot challenge) or there's a whole raft of them out there in blogland if you want to focus on a particular type for a while.
I also find it helps just to play a little and do it regularly. If you can take ten minutes out every day just to do something without necessarily having an end goal in mind you'll probably find you loosen up and feel more creative. If you're thinking "I need a card for Aunt Emma" or "Yikes, our anniversary is tomorrow - what can I make?" every time you sit down, I think you just end up feeling pressured rather than having fun and that can make you feel less creative. So try something like sitting down with a favourite stamp and colour combo, stamp a few times on scratch paper and then play round. Turn it at different angles - see anything different? What else would look great with it - could you maybe combine it with another image, either overstamped or masked? How does it look if you crop it down so it goes off the edges of your piece (use Post It notes to move around and cut off different parts of the image to give you an idea how it will look). You'll probably end up with an idea you want to stretch further and turn into a project for real. If you don't have the time to do it right there and then, just jot a note on your scratch piece and then come back to it later.
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I do some (ok, a LOT) of CASEing whether I duplicate a card exactly or almost or just use it as kind of a jumping off point. I'm AMAZED at all the talented stampers who can WOW me with their original ideas! I don't think it's bad or wrong but credit should be given. I know that my customers like to hear that even a demo doesn't always use an "original" idea! Before I found SCS I would case my old demos stuff that we did in classes.
Sometimes I do come up with things on my own and I'm trying to do it more. The other posters are right, challenges are a great way to start. I'm getting into swaps also, they kind of force you to come up with your "own" idea! Try it out and you'll get some great cards in return...maybe in a style you never would have thought of!
I'll often just start with a stamp and let it grow from there. Some stamps "suggest" ds, other want to use background stamps. Challenges are good, too, for the sketch. I like the color challenges, taking 'odd' combinations that I would've never considered before.
I'm not much of a gallery surfer, I prefer hands on flipping though something for an idea. When I'm really stuck I just find a card I like in a catalog (like SU) or from a magazine and start to CASE it. I always end up incorporating elements that make it mine but it gives me a place to start and then the creativity usually starts flowing. If not...just repeat!
__________________ Sarah CAS Challenge Spring 2013 Design Team Member Visit my blog
I have downloaded Card Sketches and color combo challenge lists then printed them out do I can quickly flip thru my binder for inspiration. I also check out the gallery here at SCS a few times a month and sometimes CASE a card if I am feeling uncreative. I also check out a few blogs a month and I love YouTube.com for videos.
I believe most of my inspiration comes from here at SCS.
Challenges are often a great kick start if you get stuck in a rut. Just pick something that helps with whatever aspect you're stuck with (so a sketch challenge if you're not sure what layout you want to use, an inspiration challenge for something very free form, a colour challenge to get you using different colour combos etc). There's a different type of challenge every day here at SCS (plus a handful that change each week like the CAS one and Mother Mark's Teapot challenge) or there's a whole raft of them out there in blogland if you want to focus on a particular type for a while.
I also find it helps just to play a little and do it regularly. If you can take ten minutes out every day just to do something without necessarily having an end goal in mind you'll probably find you loosen up and feel more creative. If you're thinking "I need a card for Aunt Emma" or "Yikes, our anniversary is tomorrow - what can I make?" every time you sit down, I think you just end up feeling pressured rather than having fun and that can make you feel less creative. So try something like sitting down with a favourite stamp and colour combo, stamp a few times on scratch paper and then play round. Turn it at different angles - see anything different? What else would look great with it - could you maybe combine it with another image, either overstamped or masked? How does it look if you crop it down so it goes off the edges of your piece (use Post It notes to move around and cut off different parts of the image to give you an idea how it will look). You'll probably end up with an idea you want to stretch further and turn into a project for real. If you don't have the time to do it right there and then, just jot a note on your scratch piece and then come back to it later.
My ideas for the card, color scheme, stamps/die cuts and layout come from the purpose for the card and who I am creating it for. My cards are all individual and personalized, that gives me the starting point inspiration.
Mostly I get my card ideas from the challenges here. I also make cards as I need them for special occasions and generally the person that I am making them for will inspire me.
My ideas for the card, color scheme, stamps/die cuts and layout come from the purpose for the card and who I am creating it for. My cards are all individual and personalized, that gives me the starting point inspiration.
Patti
I am very much like Patti. I usually find some DP in the colors the recipient likes and just go from there. I try to make each card very individual. Only when I get stuck or am in a hurry do I look here or case a card.
I stalk this gallery and others,every time i see a card i like i save it in picasa.Now and again i print some out,4 to a page on a4 paper. I put them into a book with clear pocket pages. I call it my "stuck book" for when i'm stuck for ideas. Di.
It depends on what kind of card I'm making. Like LaLatty says, sometimes it comes from the recipient and his/her likes. Sometimes, I'll challenge myself--using a particular set, color combination, or using up my scraps. Other times, when I have no inspiration, I'll look at ideas on SCS or other cards I've made.
I get most of my ideas from the awesome people here on SCS!!! I also really enjoy looking through past/present SU! catalogs - they have some great card layouts that can easily be adapted to fit my own paper, stamps, etc.
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~Rebekah~ My mind works like lightning - one brilliant 'FLASH' and it's gone!
Where do you get your card ideas?
