Next big thing?

[Juble]

I generally go through the gallery a couple of times a day and leave a few comments. Lately, it seems like I'm seeing more cards made with pre-colored digis. Is this a new wave? I don't have any digis myself but have been tempted to purchase a few to color. I get that they are affordable and there are some really cute ones, to be sure. I just don't get ordering a pre-colored one. No matter how lame my coloring is I still like to color and get inky, lol! I suppose its just a matter of preference. Rambling thoughts this am.....

[Michellena317]

It is funny you say that... I just saw a scrapbook layout with a digi character and the coloring was so perfect I assumed it had to be pre-colored. Then I thought I was just being snarky and maybe the person is just that good at coloring...

I guess if you are a scrapbooker and not a stamper then buying premade digis is just like buying a sticker or a die-cut at the store.

[cbet]

It's not something I'd see myself using, just because I find the act of coloring very relaxing. But for anyone who finds coloring the most tedious part of making a card? Or someone with mobility issues with their hands, where they don't have the control to get the colors where they want them? Heck yeah, I can see it. And since I frequently use the colored digi as sort of a guide for how to color my own, it's not such a giant step to using the colored one instead.

Really, not so much different than those of us who cheat by using patterned paper instead of stamping our own backgrounds. PP is just a different kind of pre-colored image

[gram2boyz]

I do both. It depends on the image, really. Lately I've made tons of cards with no stamps at all, other than a sentiment. I really like using the paper kits that come with borders and focals. I'm getting lazy in my old age! Just a trend for me I guess! But my cards are turning out very nice and I do sewing on them so they still look handmade. Many times I use cards I've received, and cut them up and revamp them. I've been making cards for over 20 years, and my style changes quite often to keep me interested.

[jazzytobi]

IMHO patterned paper is not the same as stamping your own background.. there's now way to get some of the patterns out there by stamping, and I wouldn't dare try to replicate it..

HOWEVER.. i haven't seen pre-coloured digis (i don't see it being a huge trend) but i guess it's the same as using those pre-coloured stickers they have out there.. (Is it Penny Black who makes them??) I don't see colouring in images fading for a long, long time. At least I hope not! (Says the girl with 350 Copics and various other colouring mediums!!!)

[Juble]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbet

It's not something I'd see myself using, just because I find the act of coloring very relaxing. But for anyone who finds coloring the most tedious part of making a card? Or someone with mobility issues with their hands, where they don't have the control to get the colors where they want them? Heck yeah, I can see it. And since I frequently use the colored digi as sort of a guide for how to color my own, it's not such a giant step to using the colored one instead.

Really, not so much different than those of us who cheat by using patterned paper instead of stamping our own backgrounds. PP is just a different kind of pre-colored image

I agree about it being nice for those with impairment issues. Whatever they need to do to make it easier for them and to keep making cards is all good:o

[lylacfey]

I love stamping because of the techniques. I will admit freely that when I got back into stamping I was a digital artist. I did everything backwards, lol. I still enjoy printing out my own images. I don't really buy images. I tend to make my own using my favorite graphic programs.

[Ellibelle]

I can't see myself using precolored digis, because when I print those kind of things (like digital papers for example) I just see too many pixels and I don't like that. Plus coloring is a huge part of my hobby.

[stormlady66]

I've never enjoyed coloring stamped images using any type of pens or pencils because I'm just not good at it. I love using dies to make my cards and find that I use my stamps less and less. Yet my cards, in my humble opinion, look great! It seems there are more dies available from more companies now so I see using them as a trend.

[Catrick]

I am a fan of rubber stamps and I am a fan of digital stamps. I like when you purchase a digital stamp it comes with the outline and also with a pre-colored image.

I like sitting down and coloring in an image but, it really is super nice...for a quick card needed at the last minute to be able to print off the pre-colored image and use it. I never find them "grainy"...just the same quality as the outline image.

Cathy

[Jeanne S]

I think there are many people that don't enjoy the coloring process or want precolored images for a quick card. I can see a market for colored digis and other finished images.

I remember many threads on SCS over the years about people liking solid images more than ones that need coloring.

[melissa59]

If someone is a die-hard STAMPER then I can see how digital stamps and especially pre-colored digital images could be a turn-off.

For someone like me, the vintage images--hard copy or digital--are very enticing. I don't have any yet, but I am really drawn to some of the images by Crafty Secrets. But then, I was a scrapbooker first and a cardmaker second and I don't have an ounce of artistic talent.

I know some people might think of it as cheating. I suppose there are many artists who think stampers are cheating by stamping images instead of drawing their own.

[Minneapple]

Digi designers have learned that pre-coloring their images stop them from being stolen. The image you receive will be black and white and you can color them yourself. At least, that is the way Mo Manning sells her images. The coloring displayed on her images is just a theft protection device.

[SkyNacho]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minneapple

Digi designers have learned that pre-coloring their images stop them from being stolen. The image you receive will be black and white and you can color them yourself. At least, that is the way Mo Manning sells her images. The coloring displayed on her images is just a theft protection device.

There are a handful of places where you can buy either the black and white line image or a fully colored one. We're not just talking about images being colored in for display on a website.

[candylou]

I love coloring with my Copics!!! However, I design for Meljen's Designs, and Melissa creates regular digis as well as pre-colored digis. I don't use them often, but I think they're wonderful for people new to card-making, children, or the reason I use them...when I need a super quick card and don't have a lot of time to do detailed coloring!! Her images are also very beautifully colored.

Here's a card I made using a pre-colored image by Meljen's Designs!

Happy Birthday by candylou - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[Cook22]

I think pre-coloured images have been around for a long time, and I'm not just talking about old-fashioned clip art ;-). I have some downloads I got from 2 Peas a LONG time ago, some are coloured, some aren't. It may just be that as they're more widely available more people are using them.
I came into stamping from making digi cards and don't often use digital stuff now. If we had a laser printer I might be more interested, for being able to mirror and re-size images (I use water-based colouring media and it's a lot of trouble to get inkjet printed images fixed so they don't smudge), but I'd still prefer to do the colouring myself. Each to their own.

[Betty]

[QUOTE=jazzytobi;19423448]IMHO patterned paper is not the same as stamping your own background.. there's now way to get some of the patterns out there by stamping, and I wouldn't dare try to replicate it.. QUOTE

I hear you! I resisted patterned paper for a long time. Then I bought some, and some more and still have a hard time using it. I feel more satisfied making my own backgrounds and stamping my own images. I won't use digi's for that reason. For me, it's doing it start to finish, getting ink on my fingers and making the image size I have work. I know a lot of people won't agree but it's the way I feel. I force myself to use the patterned paper I bought and won't buy more. I find it's easier to use it for scrapping than card making, perhaps because scrapping isn't my favorite thing and patterned paper makes it go quicker.

[margotgn]

Isn't this otherwise known as "clip-art" which has been around forever?!

[BelfryBat]

I've just started using digis because sometimes you just can't get that one image you love in a stamp (so frustrating!) but I really hate to color - I'm just not that great at the shading and blending.

I have a few colored digis but I've only used them as guides. I guess I've never thought about printing and using them like that and I have no idea why.... I may have to start!

[CraftyMel2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by margotgn

Isn't this otherwise known as "clip-art" which has been around forever?!

I think that same thing every time I see "Digi stamp"! Google Line Drawing!

I did get a kick out of reading this topic though. For me, the coloring is one of the reasons I started stamping in the first place!! I LOVE to color! I remember getting those books when I was a teenager that had the cool kaleidoscope kind of images and I had a pack of pens like the huge crayola box with a jillion different colors. Sometimes I just sit and stamp card fronts and color them in when I am trying to decompress after a hard day/week/month! :p

[KoffeeKat]

I'm with you there CraftyMel. It is so relaxing to get lost in colours.

I use the digis and laser print onto heavy watercolour paper for several economical reasons
1. I can't get many stamps near home and they are super expensive to post from the US or UK if mounted
2. I can't justify $30+ for an image I'll probably use only a couple of times
3. I don't need any additional space to store digis
4. I like being able to resize my image to fit within the dies I have (cheaper than getting a new die cutter machine and dies)

and one artistic...
I like the range of images I can access in digi.

But since I often used the colours in my PP to inspire my colouring (so everything works when I put it together), I can't see myself using precoloured images.

Never say never though. :smile:

[stamptician]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeanne S

I think there are many people that don't enjoy the coloring process or want precolored images for a quick card. I can see a market for colored digis and other finished images.

I remember many threads on SCS over the years about people liking solid images more than ones that need coloring.

This is totally me! I prefer the solid images instead of the line art. I'm terrible at coloring. However, the coloring trend is so big right now that the manufacturers keep coming out with more and more line art images. I'm beginning to feel left behind. At least with a physical stamp that's line art you could easily paper piece it if you don't want to color it. It's much harder to paper-piece a digi without printing several times so, maybe pre-colored is good for people like me.

[lylacfey]

[QUOTE=CraftyMel2;19434084]I think that same thing every time I see "Digi stamp"! Google Line Drawing!

I laughed so hard when I read that line. I Google "line drawing" all the time. I have die cutters, lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoffeeKat

2. I can't justify $30+ for an image I'll probably use only a couple of times

That's me! I can not justify paying that much for stamp sets.

I love the process of making my own digital images and see them form on the screen. Plus, I have an undo button. I enjoy hybrid crafting. I am a computer geek so it's a perfect fit for me.

Plus, sometimes it's hard to find that perfect image you need for your creation. I was making a project recently where I needed a French background. The French background sets I do own were not quite right for my project. I found the most beautiful French paper from a digi collage artist. It was perfect. I took it in my graphics program and colorized it. Perfection. I printed it out on textured cardstock. I had my own "faux" printed Bazzill. I loved it so much I changed the color several times and made several 6x6 sheets in different colors. I keep digging those sheets out to use in projects. I have a refill system for my printer so it's economical for me to play with digi's. If I did not have a refill system for my printer I would probably not do digi art because of the cost.

I would never give up my stamps because I do like techniques. There are just so many things you can do with traditional stamps you can't do with digi's even though I think digi artists are starting to find ways of doing those things. I do wish stamps had an undo button.

[craftykarla]

Like many of you, I would never give up my stamps and love to color. Coloring is part of my therapy. But I've been a "Hybrid" card maker even before they put a name to it. I used to take my church clipart and make note cards for myself and a former pastor.

I've used the pre-colored digis a few times recently for some quick cards where I know I couldn't have done the coloring.

[jeanne3579]

If you are a card maker, anything goes from stamps to digital art to punched/die cut items to stickers to background paper, etc. However, if you feel you are a stamp artist (is it my imagination, or are there fewer and fewer of us out there?), then it seems wrong to call digital images "digital stamps" as they are not stamps, but printed images. To me they will always be clip art, although very sophisticated clip art. I am an old-fashioned wood and rubber gal as I can not only stamp a image, but use the stamp as a tool to create backgrounds by twisting, using various inks and employing lots of techniques. I can even color if I want! Here's to choices!!!

[Margscardcrazy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juble

I generally go through the gallery a couple of times a day and leave a few comments. Lately, it seems like I'm seeing more cards made with pre-colored digis. Is this a new wave? I don't have any digis myself but have been tempted to purchase a few to color. I get that they are affordable and there are some really cute ones, to be sure. I just don't get ordering a pre-colored one. No matter how lame my coloring is I still like to color and get inky, lol! I suppose its just a matter of preference. Rambling thoughts this am.....

I'm with you Julie, I love colouring, infact I'm addicted but with creeping close to 5,000 stamps mounted, unmounted and acrilic, I'm running out of storage space so have started buying digi stamps.;) I love that you can resize them, flip them, do what ever you like with them but I doubt that I will ever be tempted to buy a pre coloured one :confused: kinda defeats the purpose I think, mind you, you shouldn't say never maybe when I'm ninty and am having trouble seeing!!!! :lol:
Cheers

[lylacfey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeanne3579

If you are a card maker, anything goes from stamps to digital art to punched/die cut items to stickers to background paper, etc. However, if you feel you are a stamp artist (is it my imagination, or are there fewer and fewer of us out there?), then it seems wrong to call digital images "digital stamps" as they are not stamps, but printed images. To me they will always be clip art, although very sophisticated clip art. I am an old-fashioned wood and rubber gal as I can not only stamp a image, but use the stamp as a tool to create backgrounds by twisting, using various inks and employing lots of techniques. I can even color if I want! Here's to choices!!!

Your post was perfect. To a stamp artist digi is definitely cheating. I can really see the reasoning. I love traditional stamp artistry. I go through RubberStampMadness and I am always in awe. I can't do that for me because I would suck at it, lol. Stamp artistry is it's own art form.

I am definitely the card artist type girl. I am most inspired by my pile of stickers, stamps, and pretty paper. I use all these things in my creations.

[sc magnolia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juble

I generally go through the gallery a couple of times a day and leave a few comments. Lately, it seems like I'm seeing more cards made with pre-colored digis. Is this a new wave? I don't have any digis myself but have been tempted to purchase a few to color. I get that they are affordable and there are some really cute ones, to be sure. I just don't get ordering a pre-colored one. No matter how lame my coloring is I still like to color and get inky, lol! I suppose its just a matter of preference. Rambling thoughts this am.....

Me either!!! That is not stamping in any way shape or form, so I don't understand why it's on here. This is a stamping forum. Digi's I get.. you color and embellish and stuff. I don't use digis but I kinda get it you know?

[lylacfey]

sc_magnolia- Your always so sweet. You are one of my favorite OP's over here. I am not a stamp artist. I work in mixed media, Kawaii art, die cutting, digi art mainly for my paper mediums. I have always loved SCS for the techniques I have learned. The OP's who give advice have taught me so much about coloring with my favorite mediums. This kind of advice or education I have never received from a physical class. I have also learned frugal crafting, which is very dear to me, from this board. The things I have learned here are very precious to me.

I get asked all the time "Why don't you have a gallery over here?" I hem & haw about it. I don't have a gallery because I think my work is so varied it would not be welcomed here and I would receive comments as "That is not stamping in any way shape or form, so I don't understand why it's on here."

I hope I didn't sound flamey. Comments like that, even if they are warranted, makes me feel shy and not welcomed here. I am sure a few others might share my sentiment.

[sc magnolia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lylacfey

sc_magnolia- Your always so sweet. You are one of my favorite OP's over here. I am not a stamp artist. I work in mixed media, Kawaii art, die cutting, digi art mainly for my paper mediums. I have always loved SCS for the techniques I have learned. The OP's who give advice have taught me so much about coloring with my favorite mediums. This kind of advice or education I have never received from a physical class. I have also learned frugal crafting, which is very dear to me, from this board. The things I have learned here are very precious to me.

I get asked all the time "Why don't you have a gallery over here?" I hem & haw about it. I don't have a gallery because I think my work is so varied it would not be welcomed here and I would receive comments as "That is not stamping in any way shape or form, so I don't understand why it's on here."

I hope I didn't sound flamey. Comments like that, even if they are warranted, makes me feel shy and not welcomed here. I am sure a few others might share my sentiment.

Oh dear, I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings! The title, "next big thing" kind of had me worried, because I visit this forum for stamping and if it got away from that then I'd lose a wonderful source of inspiration and enjoyment. Maybe I interpreted the OP incorrectly. I don't visit the galleries very often any more, so perhaps I envisioned something entirely different. I love mixed media and enjoy many types of things, but I wouldn't want the focus to move away from stamping. Does that make sense? I understand what you mean about not feeling welcome. I removed everything from my gallery because I felt that way - I didn't get many comments or favorites, or ever mentioned in that thread about weekly favorites. I know that I am hyper-sensitive, so I am deeply distressed that I may have caused anyone to feel .... less, or hurt, or unwelcome. I'm soooo very sorry.

[jeanne3579]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc magnolia

Oh dear, I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings! The title, "next big thing" kind of had me worried, because I visit this forum for stamping and if it got away from that then I'd lose a wonderful source of inspiration and enjoyment. Maybe I interpreted the OP incorrectly. I don't visit the galleries very often any more, so perhaps I envisioned something entirely different. I love mixed media and enjoy many types of things, but I wouldn't want the focus to move away from stamping. Does that make sense? I understand what you mean about not feeling welcome. I removed everything from my gallery because I felt that way - I didn't get many comments or favorites, or ever mentioned in that thread about weekly favorites. I know that I am hyper-sensitive, so I am deeply distressed that I may have caused anyone to feel .... less, or hurt, or unwelcome. I'm soooo very sorry.

I agree with your post. I also enjoy all sorts of crafts---sewing, ceramics, stitchery, nature art, etc. but wouldn't like it if clothing, vases, samplers, pinecone baskets, etc. started showing up in abundance here as it is a stamping site. Too many stamping stores have closed, so I have come to depend on SCS for ideas, new products, techniques etc. and don't want to loose it as well. However, I may visas sites designated to other crafts when I need ideas/help with those.

[Juble]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc magnolia

Oh dear, I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings! The title, "next big thing" kind of had me worried, because I visit this forum for stamping and if it got away from that then I'd lose a wonderful source of inspiration and enjoyment. Maybe I interpreted the OP incorrectly. I don't visit the galleries very often any more, so perhaps I envisioned something entirely different. I love mixed media and enjoy many types of things, but I wouldn't want the focus to move away from stamping. Does that make sense? I understand what you mean about not feeling welcome. I removed everything from my gallery because I felt that way - I didn't get many comments or favorites, or ever mentioned in that thread about weekly favorites. I know that I am hyper-sensitive, so I am deeply distressed that I may have caused anyone to feel .... less, or hurt, or unwelcome. I'm soooo very sorry.

Please don't feel sorry. I probably wasn't clear in my post. I guess I'm just one who thinks pre-colored digis on a card is weird, not digis in general. And yes, I understand why they work well for some people. That said, I always marvel when a pre-colored digi is used and then gets favorited! People will comment on what a great job of coloring that person did, lol! KWIM?! But as was said before, it's a matter of personal perfernce.

[lylacfey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc magnolia

Oh dear, I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings! The title, "next big thing" kind of had me worried, because I visit this forum for stamping and if it got away from that then I'd lose a wonderful source of inspiration and enjoyment. Maybe I interpreted the OP incorrectly. I don't visit the galleries very often any more, so perhaps I envisioned something entirely different. I love mixed media and enjoy many types of things, but I wouldn't want the focus to move away from stamping. Does that make sense? I understand what you mean about not feeling welcome. I removed everything from my gallery because I felt that way - I didn't get many comments or favorites, or ever mentioned in that thread about weekly favorites. I know that I am hyper-sensitive, so I am deeply distressed that I may have caused anyone to feel .... less, or hurt, or unwelcome. I'm soooo very sorry.

Hugs sc_magnolia!!! Your sweet posts always shows you are one of the sweetest members over here. Please don't be distressed. I knew what you were trying to get at. I know somebody who was new over here was reading this thread they would interpret "Oh, I screwed up when I posted my new digi creation in the gallery!" Please don't be distressed. No hurt feelings for me. I have been over here for years talking about everything and probably hardly any stamping subjects.

I don't want SCS to get away from it's core topic which is stamping either. I would kind of wonder if all of sudden I would see amigurumi creations all of sudden. I know over at Ravelry they would probably wonder why somebody is showing off stamping.

I know a lot of traditional stamping artists are starting to incorporate digi work in with their traditional stamping. I saw a Stampscape artist the other day saying how her Photoshop has become one of her most loved stamping tools now.

I do 100% understand the digi debate. I was a pcCrafter HugClub girl for years. I love to make my own digital art. When I stamp I am definitely not in the digital world any more. It's fun to mix the mediums but stamping and digi's are two different mediums that take different talent skills.

[jeanne3579]

DeeAnn, well said!