Making Cards "Pop"

[lizzzi]

Is it always OK to use black ink for the greeting on the front of the card, or are there certain rules for colors of titles like "Happy Father's Day" or greetings like "Hugs"? I never know what color to use for the front of the card. Appreciate ALL suggestions.

[DCinkit]

I don't think there are any rules. My go-to color for sentiments is black. SCS has an occasion gallery.

See it here:

Splitcoaststampers - Occasions & Themes

You could go to the holiday or theme you are interested in and see what others have done for their greetings.

Perhaps it would inspire you.

HTH

[lizzzi]

Thank you. I forgot about the gallery. Great idea!

[cardmaker2]

Actually I rarely use black! (Although there are no rules, as said) I usually choose one of the colours in the card itself, generally the brightest or darkest of whatever colours I used. I prefer that ‘matched’ look myself.

Here is an example I happened to find on my iPad camera roll from awhile back. I used Night of Navy for the sentiment. My apologies that it’s sideways...

[lizzzi]

Beautiful card. So many decisions. Thanks for your help.

[JBgreendawn]

black is my go to ink color I think.


and really there are no hard and fast rules, I think you just do what looks good to you over time, and until you reach that point of knowing what you like its easy enough to learn from others.


sometimes I will use colored ink that goes with the design but, I tend to reach for black for the sentiment most often because, I want it to be read and or pop. using a strip of dark cardstock and heat embossing the words in white powder on that gives it that same little here I am read me thing if they are small words in the design.

[lizzzi]

I watch many videos on cards, and the most common practice is to do exactly what you do. Thank you.

[Cook22]

I agree, there are no rules. I mostly use black myself but occasionally remember to use one of the colours I've used while creating the card.

Gold and silver look great for special occasions, although I do find the shine from the embossing can make them hard to read at some angles.

Stacy has mentioned white embossed on black, which does look great. I'd also like to suggest embossing your black sentiment...it adds extra pop, especially when the sentiment is stamped directly on DP or a technique background.
Here are a couple of examples:
WT738 Moon and Stars

MMTPT561 Blue Floral

I do sometimes emboss a black sentiment just stamped on white card, but don't have time to go back through my gallery.to find an example.

[lizzzi]

All the cards are beautiful. Thank you all so much for sharing your expertise. I'm rather a newbie at this and always wondered if there are any unsaid rules concerning the black ink. All the answers have been very helpful. Embossing the black ink looks very nice. What a great forum!

[Paula in GA]

I usually use a color that goes with whatever colors I'm using. I've also started using the "navy blue, hunter green, dark brown is the new black" idea. I mostly use black on the inside, but the front is anything I like.

[Lorri.V.]

Pretty much every card I make I use black in for the sentiment cut it out and then layer it with black cardstock. I also layer every piece of design paper on black cardstock and then layer it onto my card base. It has become my signature look and I love it.

Lorri

[whoistracy]

No rules at all! I use black a LOT for my sentiments, but have been on a kick lately using white ink on black or dark grey cardstock (or embossing in white on dark cardstock). It really pops. I think it depends on the design of your card and what you like best.

[Goodly Creations]

All of the above! I rarely use black for the sentiment but it does add a polished look when I see it. I seem to smear it! I usually use the darker color of the colors I’ve used on the front. I almost always layer the sentiment inside on card stock (cs) that matches the ink. Just another opinion to help keep you guessing!!🤣🤗❤️
It’s a wonderful hobby with no hard and fast rules, except those you choose to make. Have fun and welcome to our therapy sessions.

[wavejumper]

I guess many people use black bc it is how we usually start out, and it is also often the easiest to read. But I emboss a lot or use whatever I feel is attractive. Also if you stamped your image in black and then colored it, black flows with the outline.

You can use whatever color you want to. Some like it to match a color in the image and some like a contrast. Whatever makes you happy!

[Kathleen Mc]

Don't think there are any rules, but I often try to tie my sentiment colour to the rest of the card.
Sometimes I think brown looks better than black, but it's more of a gut feeling than a rule, I think.

[joniworx]

I use black - but I also use white on a dark or colored background and like how that pops. I like metallic gold. silver and platinum embossed on colored cardstock as well. I've used colored inks to match whatever is on the card front. It just depends on what I'm going for. I will match the sentiment on the inside with whatever I've embossed on the front.

[synderella45]

On white cardstock, I only use black about 50% of the time, sometimes I opt for a dark grey. I use colour inks quite often, especially with a stamp positioning tool where you can restamp it to get it dark enough to stand out (and be easily readable). If I am using black, beforehand I "second generation" stamp an image in the background to break up the harshness of white etc. then stamp with black or grey on top.

[karenpagedave]

I used to use black primarily or especially with holiday cards heat emboss in white or metallic. Special cards I might match the ink to the theme of the card. Lately I've been inspired by some bloggers and YT'ers to use browns and grays for a softer look. It really does make a floral image or critter images look softer! I had to leave the pads out on my desk to remember to try it though as I reach so often for my fav black ink pad (Versafine or now Versa Clair) or Versamark. If I'm stamping on a cream colored paper I almost never use black, instead I use brown or a matching color, regardless of image. One of my many idiosyncrasies! Oh, and like I have learned from some Copic experts, I try to use warm gray and brown for living things, and cool gray and brown for non-living things, though I'm known to make exceptions for flowers based on their colors. I may have my own weird rules but there are definitely no hard and fast crafting rules!!!

[jeanne3579]

I am all over the board on this. I often emboss in a metallic if it fits the card. I will use the darkest color of the main image of the card or of layering pieces. Often that means black---just inked or embossed. But many cards have no black anywhere, so it will be brown or dark green or navy, etc.

[DianeinSparks]

I almost always used black, then started to add brown, grey, navy, hunter, and other dark shades. Then I looked at all the ink pads I have and I mostly stamp outline images and color them in so why do I have all these colors of ink pads? So I started using all my ink pads for the sentiments outside, inside and on the back of the cards where I stamp handmade by. The look is different, softer for the pastels but still nice. And I'm using all those stamp pads.

[Boss]

I match the color for the sentiment to the color that was used for stamped image in front of card - if the stamped image is in black, the sentiment is also done with black.

If there are no stamped images (for example, all images are die cuts or there is only designer paper) the color used for the sentiment will match one of those elements, most likely the the dominant color.


No rules on this, though I must admit I use I prefer to use a deep intense black for most sentiment panels because it stands out and makes for easy reading

[gregzgurl]

I use black most of the time - for readability and because it's classic/traditional/whatever. The exceptions are when it's going to be too stark in contrast (if the card front is all soft pastels, for example). Then I'll use a softer neutral or a coordinating color. I also use a coordinating color (or colors) if I'm making a "fun" card where a colored sentiment would add to the joy...