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my sister is just getting started. i have done card making for years, but she sends me photos and wants me to critique and i just do not want to. i also took art in college so i understand the rule of thirds and the rule of odds. she is very meticulous and she will be good at this. does anyone have any suggestions of videos that discuss design and how it applies to card making? or just any great newbie sites? we are both empty nesters (i hate it, by the way) but i work full time and part time and she does not and she needs to do something that makes her happy.
thanks for the input.
__________________ lori b. my gallery
"if you judge people, you have no time to love them."
That's a tough one. Sounds like she values your input, and it's yours she's after. There are lots of great videos on the various design and color rules/guidelines, but if she's an empty nester, it may be that connection to her sister she's really looking for. But it also sounds like your time is pretty stretched. I wonder if you can arrange for a regular-ish time to chat on the phone, look at the things she's sent your way, and notice the things that she's really doing right, then ask her what she thinks of them herself ... what worked, what didn't work so well. The conversation's not really about the cards, it's about the connection.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
As you know, design is more than the rule of thirds and odd numbers, but it's a good kick-off - maybe you could just help her with those, googling "rule of thirds" and give her a couple links and suggest she make a grid?
But I bet folks here will have some neat ideas for card-specific videos, articles or books. I had to study design, especially color, and it's fun and fascinating how "movable" design concepts are no matter the size or medium. (Can you tell I love this stuff?) Good luck. : )
What about getting together on a regular basis to make cards that are based on sketches? Sketches have such great design principles built in, and you can't help but learn by following them and practicing over and over. That way, you're not telling her about the rule of thirds, but she's learning it by doing.
And I would be honest with her and tell her that you just don't feel comfortable critiquing! That's one of those "does my butt look fat in these jeans" situations that usually can't be answered without hurting someone's feelings. If she wants to make cards along with you, you can discuss card design that way and why you make the craft choices you do, and get that nice connection too!
Pinterest is a huge pool of ideas! Maybe you could search a specific stamp set on Pinterest and look at all the cards people have uploaded. From that could come conversation and by default, opinions on layout or design. You could give your input on random cards, maybe that would be a way of helping her.
Pinterest is a huge pool of ideas! Maybe you could search a specific stamp set on Pinterest and look at all the cards people have uploaded. From that could come conversation and by default, opinions on layout or design. You could give your input on random cards, maybe that would be a way of helping her.
Hugs to those adjusting to an empty nest. It'll never be the same, but before you know it, it'll be pretty full again. ;)
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
Yes, Operation Write Home did some posts on card design way way way back when. I bet if you search for OWH and rule of thirds, or something like that you will be able to find your way back to them.
TwoPeas had a class on Card Design when they were open, I wonder if any of that content is still available.
This has the potential of being very cool! Over time you two will have a very fun thing to share together! Of course this could also mean you are going to have another enabler in your life LOL
This way you can both have that precious time together but also maintain control over your own very limited free time.
As for commenting. Keep telling her-this is creativity and art. There are technical things you can help her with, but the expression-that's all her. Just because you dont like something doesnt make it wrong-it's just not your thing maybe. You know her favorite colors and stuff like that. Guide her to start with those things.
Get her a color wheel for learning color combos. I totally agree with the sketch idea so she is learning and can feel confident that the design is solid at least. If you can, get her to stick to one technique for awhile and really explore it before running off to the next. ie heat embossing...do regular powders, do inks with clear, do it on vellum, etc.
Here is a PDF file with 1-100 of the OWH sketches. There were like 250 but I am not seeing that file-I know it's out there. But this is a good start.
Tell her the truth. This is not something people master overnight. It takes time and a lot of practice with some things. It's a lifetime hobby! She is going to have to figure out her style (s) over time.
If you are not close by each other for live visits-see if you can help find a couple of good core classes she can take, even if it's an art one just in basic design rules as well as basic technique classes for cards at her LSS.
For me, having that live opportunity was really priceless. At the beginning your eyes are rolling in your head with both excitement and fear you are going to screw it up. I keep saying and I am not kidding-they really had to fight with me for a LONG time to accept "it's just paper" because I wanted to do my practice on less expensive copy paper all the time which of course isnt at all the same and really stunted my learning curve about papers which I still am catching up on.
If that isnt available either, the crafty classes with McGuire look very good-getting good reviews- and I think there are some basics in there. And she can keep playing them over and over again. Same thing with Sandy Allnock. And both of them have tons of free ones too. If you can find old (or new) DVDs with techniques that she can play on a laptop and stop and go-that might be good. They may have them for free at the library to do as a test to see if that works for her before paying for them.
I have to say books were not helpful for me. I am much better with seeing stuff happening in a vid. To all our great benefit YT University is just a click away and has been wonderful for me about all kinds of things. Sometimes I have to see the same technique done several times by different people to hit the one who explains it in the way I get it. (not always the same person).
Tammy Maybury has a really useful book of clean and simple cards with a bit about design in it. It's published by Annie's. I have gotten a lot of use out of it. i also really like Take 10 magazine. No real instructions but tons of great cards. Supposed to be fast. Most will take more than 10 minutes, but the shouldn't take hours!
I don't know of any videos but I used the forum at SCS for input. I took a pic, ask for input, and I was really happy with the suggestions. I took another pic of the 'after' card and posted that too. Since I know nothing about art or rules, it was really helpful to get others thoughts without feeling poorly about what I had done so far. I felt supported. She may want to stay away from challenges to start. It's pretty clear some of us are not in the same category. Just my thoughts.
I think Laura Bassen's cards show really good design - balance, use of white space, scale and propotion, harmony - all that stuff. She studied graphic design and it shows. I'm a big fan, and follow her - and Jennifer McGuire.
They don't actually talk much about design principles or elements, if someone wants to learn about them, but are great examples to use along with an article, book, teacher, or sister. : ) For example, how they place elements to move our eyes to the focal point.
I so clearly remember being a new card maker. When I found card sketches, my card making really improved. I can really recommend the class Pattern Play at Home - Online Card Classes. That class helped me a ton in using patterned paper. I've loved every class I've taken there.
I think the hardest thing has been figuring out my style. While I appreciate the cards that have lots of coloring, that's not for me. But I adore die cutting.
So she may find it very helpful to take a little time and analyze what attracts her to certain cards and would she like doing the techniques to achieve that look.
THIS page, on Pinterest, has hundreds of card sketches, which may be useful.
A quick Google search will pull up loads more, on various stamping blogs.
Just had another thought- if you are not physically close to each other, could you schedule some Skype time?
Empty nesting does stink--but I got an extra room to craft in out of it when my darling daughter moved 8 hours away...
I am teaching a newbie how to stamp next week. She has some of the basics down, but is frustrated because her images aren't coming out well. I am going to work on ink to paper techniques, using markers with stamps and the ins and outs of two step (sometimes three!) stamping.
I have been with the Craft/Hobby/Business of papercrafting for over 15 years now. I progressed with baby steps until 2005, when I joined Stampin'Up! and their vast pool of resources--they really want to teach you to be a stamp master (or mistress?) so you can pass your knowledge on to your clients, family and friends.
I started with a lot of CASE-ing: copy and share with everyone. Any new stamp set I got would be searched in the SU! library and I would print out "doable" cards with pictures and instructions. Any card I really liked I would make 2 of so I had a sample to refer back to later.
I have a degree in Art, so the basic layout pointers came easily to me: balance, shape, form, colors are all it takes to make up a good card. I have never been much of a sketcher for layouts, but do it if I have a challenge such as making 5 designs from one stamp set (my manager regularly sends out these requests, and will give out the stamp set sometimes to help with the process).
I have always been impressed with the use of color "families" where the harmonious combinations have been figured out for you. SU!'s color system in awesome and so is working with Pantone color schemes. But you need to mix it up yourself and experiment to find what you like!
Finding a "craft partner" is great because you can get together and just play with what you have to see what comes up. It can even be someone long distance who you share cards and tips with.
Do a "swap" where you make a number of the same cards, send them to a central swap manager and get as many as you sent back in samples to use for inspiration. The ability to have a card to touch, take apart and inspect is ten times better than 2D images from a book, internet sample or magazine. SCS has lots of different places to go to where swaps are being held; pick the category that interests you most (ie Holiday Cards) and go for it!
My number 2 go to site for all things stamping has to be SCS; they have samples specific to SU! sets and lots of great advice on a weekly basis!
Back to Molly Bang's little book, which I picked up again. It's so short, and fun, and may engage anyone with interest in design concepts.
From websites that describe it:
"Everyone knows that a picture tells a thousand words. But what about the elements that make up a picture? Using the tale of Little Red Riding Hood as an example, Molly Bang uses boldly graphic artwork to explain how images—and their individual components—work to tell a story that engages the emotions: Why are diagonals dramatic? Why are curves calming? Why does red feel hot and blue feel cold?..."
In a design class, we used large and small black paper squares on white 8.5x11 paper in assignments to show movement or even evoke emotions - like laughter when the instructor would hold some up. Bang's book reminds me a bit of that.
I've given the book as gifts to a friend who makes jewelry and another who does fused glass. It's a smiley book. : )
Back to Molly Bang's little book, which I picked up again. It's so short, and fun, and may engage anyone with interest in design concepts.
From websites that describe it:
"Everyone knows that a picture tells a thousand words. But what about the elements that make up a picture? Using the tale of Little Red Riding Hood as an example, Molly Bang uses boldly graphic artwork to explain how images�and their individual components�work to tell a story that engages the emotions: Why are diagonals dramatic? Why are curves calming? Why does red feel hot and blue feel cold?..."
In a design class, we used large and small black paper squares on white 8.5x11 paper in assignments to show movement or even evoke emotions - like laughter when the instructor would hold some up. Bang's book reminds me a bit of that.
I've given the book as gifts to a friend who makes jewelry and another who does fused glass. It's a smiley book. : )
That's apparently an even earlier version than the two I linked to (third post of this thread), so it's not available as an e-book. I usually choose ebooks these days, but for this one I prefer paper.
Sorry, I should have re-linked. If you want to look inside the book, you can with the latest version. Just above the picture of the book it says "look inside." https://www.amazon.com/Picture-This-...dp_ob_title_bk
Thank you, Beth! It's nice to know there is a newer version of this book. I kind of read through the posts, but I missed the third one you referred to, so THANK YOU for letting me know! ;)
Darlene DeVries has an excellent video on card design that I think might help:
darlenedesign.com/wordpress/?p=6853
Her video covers a lot of aspects of card design and is easy to understand. She shows a number of her cards to illustrate each concept. The video is about 21 minutes long.
Thanks for all the input. I have a hard time finding crafting buddies. i work too many hours. she works part time, but people do not make time to create. twice a year my church does a card making event and it is wonderful and such a good place for people to start. i hope i am not more excited than she is about her starting this hobby! just the idea that someone i know bought a die cutting machine and knows what one is makes me giddy!
__________________ lori b. my gallery
"if you judge people, you have no time to love them."
Shaz that is a GREAT idea! Skyping! That could be very useful....if Lori has limited time and some of it might be later/earlier than locals want to play...she could take advantage of time zones on skype!
Wouldnt a 24 hr skype site be great? Plug in anytime and find people working on the project of the day/week? Some tech genius should do that and make a bunch of money in minimal fees. Thousands around the world could sign up!
Lori I can see why she wants your opinion-you make beautiful things!
I think I mis-read your OP. I thought you had dread about this but instead you seem happy. So it's just the critiqueing part you are not loving?
What about checking out Susan Raihala's (aka late blossom) blog...Simplicity. You can follow and get almost daily updates....I find she has very good design information. I have learned a lot from her.
I have been looking again into The Theory of Card Design. Some ladies want me to teach them how to make cards... So, here is what I found, & I thought it was VERY INFORMATIVE! Check here: Design Principles: Rule of Thirds | The Paper Blog
I took a look at Darlene's & Susan's blog too & think they're great too! You can never have too much information on Design/ Card Making! We're never done learning are we? ;)
wavejumper, i am thrilled, but i know first hand how discouraging it can get. i throw away lots of paper! i may be a but of a perfectionist. but i am so glad that someone i know even knows what a cuttlebug is.
__________________ lori b. my gallery
"if you judge people, you have no time to love them."
a new card maker
Is THIS the book you're talking about?
