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Anyone have any tips on combining patterned papers? I see so many beautiful cards that use two or more different patterns and they look perfect. When I try to use more than one pattern it just doesn't look right. I wondered if maybe there were some "rules". TIA
When I use more than one patterned paper, I try to use similar colors -- I think that's a given. But also, one will be a simple pattern -- stripes, maybe -- and the other a more elaborate pattern.
Hey, I'm no expert but I keep in mind a few Interior Design ''rules'' that I've picked up:
Learn to use a color wheel.
Limit use of dominant colors (like red) -OR- go all out monochromatic.
Patterns should be of varied size - don't mix two large or two medium.
HTH!
__________________ Do or do not - there is no try! (Yoda) / SCS Featured Stamper FS730 / Dirty Dozen Alumni
I have a few cards in my gallery that use different papers; I really love PP! But a couple tips are buying those that are designed to go together, same family so to speak. Also, look at card magazines , there are usually lots of cards using PP and even in the ads you may get ideas.
Take a look at my gallery, the two newest ones and some further down use PP.
Anyone have any tips on combining patterned papers? I see so many beautiful cards that use two or more different patterns and they look perfect. When I try to use more than one pattern it just doesn't look right. I wondered if maybe there were some "rules". TIA
Most of thew times, paper comes in coordinating collections. Using papers from the same collection makes it easy. Then, you kind of follow the same rules you would if you were choosing fabrics for your home. Same (or coordinating) colors, different patterns...bigger patterns with smaller patterns--i.e., a large flower print with a coordinating plaid; or a small flower print with a coordinating stripe; etc. Don't be afraid--just have fun!
I use a lot of patterned paper. Usually they are displayed with others that will work well together. Large, medium and small patterns, stripes and dots. Also check out double sided papers for more options
I had been wondering about this myself recently and started "analyzing" some SCSer's cards so I could figure it out. One thing I found was that you could pick a color from the background to carry it forward onto the next layer and then you could choose another color from the background PP for the next (3rd) layer and then it all becomes tied together. KWIM?
Just FYI: I was kind of bored tonight and seeing if I could find any "way old" threads that might be helpful, interesting, or different.
__________________ Brenda
<-My sibling kitties, Milo and Rousseau
I'll second the "buy paper in collections" comment above. If you're struggling to combine patterns, buying the entire paper collection (say the new Bloom line from MME) will help you to combine the patterns because they're meant to coordinate with each other.
Once you start picking out papers from the same collection, you'll get better at noticing how well patterns work together or certain colors. Then you can start to grab other papers from your collection to mix in.
For example when you buy the "Stacks" of papers or collection packages most of the papers are designed to go with each other.
It's too bad that when I first started buying patterned paper I didn't figure this out and took all of the stacks apart, and organized them by color, pattern, etc (stripes with stripes etc), for which I could kick myself now! Since I did eventually figure that out, I now leave the stacks together, but I have at least four drawers of paper that I have to figure out what goes with what. lessons learned!
I buy a lot of the SU DSP packages because they coordinate together so wonderfully.
I agree with buying stack/pads of paper because generally they all go nicely together.
Blessings.
This may or may not help in the actual coordination of patterns, but there is a decorating / graphic design rule that says to use colors in these proportions... 60% main color, 30% coordinating color and 10% accent color. So I think this could apply to patterned papers in 2 ways, first in the colors, but also in the print size too. What I mean is... if three papers are being used you would not want the all to have the same size patterns.
Now that I say this, it got me thinking about SU papers, each group has a variety of pattern sizes and density (open space).
So as an example, if I were to use a large floral pattern for the 60% then a stripe for the 30% and lastly a tiny floral for the 10%.
The same would apply if it were plaid, you would not want to use 2 different plaids in the same size, but you could use a large plaid with a small amount of tiny plaid. And still add in a medium amount of a coordinating pattern.
After saying all that, I'm also realizing that in the case of pre-coordinated paper, the proportion rules still need to come into play. Otherwise even patterns that do work together, wouldn't look great because the patterns would be fighting for the attention of the viewer.
Keep in mind that there are unlimited color / pattern combos, so I'm sure that there are many cases where great results are not based on great rules!
I love Paper Wishes for patterned paper. I usually buy it in the books and most of the books are coordinated so I can easily mix and match. I tend to lean towards the smaller, more subtle patterns, but if I am using a large patterned paper, I tone it down with a smaller print that is in the same color family.
I love the subtle ones though, especially for making my die cuts (I don't really stamp much. Thank goodness for my Big Kick!)
Patterned Paper
