Wintertime is the perfect time to pull out those bright patterns and ephemera to create something cheery and fun. It has been bitterly cold and dreary here, so pulled out some elements in my collection that would give me a little pick-me-up. Using bright vivid colors can be overwhelming for some crafters. If you are one who shies away from them, I want to share a few tips with you.
When I want to use a collection like this one, from HipKit Club, I print my photo in black and white unless that photo has the same color palette. Greyscale photos tend to stand out against the bright colors.
Along with the vivid items, I try to choose some neutral elements that will stabilize or subdue the vibrant colors. On this page, I selected a bold black perspextive title from Bramble Fox, added black leaves to the flowers, and sprinkled black lettering and phrases onto the page.
Bold colors like this also require some white space. Framing the photo in white and using a soft pink stenciled background gives all these objects a little breathing room and your eye a place to rest.
As I am choosing the pattern papers and ephemera for my design, I always select three-four colors that will be the predomination hues on the page. The four colors are then divided into a gallon, quart, pint, and cup ratio. On this page, my color palette is pink, blue, yellow, and bits of orange.
Many of the floral die cuts include purple, bright green, and red. To stick to my desired colors palette, I cut apart and layer items in the clusters so that the four I chose would be predominant.
After I select the color palette, I decide on some patterns that I want to repeat on the page. Repetition brings balance. The patterns that I repeat on this design are grids, florals, and stripes.
Not only does repetition create balance, but so does that visual triangle you always hear about. Adding like elements to the page in a triangular formation creates flow that leads the eye through the design.
On this page, the bold blue elements create the largest of the triangles. The floral filmstrip that is to the left of the photo was cut using a Bramble Fox die. This is a strong grounding element that forms a visual triangle with the journaling card on the right.
In my process video, I share a a few more tips for using bright colors on your projects and show you how this page came together.
I kept the design of this page simple with soft stenciling in the background, layers of paper, and some floral ephemera with a black and white photo as a focal point among all those vivid colors. Using the tricks I shared above, helped me to create balance on this page.
I hope this project inspired you to try something new. If you have any questions about this project or the supplies listed above, feel free to leave me a comment.
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