Using Inspiration

[littlekiwi]

I have a huge Pinterest board (over 1500 pins by the way) full of inspiration (mainly of paper scrapbooking pages or sketches but the odd digi page too) but I feel “blocked” for lack of a better word as to how to use what I’ve pinned. Nothing wrong with continuing to use templates as I have but I want to creatively stretch myself a bit.

 

[umyesh]

I think it would be fun to just look through them and pick the first one that stands out to you and scraplift it!

 

[littlekiwi]

I think it would be fun to just look through them and pick the first one that stands out to you and scraplift it!

A lot of them I saved for one maybe two things (eg: photo layout, title work, clusters and layering) rather than an entire layout so I’m not sure that would totally work.

 

[Kiana]

I say scraplift too. Even if you only like it for the title etc. Scraplifting is one of the best ways I believe to stretch yourself creatively.

 

[dotcomkari]

I too have a huge board of pinned layouts.. I often use them as inspiration or a lift.. it's fun to try new things

 

[jk703]

Maybe just scroll... see what grabs your attention. Then write down three things that really pop out. Then work from there... see what you get, lol!

 

[littlekiwi]

Maybe I didn’t quite ask the right question to start with…

For a fair number of the inspiration layouts I’ve pinned, it’s only one thing that’s grabbed my attention as something I’d want to use to inspire my layout - it could be the title work or photo placement or layering or clustering etc.

So my follow up question is: How do you combine a few different ideas to make a cohesive layout? I feel I don’t have enough design ability to free style the rest of the layout once I take the one or two bits I like.

Eg:

I really like the white on white shape and the shadowing on this layout

For this layout I really love the vellum background allowing the patterned background to show through

For this one I love the use of the stitching grids

For this one I love the title work

Now I know these don’t necessarily go together but it’s an example of I don’t necessarily want to scraplift entire layouts or even the majority of one.

 

[Kiana]

I'd grab pieces from them to create your scraplift then.

For instance the grid layout and the title work layouts would go together.

 

[cfile]

Jennifer @littlekiwi if you didn’t try the iNSD sketch challenge then try that.. you can take the things out of all your examples and do a sketch and scrap that.. perhaps a grid on bottom and have the star shape with shadow reflecting a half shape on the edge and maybe vellum over a photograph

 

[bestcee]

For this one I love the title work (Stamp one)

When I like just a portion of a layout, I start with the portion I like, then go from there. Here's where I would start:
What would I like to put in that stamp look title? Create, crafting words? Job search words? Hobby words? Start there.
Once you have the stamp look lifted onto your own layout, with the words that you want, you can decide if you want to add a photo, or just add some other elements to decorate your lift. The vellum look one is easier: you like the vellum over the bold paper. Start your layout with the vellum and bold paper, and then scrap from there.

Depending on the inspiration, two of them combined might not work. Like the cool stamp look title is meant to be the star, so I wouldn't cover it with the vellum, you know? You could do a white on white with the stamp look, and add the shadows. The white on white and shadows could go with almost any layout.

Usually when I scraplift I don't combine a bunch the first time I try a technique, especially if it's new to me. I don't want to be concentrating on too many new things at once! (I do the same in the kitchen. I won't have 5 brand new to me meals in a week. I limit myself to one or two.) Plus, if too many techniques are supposed to be the focus, I find my layout disjointed because it's competing with itself. And that's no good.

 

[jk703]

I think that is what I meant. Figuring out what exactly you like about the layout and be inspired by that... no necessarily scraplifting.

I think trying to incorporate too much is hard. So, I'd pry stick with two items to start.

For instance, you said:
"I really like the white on white shape and the shadowing on this layout"
"For this layout I really love the vellum background allowing the patterned background to show through"

Make a layout the white on white space and work on the shadowing.... so you are combining those sticking points of inspiration.


If you are working on your layout and you want to add another, then add the:
"For this one I love the use of the stitching grids"

or the:
"For this one I love the title work"