Why it Works: Fill your Canvas from the Edges/Corners in

Discussion in 'Learning Pad' started by jenn mccabe, Dec 1, 2016.

  1. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

    Messages:
    21,540
    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2013
    [​IMG]

    Welcome to another edition of Why it Works, where we share and highlight a page from an awesome scrapper in our gallery that utilizes a really cool technique, a design trick, a photography tip, journaling ideas or any number of other things to get you scrapping outside your comfort zone. We hope to share and inspire you to try something new, revisit an old technique you may have forgotten about, or maybe just approach that blank canvas in a new way.

    So, here are some of the things you can do to be involved in this thread if you want to be.
    1. Ohhh and Ahhh over the awesome layout or project that has been highlighted and head over to the gallery and show the scrapper some love.
    2. Learn something new from the tip or tutorial. It's all about becoming better at our craft!
    3. Try the technique yourself and post it in this thread for us to see.
    4. Show off other pages from the gallery that use the technique as well. Be sure to link them so we can give them the love they deserve!
    5. Ask questions about the technique that you may have or tell us how you may do it differently. There are many ways to do these things and this thread is all about the learning!

    *note: this is not to be a critique of the page/project in any way, it's all about learning to emulate the awesome technique highlighted. Any negative comments about the highlighted page will be deleted.*
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The page I am sharing with you today is titled Little Things by @KayTeaPea :

    [​IMG]

    I thought this page had a really creative approach to filling the canvas.

    I don’t know about you, but I tend to fill my canvas from the center out. Or sometimes I will divide up my page using the “rule of thirds” and place most of my elements, photos, and journaling in one of the “thirds” of the page. One thing I do not often do is think about utilizing all the edges and corners as the starting point for my pages. So this page design really spoke to me!

    I love how the photos are drawn to an edge or a corner and most importantly how she uses paint and paper pieces to anchor her photos to those edges and corners. See how the paint fills the "white space" and makes it so the photo isn’t simply “floating” on the background? It’s like the paint is saying "I’ve got you" to the photo and helps tuck the photo into the corners/edges. The paper pieces do the same thing. They help give the photo a place to land and pull the photo to the edge. The paint and paper pieces literally ground the photos and create a foundation.

    *And ... those paper pieces are a great way to add some pretty patterns and color to your page if you are hesitant to use a lot of bold patterns or color on your pages.

    The other notable design trick @KayTeaPea uses is the visual triangle. It’s a classic design trick that groups something (in this case it is the photos) into "threes" and places them on the page in the shape of triangle. It’s pleasing to the eye and the canvas is full and balanced!

    If you want to give this idea a go with a blank canvas I suggest finding some great paints or brushes to work with and setting them down in the corners and along the edges like @KayTeaPea did. Here are some suggestions from the store that might be a good starting point, if you are eager to give this page design trick a try:

    try some beautiful textured paints ... Dreams & Goals : Gesso by Dawn Inskip
    [​IMG]


    overlap some chunky paints ... Cityscape Brushes & Masks by Lynn Grieveson
    [​IMG]

    add a touch of whimsy ... Numeration Brushes by Lynn Grieveson
    [​IMG]

    go bold and colorful ... Drama Queen by Valorie Wibbens
    [​IMG]

    or go artsy ... Artsy Bits 6: Neon Pops M3 by Lynn-Marie
    [​IMG]

    The possibilities are endless and the idea can be applied to any page style: art journal, C&S, traditional & classic, minimal, etc.

    I was so inspired to try this page design idea, that I lifted @KayTeaPea 's page using the Grunge Collection {Banners #3} from Paula Kesselring as my "paint":

    [​IMG]

    and I also this Outdoorsy kit with the beautiful paper patterns, colors and tags by Paislee Press:

    [​IMG]

    Here's my lift of @KayTeaPea 's page:

    [​IMG]

    I love that I learned a new trick for how to approach my blank canvas!

    If you have pages showing a similar idea of how to use the edges and corners of your canvas already in the gallery, please consider sharing here. And of course … if you want to create a new page trying out this design trick we would love to oooooh and aaaaaaah over it … so please show it off here! :beat:heartlub:beat
     
    Ferdy, ForeverJoy, LynnG and 4 others like this.
  2. wvsandy

    wvsandy Grinning Granny

    Messages:
    4,799
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2011
    I too tend to start towards the middle of a LO. Love the sample page and your lift. I'll have to try this way of telling a story.
     
    jenn mccabe likes this.
  3. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

    Messages:
    21,540
    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2013
    thanks @wvsandy ! I really had fun lifting that page and am totally going to try to make a habit of doing this more often.
     
  4. AnneofAlamo

    AnneofAlamo Slippers IN sunshine? Even better!

    Messages:
    19,728
    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2009
    this is on my to do list at the top! I love the results and pushing the habit of middle of page to the wayside! thank you
     
    ForeverJoy and elk2009 like this.
  5. bcgal00

    bcgal00 Say, "birdseed!"

    Messages:
    9,136
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2010
    Love her page and your lift of it. I like the use of paint along with the paper strips to anchor edges of the photo stacks.
     
  6. klee73010

    klee73010 I might have a thing for drummers

    Messages:
    5,472
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2015
    I just looked through my gallery, and have NONE using this technique! Must try it.
     
  7. mcurtt

    mcurtt give me all the paleo brownies

    Messages:
    8,809
    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2015
    An interesting topic. You are so right, most of my pages begin in the center. I did find this one of mine in the gallery that I think??? reflects working from the edges in:

    [​IMG]
     
  8. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

    Messages:
    21,540
    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2013
    @mcurtt

    YES!!! Your gorgeous page is a perfect example of this! I love that you showed us how to apply this design idea to an artsy page. LOVE :heartslub
     
    mcurtt likes this.
  9. KayTeaPea

    KayTeaPea I carried a watermelon

    Messages:
    3,893
    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2013
    @jenn mccabe - thanks so much for spotlighting my page! I usually do start for the center and spread toward the edges when making a layout, but lately have been attempting to use the edges as starting spots. I've made a couple other pages that are similar, here is one:
    [​IMG]
    I made this page for the Scraplift Challenge for December here at the Lilypad, and lifted look of the page from @chickypow. She has a lot of pages with interest along the edges of the canvas.
     
    LynnG, MrsPeel, chickypow and 3 others like this.
  10. jk703

    jk703 CEO of Anything and Everything, Everywhere

    Messages:
    13,406
    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2012
    I am a non-corner scrapper! :giggle I looked and there are really none that scrap this way in my gallery. I think my hesitancy comes from my doing doubles and/or printing. I don't want to lose what's on the edge, so I tend to stay away from the edges. SO.... I must try this idea!

    Absolutely wonderful post, Jenn!
     
  11. Karen

    Karen Wiggle it, just a little bit!

    Messages:
    30,368
    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2008
    I love this so much!!
     
    jenn mccabe likes this.
  12. wvsandy

    wvsandy Grinning Granny

    Messages:
    4,799
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2011
    I used two templates and pulled parts over to build 2 of my corners.
    [​IMG]
     
    jenn mccabe likes this.
  13. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

    Messages:
    8,197
    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2015
    I don't think I've scrapped from the edges much either. How's this?
    [​IMG]
     
    KayTeaPea and jenn mccabe like this.
  14. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

    Messages:
    21,540
    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2013
    I love it Sandy! Really love the addition of the frames too! And you were able to get so many cute photos on the page. I think this style speaks to me because I tend to use one photo way too much. This forces me to think in terms of multiple photos! Gorgeous page and thanks for giving it a try and sharing your beautiful page! :beat
     
    wvsandy likes this.
  15. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

    Messages:
    21,540
    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2013
    You always have beautiful full pages with lots of photos and creative ideas Michele! I'm surprised you don't scrap from the edges much! I love love the sweet birthday patterned paper strips extending off your edges and especially the great idea to add the scallop banner! Really love this! Thanks for sharing! :beat
     
    michelepixels likes this.
  16. bellbird

    bellbird Pollywog

    Messages:
    16,979
    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2010
    love this - great use of paint and edges!!
     
    mcurtt likes this.
  17. bellbird

    bellbird Pollywog

    Messages:
    16,979
    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2010
    awesome idea re: 2 templates! it came out great!
     
  18. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

    Messages:
    21,540
    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2013
    @Cristina created this beautiful page documenting a recent Christmas shopping trip. It's another great example of this, and I wanted to share with everyone! :)

    [​IMG]
     
    LynnG, elk2009, mcurtt and 1 other person like this.
  19. Cristina

    Cristina Handmade with love, actually

    Messages:
    11,185
    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2009
    @jenn mccabe thanks! So funny because this page didn't start out that way :giggle but it totally works when you have multiple items on a page and you want to keep them distinct.
     
    jenn mccabe likes this.
  20. Cristina

    Cristina Handmade with love, actually

    Messages:
    11,185
    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2009
    OK I just went to check my gallery and I think I do this quite a bit. :) Here are two recent pages:

    [​IMG]
    ^^^This one was inspired by me not wanting to cover up the pretty background. :)

    [​IMG]
     
    MrsGaramer, mcurtt and jenn mccabe like this.

Share This Page