On a previous blog post you graciously asked questions about me & my art. I am still going through them and putting posts together. I lumped them into categories that made sense to me so i could answer them easier. Today's post is about design. Since this seems to be a hot topic, i decided to break it up into two parts.
What is your favorite color palette and how do you get inspiration for using color?
is RAINBOW an acceptable answer? I do love ROY-G-BIV. I love color. I mean LOVE COLOR. I love combining color. I have studied color theory and taught color theory. It's one of my favorite classes to teach. Here are some thoughts on how be inspired by color. Look around your home and in your wardrobe. What colors are you drawn to? Use the fashion industry as inspiration and notice what color combinations are in store windows. Check out some color design sites. Here are some of my favorite color inspiration sites: Design Seeds, Jessica Tierney Designs, and Photocard Boutique. Take on a Color Challenge with The Color Room. Keep your eyes open and take notes. I also keep lots of Color inspiration in my Color My World board on Pinterest.
When creating, are you concerned about the design elements or do you put more weight on what you like?
The answer is yes. I really place a lot of emphasis on what i like but i do know design elements. There is a reason why they work. Things do seem more pleasing in odd numbers, 3s, 5s, 7s. a design triangle works. But here's the deal, I am also willing to break the rules and not let them define me. If i have two elements on the page and it looks good, i keep it. If something looks missing, i see i can complete the design triangle. I trust my instincts and do what works for me. Check out some of your favorite artist. Ask yourself, what design elements do they tend to use? What is it about the design you love? Notice what you gravitate too and explore those elements.
How do you know when you have JUST enough embellishments on the project or when you need 'just one more'?
I think this is one of the hardest things in design but it becomes easier with practice. For me i start with the background and then build up my embellishments. Sometimes i will pull out a handful of items i want to play around with or i think might coordinate with my story. I keep them sitting right next to my layout. I will start adding them and subtracting them. Here's a good way to help to know is it enough. Add the element, take a look at the page and think does it work? That's the first part. Now take it away. Are you missing it? If so put it back on, you want it there. If not, let it go. It wasn't meant to be on that page.
My question is do you sit and complete these layered pages in one sitting or do you go back multiple times.
Depends on which kind of art we are talking about. Most of the time with scrapbooking, i do it all in one sitting. I go go go until it's all complete. Occasionally though i need to let it sit and brew. It's usually when i am tired or need a break. I will take my time with the mixed media/artsy pieces. I need to let the gesso, paint and/or ink layers dry so that gives me time to think. I will work on multiple mixed media pieces at once but only one scrapbook page at a time. Crazy i know but it works for me. I think it's because the scrapbook pages have become so instinctive for me. That doesn't i don't push paper occassionally. It just means i have become very comfortable with scrapbook. With my artsy pieces, it's all about the process as much as the final product. I enjoy getting my hands inky and messy. I like adding layers of color and watching that slow build up.
