embellishment help

[TeriBeary]

Or maybe layering help would be a more accurate request. I find I'm having issues with layering and embellishments. I see all these great layouts and there is so much layering and it looks fabulous and then I try and it just looks silly :) Maybe I just need more practice but I'm hoping you guys have some tips or suggestions.

[MommaTrish]

My tip, throw everything in the kit on the page and then just move it all around until you finally like it. (That's what I do) Also (and this is just a taste prefence) don't layer something on top of something that you really couldn't layer it on.

[Jengerbread88]

I have a few suggestions. First, check our store for the awesome templates by Cindy Schneider. She is the queen of layering, and I've found practicing with her templates has really helped my layering!

Second, whenever you see a layout style you love, and you want to learn the technique for yourself, you should definitely start scraplifting some layouts. Find a layout you think is amazing. Then, try to copy it. If they used 40 flowers... use 40 flowers!

For me, however, the easiest thing was trial and error. I'm definitely no expert at ALL. Nowhere close. But I do love to try new things. If you want to try your hand at layering, open up all the elements you like in a kit. Seriously. Every single one. Resize and play with them until you have a cluster you like. Don't forget strings and scatters- they can really be your friend when learning to cluster! Just keep resizing and playing, copying and pasting, until you have the look you want.

From there, it's all a matter of personal preference. There are some really great tutorials online, of course. One tip says "take what you'd usually put on a layout. Then add 5 more elements." Once you've gotten comfortable adding 5 more elements to what you'd usually do... start adding 10... Once you get comfortable with that, keep adding until you have the style you want. Then, you can break away from the numbers game and just do things until it suits the right look you want. You don't have to worry about adding a specific amount from there- eventually, it just becomes natural.

[AmberK]

templates are a great way to learn to start layering!

[heathergw]

great advice so far... I think the other key is in the shadowing...

I start with my flat layers and then build up... so doodles and paint and then papers, stickers and photos... and then on top of those I stack the more 3-D items like flowers, strings and curled ribbons... now if I tuck some of the more 3-D items underneath something then I need to adjust the distance on the shadows on the things above it to make it look more realistic. I try to not tuck things like rolled flowers and some of the thicker elements and make sure they're on the top... but I really think that shadows play a big part of making clustering look right. There are several great tutorials for shadowing and Jenn has some great shadowing styles and each of them are labeled to fit the type of element you're shadowing.

[TeriBeary]

thanks everyone :) been using templates a lot lately! Will definitely try these suggestions.