What are your favorite ways?

[tam65]

Ok ladies, I don't usually start threads, but in the context of INSD I am wondering .....

What are your favourite ways to add texture and depth to digital scrapbook pages?

For me, I love using shadows, but I do art journalling and shadowing is not what I use so much but I like gesso to add depth when I find it in kits.

[jacinda]

For me it's mostly shadows. I'm not an art journaller, preferring a cleaner look to my pages, so I don't often use paint, gesso, etc, but I do like to see it on other peoples pages.

I love how Sugarbabe Sheri shadows her elements. She really adds dimension to her pages:

[Cheryl Ashcraft]

I love gesso as well, especially when it looks like it's been put on the paper with a palette knife. That is a great way to add texture.

I love using scatters, beads, sequins, as well as thread to add texture.

I love adding foliage and flowers mixed with more traditional elements like stickers because I'll have a lighter or less deep shadow on stickers and then a higher or more deep shadow on foliage and flowers. I like how that looks.

But my favorite is adding shadows. The SugarBabes may have different styles and may have more or less shadows, but looking through the SugarBabe gallery, I find that the use of shadows is one of the top methods to add depth.

Looking through the amazing creations in your gallery, you definitely understand how shadows can make a page. You have a clean style or alternately an art journal style, but whatever type of layout you're making, you use shadows and make your pages seem "touchable."

[fruitysuet]

Textural elements themselves, such as paint, stitching, string, lace etc. Plus shadowing. I am in awe of a lot of scrapper whose clustering and shadowing is phenomenal. I do try but I think I get a bit scared sometimes of making those shadow so deep. I tend to use shadow styles then go back in and pop them up some more for the bigger/more dimensional flowers and foliage.

[karlimarie]

Such an interesting topic! I think I could pontificate on this one all day hahahahaha


One method I use is to utilize blend modes to emphasize that the paint splatter or words are directly ON the background paper, then adding elements on top of it to show the depth. Kind of like this:





Another way to add depth is directly through the photos you choose. This works especially well on large photos! Like in this first example, the angle of the photograph emphasizes my pregnant belly and holds the title of the page.



Some other examples of how a photograph can create the illusion of depth...





In this page I used an extraction in front of the collaged wall to create the illusion of depth.



Like others have said, even with these tricks, it really comes down to shadowing. Nothing makes a digital scrapbooking page fall flat (pun intended) like a lack of shadows.

Big shadows can have a big impact, but even the smallest shadows can create an unmistakable layering effect that mimics the look of paper scrapping. There are times when I use uniform shadows across a page, and times when I work hard to vary and warp my shadows. There's no wrong way to shadow, but the way you shadow can make a huge difference to the eye.







One of my favorite ways to use deep shadows is on title work

[AmieN1]

Awesome topic! Like Karli- there's infinite ways- especially with digital manipulation!

I love blend modes too! Also things like paint & stitches and even washi tape still have shadows- just super small! I'm a huge style user too- so I have a style I like to add to paint that gives it a tiny bevel and then a subtle pattern and shadow. I have another set that I like to add to my journaling which distresses it a tiny bit, but more realistic to like a ballpoint pen that will skip as you're writing. Also for shadowing, warping shadows can really bring movement & life to the layout too!

Last thing I do at the end of every layout is add some lighting effects. I add a layer, fill it all black, then with a super large softest round brush, add a white spotlight where the subject of my layout is. Then I adjust it down to like 10-15%. It just makes it look more realistic to me!

[Cheryl Ashcraft]

Originally Posted by karlimarie

Such an interesting topic! I think I could pontificate on this one all day hahahahaha


One method I use is to utilize blend modes to emphasize that the paint splatter or words are directly ON the background paper, then adding elements on top of it to show the depth. Kind of like this:





Another way to add depth is directly through the photos you choose. This works especially well on large photos! Like in this first example, the angle of the photograph emphasizes my pregnant belly and holds the title of the page.



Some other examples of how a photograph can create the illusion of depth...





In this page I used an extraction in front of the collaged wall to create the illusion of depth.



Like others have said, even with these tricks, it really comes down to shadowing. Nothing makes a digital scrapbooking page fall flat (pun intended) like a lack of shadows.

Big shadows can have a big impact, but even the smallest shadows can create an unmistakable layering effect that mimics the look of paper scrapping. There are times when I use uniform shadows across a page, and times when I work hard to vary and warp my shadows. There's no wrong way to shadow, but the way you shadow can make a huge difference to the eye.









One of my favorite ways to use deep shadows is on title work

What a joy it is to look at all your pages! LOVE LOVE LOVE

[karlimarie]

Thanks Cheryl!

[nietis]

For me, it's shadows for sure. I play around with my shadows a lot and since I have been doing it for a long time, it has become a routine for me.

[tam65]

Originally Posted by AmieN1

Awesome topic! Like Karli- there's infinite ways- especially with digital manipulation!

I love blend modes too! Also things like paint & stitches and even washi tape still have shadows- just super small! I'm a huge style user too- so I have a style I like to add to paint that gives it a tiny bevel and then a subtle pattern and shadow. I have another set that I like to add to my journaling which distresses it a tiny bit, but more realistic to like a ballpoint pen that will skip as you're writing. Also for shadowing, warping shadows can really bring movement & life to the layout too!

Last thing I do at the end of every layout is add some lighting effects. I add a layer, fill it all black, then with a super large softest round brush, add a white spotlight where the subject of my layout is. Then I adjust it down to like 10-15%. It just makes it look more realistic to me!

Oh wow that last technique I must give that a go. I do shadows but not that lighting thing Thank you

[tam65]

I have to add I love when using paint that when it goes over layers, when I delete this tiny line as it bumps over layers it looks just like paint that has just splattered. I also use the burn function to create bends on pages eg when pressure has been applied or if you want a little curl on paper or frames

[Brendazzle]

It's a silly thing but I dodge and burn my washi tapes so they're lighter over papers and dark where they crease at the edge of the paper. I saw a tutorial for it once upon a time but haven't found it again. I use 10% and midtones for both because that's how I dodge and burn photos and don't want to change the settings on my tool. I do multiple passes based on how I want my page to look.

I mostly use watercolor-y paint instead of something more textured like gesso so I duplicate the layer and set it to different blend modes so it 'absorbs' into the paper a little bit.

[GraceJ]

I am not an art journaller, but sometimes I can use mixed media, gesso, sequins, paint, etc., but mostly shadows.

I love the beautiful pages that the ladies shared on this thread, so talented!

[SeattleSheri]

Originally Posted by jacinda

For me it's mostly shadows. I'm not an art journaller, preferring a cleaner look to my pages, so I don't often use paint, gesso, etc, but I do like to see it on other peoples pages.

I love how Sugarbabe Sheri shadows her elements. She really adds dimension to her pages:

Thank you Jacinda

I really love shadowing my pages (it literally gives me joy!! ). I think it's the little details that really make a page pop (and striking photos don't hurt either). For example, if I use a template, I really try to make it my own. I love adding brushwork, stitches, etc.