This tutorial is about
combination-style digi scrapping. That is, combining elements
of 3D paper-style scrapping and 2D graphic-style scrapping. First
we have to define paper-style and graphic-style scrapping.
Paper-style digi scrapping emulates the look of
traditional scrapbooking with 3D elements like tags, flowers,
stitching, brads, mats, etc. We try to fool the eye when we paper-style
scrap, using drop shadows and textures to increase the illusion.
I love it when I post a digi layout and people comment, “This
looks like you scanned in a paper layout!”
Graphic-style digi scrapping is 2D, flat, like
the cover of a magazine. There are no drop shadows because there
are no 3D elements.
We are going to combine these two styles and combine
them effectively. For doing this style wrong is easy to do! But
we are going to look at some layouts and you’ll start to
see what is right.
When I create a combination-style layout, I remember
to have all of the 2D stuff on the bottom layers and the 3D stuff
on the top layers AND don’t let layer any of the 2D elements
over the 3D ones. Basically, it would be like adding a silk flower
to a real magazine cover. Imagine the shadow of the flower. How
the flower covers some of the text and photo. The text on the
magazine cover could not be on top of the silk flower. So in our
digital combo-style layouts, our digital flower cannot be under
our text. Here’s a layout that shows you what I mean:
Fig 1
Note what is flat in the layout. The photo, the
text, the mask, the border. Note what is 3D. The metal grid, flower,
snowflakes and corners. The 3D stuff is all on top of the flat
stuff. This is graphic-style layout with 3D elements added after
it was all done.
Here’s another layout:
fig 2
Note what is flat. The photo, the text on the
photo, the borders.
Note what is 3D: The fabric, the ribbon, the flowers,
the title. If the flat poem text would have been over the ribbon
– all of the effect would have been lost.
Now let’s look at one of Debb’s layouts:
Fig 3
Note what looks like a magazine cover: the photo,
the text over the photo, the inset photo and mats that have no
drop shadows and no texture. The mats are really a border.
And see the 3D stuff? It’s layered on top
of the “magazine page.”
Our own DSP member Mary is very effective at this
style. Here is a combo-style layout of her’s:
fig 4
Note the montage of photos UNDER the paper and
vellum.
And another: fig 5
And another: fig 6
Note that masks have been used on quite a few
of the photos in these layouts. That’s what masks are for!
They look awful in paper-style pages because they don’t
look realistic. How can you make a paper photo look like it has
a soft, blurred edge? You can’t. But masks are awesome in
graphic-style layouts!
Have fun combining these styles!!
© Stacey Jewell Stahl, 2006
