Poolside Fun + Design Principles
As seen in Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine
Now that July is here, it is a perfect time to share this card that makes me dream about floating in the water on a warm day.
This card was in the gallery of Scrapbook & Cards Today’s Spring/Summer 2025 issue. I highly recommend subscribing, because it is a well done and high quality publication, but because Catherine and her team are so thoughtful, you can also view the whole issue for free online HERE! (My card is on page 67 this time.)
Techniques:
This card is created with die cuts as the main subject and interest, but with piercing die cover plate used to provide some subtle background pattern.
I added a bit of ink blending on the background and the colors for the floats to add some depth and variation. Simply using the same color of ink as the cardstock layers that color, creating more saturation that is a perfect detail.
Design Principles:
I wasn’t thinking of them intentionally as I created this card, but it is a good example of a number of design principles. I’ll outline just a few of them here.
Balance: Balance can be symmetrical, but it doesn’t have to be. This card shows off some asymmetrical balance with three floats. Having two on one side of the card allowed me the visual space and weight to add in my sentiment block on the right.
Contrast: The bold colors and bright white on the floats provides a level of contrast, as each helps the other be stronger and more bright. Contrast is also carried through in the sentiment block. Contrast adds visual interest and energy to a design.
A more subtle touch of contrast is created by the use of dimension. I used foam tape behind the floats to lift them off of the background panel, which creates a bit of shadow around the edge of them - and more contrast to help them visually pop off the background.Scale: Good design often (but not always) incorporates variation of scale. Notice the small pattern in the water background. Made up of tiny pierced dots from the die. The are slightly larger circles of dew drops through the middle. (Those add a flow that leads your eye through the floats to the sentiment.) Then there are also the three larger floats, which add a larger and bolder circle to the layout mix.
Variety: Take a look at the three floats, and notice that the rotation of each (you can tell by the stripe placement) but it keeps the design interesting and pulls us in to look longer.
Repetition: Did you notice all of the circle/round elements that I pointed out in the Scale section? That’s repetition. Also, in a more subtle way, I chose a sentiment that ties in to the shape and mood of the pool floats in a more theoretical way. Those letters aren’t circles, but that puffy look with rounded ends relates perfectly to the idea of an inflated pool float.
Colors:
ink: Concord & 9th Watermelon, Grapefruit, Aqua Sky, Oceanside
cardstock: Concord & 9th Watermelon, Grapefruit, Aqua Sky, Oceanside, Blueberry. White.
Thank you for visiting!
Do you like learning how design principles are at work in my card design? Let me know, so I know whether to do more posts like this, or not bother. (I’m still debating whether I should bother posting here or just on my instagram feed, so I’m open to whatever feedback you have.
Links are below if you’re interested in any of the products I used.
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