Variations on a Theme

Lately, I've seen a lot of cards that employ the use of a marker or pen to draw borders around (or even through) images and sentiments, and decided that I wanted to try this technique. So below is my variation on this technique. I have to say, I really like it. Now if only I can perfect it so that I don't end up with lines that look like this:



This is the first variation on the technique whereby I'm using a black ink pen to draw the border, incorporating the stamped image into the border.



I like how clean this looks. It takes a pretty plain card and completes it. I like white space, mind you, but too much is just...too much (I don't know how else to word it).

The next variation has the image stamped on a layer outlined with marker and layered on coloured cardstock.



I like it but I'm not as wild about it as with the first variation. Perhaps the layer is too small, the outline too thick, or the sentiment is stamped in the wrong place, but there is something not quite perfect about this design. Not to mention that the image did not turn out as solid as I like but more about that in a later post.



The final variation is perhaps my favourite. I love the look of clean lines but there is something to be said about lines drawn free hand that add just that bit of whimsy to a card.



I first saw this done on a card in the Winter 2010 issue of Stampers' Sampler Take Ten and loved it. The imperfect lines fit perfectly with the hand carved stamps I got off Etsy, which are slightly imperfect, and the scripted sentiment from Papertrey Ink, which is slightly imperfect also. It is very difficult for me to get away from the ruler and measuring everything out and making sure it's perfect but the free hand was actually quite liberating. My usually ugly uneven lines actually ended up looking good on something.



I think this is a technique that I will be sticking with for quite a while. There are variations that I have yet to try and am dying to. For instance, I think it would look really cute to sew the lines in the first card above rather than drawing it. But then again, I need to learn how to sew first. *sigh*

Ciao for now.