Stuck

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Stuck

Does anyone but me get stuck on a layout? I've been working on a layout for the past two days and I keep putting stuff on and taking it off -- it needs something more but nothing seems to work, just detracts. I wonder if Leonard DaVinci kept adding and taking stuff off The Last Supper...

Maybe it's time to take a break and cruise the gallery for inspiration.

I get stuck on layouts... for days even a couple weeks sometimes! I think there's something in you that just knows it's not right yet. It will come to you. Just work on something else and check back on it when the feeling nudges you. It's funny but when I had this happen I would go to sleep and wake up after a dream and have scrapped the page in my dreams. LoL I've even had sketches come to mind for other pages I was stressing about how many photos to use... and I'm not even a designer... I'm a very LEFT brained person. It's neat how our creative minds can get jazzed up and utilized.

I also take a nap when I get stuck. Or at least I lie down and let my mind wander. After about 20 minutes or so I'll usually be ready to go again and the ideas will have come to me. It's awesome to be working and sleeping at the same time.

@Marisa - lol! working and sleeping at the same time -- now THAT's multi-tasking!!

I wish I could nap, unfortunately I'm like a grizzly bear afterwards if I do smiley
DH can nap anywhere, anytime. He has been known to nap waiting for the traffic lights to change smiley

@Liz: roflol at your hubby sleeping at traffic lights smiley

i find that when that happens is almost always "the rule of 3" smiley Do i have 3 object conecting with eachother that forms a triangle smiley

I have a few unfinished projects laying about too... I have an idea in my head, but it just does NOT want to come out! Usually I chuck away more than half of what's on my layout, only keeping the things i don't want to do without - and start over from there. I find that my layouts usually get better when I delete half - and somehow I am still left with layouts loaded with embellishments smiley

@Jessica Fors -- now here's where I need a thumbs up or a heart button, SO true about the rule of 3. And @Melouise, I'm nodding in agreement with your thoughts on scrapping half the layout and starting over, truly SCRAPbooking the way I do it! LOL!

Happy to help smiley And it's magic, don't know why it works but it just does smiley the same goes with adding a bunch of flowers in a group.. Don't line them up perfectly, spred them more random and it will look much more alive smiley

And sometimes, the best rule is to keep it simple. White space is my friend. I also use the technique of just putting my work away for awhile, then coming back to it. I also look for inspiration if I am working with a deadline. And, as I've grown older, I have learned to relax and just enjoy the process - I am much easier on myself than I was years ago - I'm satisfied more easily with my work. Perfection and creativity are two very different things to me. I don't think I shall ever accomplish the perfection thingy, but I'm pretty happy with the creativity thingy....It seems to be more flexible!

Ugh, yes. There have been a couple times I have completely tossed a layout I had because I couldn't get it right in my head. But wouldn't ya know once I did, I was MUCH happier with what I ended up with after starting over. For me, I need to know when to say "This isn't working" and start over.

@Sunny, SO true about the difference between perfection & creativity! I get bummed sometimes when I see SUPER AMAZING layouts that I know I cannot do (yet! one day!), or I look at a certain finished page and grimace because I see flaws here or there. But then I remind myself that it's more important that I get it DONE. More than anything, I'm doing this to preserve memories and HAVE FUN. I need to stop worrying about the perfection because years from now, I'll just be happy to have these memories preserved at all, rather than hidden on some hard drive somewhere.

I got stuck with my layout for the first challenge... I was never satisfied about the location of elements, always thinking on put something else here or there... Till the time when I said: "ok, its enough, Ill consider it over even not being 100% satisfied", and posted on the gallery, telling exactly this in the comments. But I took some pauses, and asked for my hubby´s opinion before deceiding that it was good enough to stop.

I never went on scout, but I know lots of people that were on boys scout when they´re kids. One of them told me that one of the things they learn is "to do the best that´s possible" (no idea on how this quote is in English). I have being trying to do this since I heard that simple, but very useful motto smiley

One thing that often helps me when I'm stuck is to evaluate the color scheme and add in more neutral colors. That may sound strange but sometimes just adding more black, white, gray or brown to a scheme can make it feel fresh and energize my creativity again. I'll do this will mats, fonts, lines etc...

I also find it helpful to just walk away sometimes. Give it a day or two, work on something else and come back with fresh eyes another time. And sometimes you just cut your losses, save the changes, and move on. Every layout can't be a masterpiece or what would we have to improve on? Good luck!

@Kristen - had not thought of adding in more neutrals, will definitely give that a try!

Quote:
Every layout can't be a masterpiece or what would we have to improve on? Good luck!

Kind of like us as people... always room for improvement, works in progress. smiley

I am brand new to digitalscrapbook.com...
I am currently stuck on my Christmas card design, so this post has helped SO much. I am really good at walking away and getting rid of parts of my layout. But it isn't helping with these cards.....maybe I just need to keep it simple?
(I am going to remember the rule of threes and adding neutral, good tips, thank you!)

Well... I am suspicious to advise you - I really prefer clean and simple cards!

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