Last week all of you created your mood board and picked colors for your kit and now it's time to start working on your kits.
This week we will work on generic papers: Create between 10-14 papers with generic patterns like stripes, polka dots, florals, hearts, artsy papers and anything else that comes to your mind. Later we will make themed papers so don't worry about those. I chose the generic papers first for 2 reasons: 1. you will be able to see how all those colors look together next to each other, sometimes color in a palette look amazing, but when you use 2 of the colors next to each other they might clash, by testing them out on your papers you can adjust your colors and color palette so later on you don't have that problem and don't have to redo anything. 2. Making generic papers will get your juices flowing and your imagination working.
If you want someone to QC your kit we have a QC request thread in the forum.
If you have any questions feel free to ask. If this is your first time creating kit you may have a lot of questions, so even the smallest questions you have are welcome.
Amanda you are quick
Pro tip: You don't just want a mix of patterns, but also a mix in the size of patterns. I know I'm often looking for a very tiny pattern, and sometimes I like a very large pattern. So having a good mix helps people to find just what they're looking for.
THat's is a great tip Marisa! Thanks
Here's mine
while i'm currently obsessed with "hand painted" I have made about 20 or so papers....however, they're basically solids....so I think I'm going to use my solid paintings as my color for some patterned papers. I generally make about 30 papers but only about 16 end up in the kits. Sometimes the colors seem a little off or the pages seem too redundant. I really have a hard time with "random" do my ocd and need for symmetry but I am getting better at it. I'm also learning that things don't have to be perfect. That sometimes what may look like a mistake to me, moght be the one thing that draws another to it...but then again, this is art art is subjective.
Love both sets of papers Geraldine and Amanda, and they're both something I could craft with.
Here goes with the start of my questions
Do you all design your papers from scratch or do you use templates kindly uploaded by the PS designers.
When you mentioned quality checking your work, what am I checking for?
If you think I'm way out of my depth taking this on with no design experience, please tell me .... I won't be at all offended!
Thanks in advance for any and all help!
Here you go Helen,
I think you are in the perfect place to start.
Some designers will make their own papers from scratch but many of them uses templates like the ones here on DigitalScrapbook.com, so feel free to find your favorite here at PS and use them for your papers.
Here is a great guide for quality check
@Helen - Depending on the theme, I usually use a combination of the templates here (and others I've found) and my own created patterns. Honestly, tho, when I first started (which hasn't been THAT long ago), I used the provided templates, pretty much exclusively. I would throw in one or two of my own on occasion, just to practice/learn to make repeating patterns. And, I agree with Ania, you are in the perfect place to learn. I decided when I started learning that: 1.) I would do as many of the design challenges as I could, as they come along & 2.) As I had time, I would try to go through the "always open" challenges. It's been really helpful!! I'm still not always super happy with what I create, but I can definitely tell I'm improving!
Just keep plugging along...even if you don't love everything you make. The only way to get better is to keep practicing!
@Marissa - That's a great tip...and something I had never really considered. I tend to mostly use smaller patterns when I scrap my own stuff...so I honestly had never considered the larger patterns!
Thank you so much Ania and Amanda for your encouragement and helpful answers. I shall read the guide you linked to Ania and I'm looking forward to finding some lovely templates to colour up. I shall be improving my photoshop skills no end, as I don't really have any at the moment! !!!!!
Thanks again and have a lovely weekend
I use very rarely templates, I like to create my own patterns.
Helen thank you for loving my papers!
ok so i had some trouble deciding..this may not even be the final but it's what i got right now...took a screen shot of the folder as well since the preview doesn't show everything. All papers are textured.
well, i may or may or may not have to go redo some of my papers....as i began designing some elements....i'm loving the watercolor look more and more and it seems to be leaning that way....i was playing around with some random dots and splatters...i created a tag that i absolutely love that ld make an awesome paper but going to be a bit time consuming...unless i can make it look good at 6" and tile it...
Well, I've got a generic paper done for each color in the palette...and I reworked the mix a bit because a couple didn't go quite right, so that's around 30 papers I've made already. :p But I knew this was going to end up being a huge kit when I started, just because of all the ideas I've got for it.
And I've got a few of the pattern papers in progress...pattern sizes aren't finalized yet except the word paper, but I've at least got some elements started (mostly just pills so far) and patterns made from them.
Testing out my colors with some generic patterns..........
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Such fun papers everyone!
I often use templates for the basic patterns, no real need to make a new polka dot pattern every time and then come up with some fun new patterns for each kit. I keep a board on Pinterest with interesting patterns I see, so I can browse it and find something that fits my current theme.
@Amanda: I tend to prefer very tiny patterns myself, most of the time. Sometimes I enjoy something very bold to be used as the main background paper.
I love your Papers very much Sunny!!
Sorry I am late..I have bought a new graphics tablet so little busy exploring with it!!
feedback on my papers?
Great papers everyone.
Amy I love your artsy papers and that you decided to go with the white background, but I would love to see in a kit few more papers in other colors of the palette. It will make a very balanced kit, I think that if you will try layer the white papers on top of each other it will be hard to get a nice effect, but that is just my personal opinion. Others might actually like it to be this way.
oh yeah, i see what you mean...thanks. btw, all the white papers are textured (artrage)
As to me, I love your papers Amy, they look fantastic.
Pretty papers Sunny Faith Rush.
so this may be a silly question...*I am a 1st time designer*...how do you make the "previews"? is there a template for that?
i want to make a preview to show my generic papers, but cannot figure it out...thanks!
Gina, to make a paper preview you just upload all your papers and spread them evenly using the align tools. Here is a tutorial on how to do this. You can make your own cover or use this cover from PIxel Scrapper
thanks Ania!!! that will be next project
so i've been kinda stressed about creating pattern papers that don't have white bgs....which normally isn't a problem......and i've come to this decision...while i respect the comment that i should have some different colors for layering...my painted papers...while not technically patterned they do add a depth and the ability to layer them under/between the white papers. I have created 2 other patterned papers I am happy with and I'm going to leave it at that.
Please don't stress, Amy. You've done a lot of good work. The whole point of this is to challenge ourselves at something we enjoy doing. Everyone has a different creative "eye", so do what feels right for you. I love your colors, and there are a few of those patterns I can't wait to use!
I've always considered one-off painted papers like that to be a giant pattern, Amy...with a couple of white-on-solid pattern papers added to the white-background ones you already have, I think you'll probably be set. It might be a little different than some people tend to design, but you're the designer on this one and as long as you can make pages that look good when it's all together, it'll work.
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