The Negative Can be Positive

Hi everyone!

Did you know that about every five days, our fabulous design team members share exclusive tips and tricks utilizing our beautiful and meaningful kits? Our brand new team has been doing an awesome job with their debut kits and I'm here to share with you just a little taste of what is going on at the message board. (That's where we share our Exclusive Content.)

Oh.. and did I mention it's free? ;)

First off, I'd like you to all help me welcome Jen Matott to our team and then take a read and see what she has to share about using negative space in creative ways.

The Negative can be Positive

By Jen Matott

Using negative space in an artwork or layout creates an exciting accent and uses your supplies in a new way! We all have either punches or die cutters (or both) that create fun shapes. I love using mine to create pops of color or design in layouts. Here are a few ways that you can use the negative space (or left over punched out area) to your advantage:

1. Back the cut out area with patterned paper for a fun shape with extra POW!

I punched circles and added scraps of patterned papers to the back before adhering it down. Here is the finished page:

This page is about my need to find my style and how in the past, I struggled with fitting into the popular crowd and being the same as the people I thought were better than me. I felt a bit empty when I tried to fit in and not be true to my own style and self.

2. Using the negative space as a frame. You can frame items that you want to use as a focus... photos, special items, journaling. I use this is several of my layouts this month. Here are a few ways I used negative space as a frame.

3. Use negative space as a mask or stencil for a shape to be painted or sprayed on. I love to do this with many of my left over cut outs. I use a die cutter or punch and then use the remaining cut out to mask an area on my page with sprays.

I often do this in my visual journal as above. These are 3 ways that you can use the left over cut out papers that your die cuts or punches leave behind. I hope I have inspired you to use your scraps in a different way! 

Thank you so much Jen for sharing these tips! Make sure to come by our forum for more ideas and discussion about our January kit - INDIVIDUALITY!