Design Team Tips: Building Backgrounds

Good morning, friends! Are you sick of me yet? I sure hope not because I'm here to share a Papertrey Ink Design Team Tips post with you today (if you're looking for my More March Release post click HERE). I thought I'd take this opportunity to share how I build background patterns.

Stamping backgrounds is one of my favorite things to do. One of you lovely people (Nancy, I'm looking at you!) even mentioned the other day that my sneak peek photos are easily distinguished by the stamped backgrounds.

Whenever I’m stumped or simply in the mood to create, I pull out a few stamp sets and start to experiment. You can achieve such unique backgrounds by layering textures, colors, and patterns. The creative possibilities are truly endless! I thought you might like a peek at my background building process.

So I generally start with blending, especially if I'm using white cardstock. I love the depth that blending adds to edges and it keeps the final design from looking too flat. The wonderful thing about stamping on blended cardstock too is that you can often hide any imperfections in your sponging. On this panel I began by bending Aqua Mist over the entire face of the panel, concentrating on making the edges darker.

Then I stamped Background Basics: Woodgrain over the face of the panel using the same ink. The contrast is there, but it's subtle which is exactly what I want when I know I'm going to be stamping another layer on top.

To finish my background I stamped the images from Beautiful Berries: Spring in Dark Indigo (branches), Stormy Sea (leaves), Berry Sorbet (berries), and Pure Poppy (berry details) inks. Creating your own backgrounds lets you play around with colors in unconventional ways. I wouldn't typically stamp gray leaves, but I realized how much I liked it after this experiment! When using multi-step stamps for backgrounds, I sometimes do a test layout on a piece of scrap paper. I keep basic printer paper cut to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" in a little tray on my desk just for this purpose.

After putting that much effort into stamping a beautiful background, I don't want to hide it away under lots of heavy layers. To make sure the background is visible I tend to use a lot of die cut frames and vellum. On this card I used a frame that I cut using the Double Ups: Rectangles Die Collection and one of the Noted: Scalloped A2 Die Collection.

I heat embossed the Over Under Easy sentiment onto Stamper's Select Vellum and attached the frame with foam tape. I used flat adhesive to adhere the framed sentiment to the card front. Using flat adhesive below the vellum makes it lay closer to the pattern so it shows through more easily.

Supplies:

Beautiful Berries: Spring Stamp Set	Over Under Easy Stamp Set	Background Basics: Woodgrain Stamp Set	Dark Indigo Cardstock
Stamper's Select Vellum	Aqua Mist Ink	Dark Indigo Ink	Stormy Sea Ink
Berry Sorbet Ink	Pure Poppy Ink	Versamark Ink Pad	Noted: Scalloped A2 Die Collection
Double Ups: Rectangles Die Collection	White Filigree Detail Embossing Powder

InLinkz.com

Next up, I want to show you what it looks like to build a pattern onto linen cardstock.

I like using textured cardstocks because of how the textures are enhanced when you blend inks on their surface. On this panel I blended Pale Peony and Berry Sorbet inks, keeping the Berry Sorbet on the outer edges.

Once my sponging was done, I stamped an all-over pattern using What The Doodle: Paisley. I used all three paisley images to make sure there was plenty of variation in the pattern. Note that the largest images are in a visual triangle to help provide balance.

ETA: I had some questions about visual triangles so I thought I'd create this gif to help show what I mean. This isn't all of the triangles in the pattern, but it does show several to illustrate the point. I hope that helps!

Then I went back in with a white gel pen and navy pen to add doodled details. These elements add a homespun feel to the pattern that I really love!

To create this card, I used the Sentiment Splits: Angle Vertical die to create a narrow Dark Indigo sentiment panel along the bottom edge. I heat embossed the sentiment from Noted and adhered the panel to the front of the card with foam tape.

I die cut the "Hello" sentiment from Fresh Snow Linen stock using the Noted die and attached it to the card front with more foam tape. Keeping the card simple really lets the background pattern remain the star of the show.

Supplies:

What The Doodle: Paisley Mini Stamp Set	Noted Stamp Set	Fresh Snow Linen Cardstock	Dark Indigo Cardstock
Pale Peony Ink	Berry Sorbet Ink	Versamark Ink Pad	Sentiment Splits: Angle Vertical Die
Noted Die	White Filigree Detail Embossing Powder

InLinkz.com

I have one last card to share. On this one I started with a Lilac Grace panel. When using a solid colored panel as your base you are already beginning with a more richly colored backdrop.

I don't do as much blending on the colorful panels, though I do do some. In this case, Lilac Grace ink on the Lilac Grace panel.

One of my favorite backgrounds to stamp is plaid. I love plaid. So I just had to pull out Plaid Builder to create today. Background Basics: Super Stripes is another that I reach for often to build backgrounds. I stamped this pattern with Winter Wisteria, Dark Indigo, and Fresh Snow inks.

I wanted the background to be the frame this time around, so I cut a circle from the interior using a die from the Noted: Scalloped Square Die Collection. I trimmed down the panel a bit (about 1/8" on each side) and adhered it to a white card base with foam tape. I stamped the "sending" sentiment from Big Hugs directly onto the base, curving it a bit on the block to make it an arc.

Then I sponged a piece of Spring Rain cardstock with Dark Indigo ink and die cut it with the Big Hugs die. I adhered that in the panel opening with foam tape, anchoring the front and back to the patterned panel itself. I heat embossed the sentiment from Big Hugs onto a small banner and adhered it to the card front, tucking it under the "Hugs" die cut.

Supplies:

Big Hugs Stamp Set	Plaid Builder Stamp Set	Lilac Grace Cardstock	Spring Rain Cardstock
Dark Indigo Cardstock	Lilac Grace Ink	Winter Wisteria Ink	Dark Indigo Ink
Fresh Snow Ink	Versamark Ink Pad	White Filigree Detail Embossing Powder	Big Hugs Die
Tag Sale #10 Die	Noted: Scalloped Square Die Collection

InLinkz.com

So there you have it! I hope you're inspired to try stamping your own backgrounds. Thank you for joining me and have a great weekend!