How to Create a Focal Point on Handmade Cards | Design Tips
Today I’d love to talk about creating a focal point in your designs, whether they be cards, boxes, or scrapbooking pages. This is an important design principle that can really improve your creating, just be rearranging the elements!
Before we jump in, remember that these are just things to consider when a design isn’t quite working how you want it to. There’s always room for exceptions, personal style, and the mood you want to create.
Both of these samples use basically the same color scheme and the same flowers*. Which one appeals to you more and why?
*Flowers are from the Funky Chunky stamp and die bundle, available 3 November.
For me, I must prefer the right hand side one because it has a much more clear focal point. There are numerous things to consider, and here are two of them:
- In the second sample, the flowers are clustered together, creating, in effect, ONE main image. On the first sample, the flowers are all separated (as well as different colors), so they eye goes from one to the other, not knowing where to land. Same flowers with a very different effect.
2. In the first sample, the words are too big. It feels a big squashed and both the color and the size creates some visual competition with the flowers. In the second sample, I used a much smaller sentiment. Although it’s still black, it’s not nearly as “heavy” as the larger one.
If you found those tips helpful, you’ll love my Fix My Card: Focal Point PDF. It’s complete with 9 tips and samples so you can see what I mean. Download your copy and keep it handy at your craft table for when a design isn’t quite looking right.
Helping you craft with creative confidence.
Please also enjoy this edited YouTube video for a verbal and visual run through of my thought process, and
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Stuck on what to make? Design Spark is your go-to digital sketchbook with 30 card sketches (with measurements!) —each in three variations—for 120 total designs to spark your creativity. Whether you love clean and simple or layered and detailed, you’ll find inspiration on every page.
Happy crafting! ~Jacque
