Happy Thanks Living my Friends!
I am elated to this month! I was looking over my Thanks Living journal last night and I realized that I had a TREMENDOUSLY blessed July! Then I looked back further and realized HOW very blessed my LIFE IS! It is funny how much this project has changed my outlook! I really am in a habit now of even when things seem to be difficult to SEEK the blessing that is inside the trial! I should tell you that I like this way of life and I do not plan to stop my life of Thanks Living!
This month we are going to turn our attention to a very powerful design tool. Repetition!
That's right, we are talking about repeating yourself... if you are a parent, teacher, student boss or employee, brother, sister, friend, pet owner or human being, you know of what I am speaking! Why do you think people repeat themselves? We repeat ourselves because we believe what we are saying or about to say is IMPORTANT and so ensuring the listener has heard our thoughts, we say it more than once. As scrapbookers and paper artist, the reason we use repetition is we want to ensure the listener/reader is picking up that we are trying to draw their attention or focus.
Why does it work? We get to look at that amazing three pounds of grey matter again. Recall that we discussed several times how our brain LOVES order-our brains love to match and it loves to organize (I love my brain don't you love yours?). When our brains pick up repetition it is desperately trying to reason why it sees the same thing again.
If I write, if I write the same statement twice like I did at the beginning of this sentence, your brain said... why did this sentence begin with "if I write" twice? Your brain may have even forced your eyes to go back and make sure it actually said that twice and even tried to reason why - your brain most likely resolved that it was a mistake and moved on. My point is this; our brain knows when something is repeated it bares reexamination to make sure it did not miss anything. COOL HUH? This is why the principle of design that is often called "repetition" is soooo very effective! You literally are requiring the brain to reexamine the items you deem important. (More mind control tricks with Erika -ha-ha)
Interestingly, because your brain must "work" to understand why something is repeated, it will unify your layout. Your brain will resolve the purpose of your repetition and bring unity to your work.
You know why it works -and now we are going to look at how to make it work for your layouts, and any
Making repetition work on your layouts is again a very natural thing that MOST artists pick up along the way. I want to share a few quick ways to look over your layouts and in combination with our other skills find ways to incorporate this very effective design principle.
Using identical images: I have a great deal of print photos (pre-digital days) and for some occasions and some of my heritage photos I only have one photo that is usable. SOLUTION: Scan and print the image about a 3x5 image or whatever size you like and use the same photo in a single matte to create a screeching halt spot for the brain. This is very effective and the repetition on the photo matte will cause the brain to examine the photo not once but often as many times as the image is repeated. A NOTE on this method: We discussed using the principle of odd numbers in May 2012. You may want to adhere to this principle of odd numbers when it comes to repeating the images. I would suggest using three of the same image. (see below)
Pattern repetition: I am going to use a very trendy pattern as my example. Chevrons. We see them everywhere... they are REALLY dynamic lines, the use of the same pattern can be a strong introduction to repetition and pattern repetition is very easy to achieve as often we can find the same pattern in different colors or shapes.
Shape repetition: Using shapes is effective use of repetition. If you have several "hearts" scattered on a layout, your brain will also seek out the purpose of all the hearts. NOTE that we will be going further into shapes next month. However, I want to share that when using shapes that have meaning attached to them (such as hearts) you may resolve the question of the repetition and lose some of the power of this design principle. Using shapes such as circles and squares, you are able to use the repetition to reinforce your focus without meaning attached to it. Another Note: shapes do not and often it is better if they are not the same size.
Color repetition: Color... ah my friend! I think in the principle of repetition, that color is one of my favorite methods. Why you ask? With color, we can control mood and using color as your repetition allows the artist to not only draw focus but also control the mood of the layout.
Texture repetition: Using texture is a simple way to add repetition to your work. I see this technique in digital layouts a lot! It works so well. Think of how we distress the edges of our papers. Those edges repeat a texture and bring unity to your work.
Theme/Manufactured repetition: I know many of us fall back on this as our repetition and I think it is great! WHY? It is because we let the manufacturers do all the work! Look at any line from your favorite manufacturer... Such as a collection that is geared toward Christmas. When you buy a theme collection all the shapes will be repeated in the embellishments. For example, the same pattern in the Tree elements, color palette will remain true, perhaps die cuts that emulate the paper, the overall lines will remain the same and images will be similar. The manufacturers know how powerful the principle of repetition is so they use it to help you make gorgeous pages. Thank you to all the manufacturers for being so awesome!
Try this: Go get a layout you have created with a themed line, do you see that you have color repetition, shape repetition, multiple image repetition, pattern repetition utilized on that layout? Most likely, you have one are more of these types of repetition on your layout... because it works and it is very effective to create beautiful design but to aid in telling your story.
So when using repetition, utilize more than one of the above kinds of repetition. Look for embellishments that take on one or more characteristics from the above so you can bring that unity and tie all your elements together!
So your challenge this month is to use the design principles you have aquired and find a way to incorporate them -- as I scoured the magazine I saw A LOT of star shapes used in repetition, so I would like for you to use stars if you can.. if NOT tell me what you saw in the pages of the magazine that you felt displayed this month's design principle and use it! Be sure to add your Thanks Living statements and PLEASE invite your friends and family to play along.. we CAN change the world one Life of THANKS at a time!
Blessings friends,
xoxox
e
UPDATED ON: 2/17/13
2013 Layouts: 25
Cards: 3
Project Life: Photos 47; Journal Entries:47
Other Crafty Projects not paper related: 4
Dinner made at home: 45
30/30: starts 1/31/13 Days completed: 16
Books Completed: 5 books / 2187 pages
MY BLOG
My goodness -- so much great information this month, Erika! I love your LO and your use of repetition. Thanks for another great Thanks Living challenge!
2013 LO's: 9
I love love love your layout and the challenge is right up my alley! With four boys, I'm always repeating myself! LOLOL!
So much wonderful information and so many ideas! Can't wait to get started!
WOW.........alot to take in! What a fabulous LO, Erika! Will need to put my thinking cap on for this one.
MY BLOG: http://cozienookhomestead.wordpress.com
2013 Pages Completed: 62
hmmmm the use of stars is going to be tough... I would like to do the kids baby pics for this but I'm not
sure I'm organized enough to find them.
The quote says "Making the decision to have a child is Momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart walking around outside your body" Elizabeth Stone
http://clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/members/lorimckay/default.aspx
It's off.. and I can't put my finger on it... I think the blended photos may be too saturated.. Going to have to
think about it.
I used repetition in color, paper clips, and pictures.
OLW 2013: Open
blog: ScrappySteph. Layouts 2012: 163 Layout goal 2013: 165 *Completed: 45
Stephanie D.
Well I definitly think I nailed the repetition on this LO!! I have repeated the pic, hearts, twine, metal charms, colors, and of course all the flowers on the pp! I had so much fun with this LO!! You should be able to read the journaling now that I have my computer and scanner back!! I much prefer the scanner then my cell phone! ;) Except my heart fell down from the title area! LOL!!
LO's completed in 2012: 56/175, total cards: 21/30, Christmas cards 0/15
Books read: 8/50
What a great challenge! Thank you. Here's mine!
Long Lake, NY
Dash Your Stash 2013 - Feb. - 2; Mar. - 4
I have two this time - both from DGS's birthday. I will start with the one I am less sure of (tho it DOES have a star on it!) This LO is a big departure for me - it has a very different "feel" to it than most of my LOs. Still not sure it does what I wanted it to do - will welcome feedback ! http://clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/media/p/977728.aspx As the candle on the cake was facing G, and there was only one, I multiplied "3"s: I I repeated the colors in the printed-on cake in the three large & i smaller layering pieces; I repeated the dark/light blue in the BG paper with embellies, I have three inchies with 3 candles on them, 3 flags that repeat the polka dots on the cake; I have three circular elements along with 3 that are rectagular (one circle is scalloped, one rectangle cut at the end like a banner). Have I gotten the idea across at the expense of it getting "busy" and detracting from the photo...?
Here is the other one - I repeated "bubble" circles, and rectangular journal strips... http://clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/media/p/963089.aspx
Good morning Erika (and everyone). Sorry I am a little late posting this one ~ I had a temporary hiccup in my scrapping mojo these last few days. It seems to have resolved itself:
http://clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/media/p/978017.aspx
Heather
Here's mine - no stars though. I repeated the scalloped shape, the same pps, the butterflies and 4 lines of the journaling begin with "seems like yesterday".
I LOVE repetition on pages.
www.lovejoypaper.com