Dare 4... using chipboard negatives

Using the 'negatives' of chipboard alphabets is something I do quite a lot in my layouts. By 'negative' I mean the outline piece that is left over after you punch out the letter or the shape.

... and a few people have asked me, how do I make it work for me??

1> I'm essentially a cheapskate, so I like to get the most value for money out of my scrap supplies. Who doesn't? And who doesn't need extra E's and T's and S's and R's and...???

TIP: You probably won't get a successful negative out of every single letter on a sheet of chipboard alphabets, because sometimes they are so close together that it becomes too flimsy or impossible to cut between. But even if you get a few extras out of every packet, you're ahead :)

2> I'm a fairly patient person, so I don't mind doing fiddly stuff like hand-cutting. I think of it as a therapeutic exercise, and it forces me to slow down a bit and enjoy the creative process.

TIP: Make sure you use a very sharp, sturdy, precise pair of scissors. Otherwise, you'll find your hands or fingers getting sore very quickly.

3> I just love the eclectic look of mixed alphabet titles but I've never been able to get the look working for me. By using alphabet negatives, I can mix it up a bit, make it look a bit funky, but still stick with the same font, which my linear brain is pretty happy with. Best of both worlds.

TIP: If you overlap the letters, it's not immediately obvious that it's a negative, and the title will 'flow' more easily.
TIP: Just as you do with 'normal' alphabets, pay attention to the background - make sure that the letter doesn't get lost in the background. Sometimes this may mean you need to place a backing on the negative such as a piece of patterned paper or cardstock.

4> Don't stop at alphabets!

TIP: Use the negatives of flowers and other shapes... or use an entire negative sheet to make an interesting background.




For this layout I painted a Basic Grey negative sheet with a strong, solid colour, and used it as a background.

So....go on.... I dare you!!! Have a go at using some chipboard negatives as a feature of your layout... it could be a title, background or embellishment.

Upload your layout to the Crafting in Style 'DT Dares' gallery for the chance to win a prize :)


Posted by Karen