Words that Burn ♥ 3

Esparta

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
-- Scott Adams

{note: the above image has not been edited at all!}

The Secret of Making Beautiful Polyvore Sets in 10 minutes

Mindstorm by me

Some Polyvore members update their showcase everyday. They manage to make at least one set each day and their sets are well-known and loved.

What is their secret? Maybe they have no life, and live on Polyvore? Maybe they're geniuses? Maybe... No, no, not really. (well, not for most people..)

But then, how can they make their sets so quickly and so gorgeously at the same time? The answer is actually really simple -
they don't.

Someone told me once, "One minute's performance on the stage takes ten years." In other words, to be who you are today, to do everything you did today, took not only this day, but the your whole life. Making Polyvore sets and designing are just the same. If you collect the little things over time, you'll soon find yourself making great things in a 'little' time.

So what things can you collect?

1. Items you like

When looking for items for the set you are making, be mindful of the other items. You may not need them now, you just might need them in the future. Put together a collection of items which you like, and look through them each time before you make a new set. Often I find that items that appeal to me have the same style and can fit together well. So I can simply put the items together and voilà - a set worth admiring! It is also extremely useful to save items from other people's sets and collections, that way, you can see how others used the item. However, never copy other's ideas/sets.


2. Find inspiration from others

I am always inspired and amazed when browsing through others' sets and collections. Try it and you'll feel ideas crowding in your mind.


3. 'Save as Draft'

You don't always have to finish everything at once. In fact, your work will often be refined through the test of time. If you save your set as a draft and return to it some time later, you will see your work in a different perspective, in the perspective of other people. You'll see flaws in your sets easily, and of course, you'll change them and perfect your sets.


4. Know the basic colour rules

Designing Polyvore sets is exactly like designing anything else. And the use of colours is a GREAT and important aspect of designing. Knowing how to use colours effectively will make a big difference to your sets.


The next time you make a set, think of these tips and you'll have a beautiful set in no time (literally)!

How to Dry Brush

freeparking

Drybrush is a painting technique in which a paint brush that is relatively dry, but still holds paint, is used. Load is applied to a dry support such as paper or primed canvas. The resulting brush strokes have a characteristic scratchy look that lacks the smooth appearance thatwashes or blended paint commonly has.

1. Squeeze brush dry
2. Load brush with thick paint
3. Apply paint to a dry surface

Source: Wikipedia

How to Design With Only One Picture

How many pictures did you use the last time you designed something? I'm guessing your answer is mostly likely to be... more than one.

When we design, we normally like to have as much resources as possible, whether it be images or text, so we can choose the best ones to incorporate into the design.

But what if you were only given one image? What if you were in a hurry and could only find one image?

Here are two quick methods that will save you both time and brain battery designing a professional-looking design.


1. Split the picture

Yes, you only have one picture to use, But there's no law against splitting the image, is there? In fact, splitting the image will make your design more harmonious and consistent, as the colours will all be compatible. And consequently, you will have an easier time choosing your colour palette. Let me show you the effects.

orange tuesday

Original Image

Split images

It's not perfect, but you get the idea. The split images don't have to be stacked on one side. They can be placed in text, etc. as well.

2. Use as background

Using a image as the background can often be seen in magazines. E.g.

jurvetson

Jennifer Su

It is very effective as long the image and the text contrast. So the image has to have an area where the colour(s) are similar, so the text will be clear and can be read easily.

And... that's it!
Do you have any tips for designing with only one image as well? If so, please share!~

Words that Burn ♥ 2

Ana Patrícia Almeida

Parting is such sweet sorrow
-- Shakespeare

{Found this quote on the door of one of the classrooms, and I instantly understood why Shakespeare's works are around and studied even today. It gave me a passion for literature I thought I'd never have.}