8
2008
Using sketches for your Cardmaking and Scrapbooking can help give you some inspiration and help you to get over ‘ crafters block’  that we all suffer from periodically. They are a great idea and there are lots available to get your  ‘mojo moving’. The good thing about sketches is that they are a starting block to your own creativity and no two people will interpret the sketch in exactly the same way. We all have our own favourite papers, embellishments and photographs to use in our Scrapbooking and Cardmakers have their own unique style to add to their creations too.
If you have a favourite card or layout that you have designed yourself why not make your own sketch so that you can repeat the design later but with different papers and elements… it’s a good idea to get used to doing this and keep your sketches in a little book that you can refer to time after time.
This is a basic sketch that I did from my ’stuck’ layout here, your sketches don’t have to be perfect, you can just do simple outlines of the shapes you used because after all we build up our pages with layers of shapes whatever they may be. Elements, paper pieces, doodles, painted areas… they are all shapes so sketch them as such.
If you have image editing or painting software on your computer you can go one step further and created yourself a digital version of your sketch and save it in a folder for future use… using it to create digital and hybrid layouts too. Lots of designers offer layered templates for use in digital scrapping to make life easier for you.Â
What I particularly like about sketches is that you don’t necessarily need to repeat every part of them. You only need the sketch as a starting block… unless of course you want to follow it step by step. Some sketches work whichever way you turn them so you can have four different sketch layouts just by turning the design and working from another angle. If there is only one photograph area featured on a sketch it doesn’t mean you have to stick to one either. Why not divide up the space meant for your photograph  into 2,3 or 4 seperate portions to allow for a multi image layout. Try it you just might be surprised.
Please feel free to use either of these sketches to create something of your own and if you do, whether you design a card, scrapbook page or piece of altered art based on the sketches don’t forget to come and share them with us in the gallery and inspire everyone else to try. We’d love to see your creations there 
 Happy Creating
Chris xx
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brilliant Chris,
the layout for both are looking at me and saying ‘challenge’ well i do love a crafty challenge…is anyone else going to join me and have a go at either one or the other or both even over the next few weeks.
The colours you put together on the digital are fantastic they just shout use me.
well done.
chriss x
ps i managed to get the Fiskarettes banner on both my blogs.
chriss x
Great sketch Chris!
This is something i have never actually tried….i know alot of people use sketches and swear by them. maybe i will finally get around to trying them and become converted, lol…..Jaqi x
Well Chriss that sounds like an invitation to me so let’s see how many folk will join us in interpreting the sketch..because I bet we will see some fabulous cards and all different - come on girls give it a go.
Kath
xxxxx
Ditto to what Kath says……
Thanks Chrissi:)x
I like the top sketch especially, as I can see it would complement a strong photo to make a stunning scrapbook page.
good on you girls…shall we attempt the card one first and agree on a date to show it… could you be ready for wed 16th?…is that long enough for you girls.
chriss x
I’m up for it! - I was planning on spending the weekend making a card based on the top sketch.
thanx alison x
Ok Chris that’s a date the 16th it is but hey we need a few more of our talented Fiskarettes to join us - will make it much more fun…come on don’t be shy…..we are all buddies together here….no excuses from my Fiskars mates - you know who you are…..L..K.& G.
Kath
xxxxx
Well then Kath, when you put it like that then I just have to join in and give it a go eh!!
Georgie x
Good one Georgie x
O gorgeous sketches Chris ! love the first one especially !