I am starting to feel more confident in my digital scrapping and really coming into my own. I am seeing a definite style emerge. It is a very clean, geometric and solid style.

To grow as a scrapper (yes, I know, I am taking this way too seriously) I believe I must challenge myself. To do that, I want to try things outside of my comfort zone. So I want to create some pages that are decidedly not clean, geometric and solid. Specifically I would like to try my hand at the antiqued look. Aged, depressed and worn. I have a few brushes that I have downloaded, however, they are not enough in themselves.

What I am looking for are some very general suggestions of how people get this effect on their pages. How do you darken the edges to make the page look aged? How do you soften the edges of the picture itself so it seems to blend into the background? How do you 'depress' the pictures? What fonts do you use to keep with this style.

Thank you in advance.

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I am so going to loose my man card.

There are lots of ways to do the things you are asking about...and I'm certainly not the resident expert by any means....but here are some of my favorite tips and techniques.

For inking page edges you are on the right track when you talk about brushes...but MY favorite way to get that "look" quickly is to steal from Miss Tanya! :smile: She has some great inked edge overlays. There is one in her "Shabby Man" kit in the Elements gallery for free downloading and several on her "Play On Elements" CD.

I use Auto FX Photo/Graphic Edges filters to blend photos into backgrounds, but that's a fairly pricey way to go. A free alternative is to use the huge collection of masks available at this site:
http://graphicssoft.about.com/librar...ree_frames.htm There are directions for their use available at the site.

Do a search on "grunge fonts", "stamped fonts" or "distressed fonts" and you'll find loads of aged looking fonts that will work well with the look you're trying to acheive. Some of my favorites are Porcelain, Civilian, 4990810, and Antique Type....but there are tons more out there.

Hope this helps some! (And your man card is still intact...although you DID ask for directions...which does make it questionable!!!! :smile: )

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Pattie



Visit My Gallery-- My Blog

I'm not sure what program you're using but you also might want to try the dodge and burn tools, which are in photoshop (not sure about other programs).

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Emmy
SAHM to 4 little monkeys!

Happy to be creating for: Gina Cabrera, Heather Roselli, Bree Clarkson, Darcy Baldwin, Julie Billingsley, Shawna Clingerman, and Amanda Heiman.

One really great trick is to insert a photo of a texture as a new layer and play with the blend modes until you like what you see. I hope you have them....you didn't say what program you are using. Anyway, you can just experiment - take digital pictures of the carpet or the speaker covers....once you start, you won't be able to stop. The colors don't really matter, because you can just remove the color from the layer before you blend...have fun!

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Dianne Rigdon

I've been venturing out of my box as well. I've done a few layouts trying to achieve that "aged" look. One of the first things I've tried was "inking" the edges. For this I used a grunge brush that I downloaded from Nicey's website..

http://www.spaceraven.net/

I used a the black color and "brushed along the edges" making sure to really darken the edges while slightly inking into it. As if you were stamping it in yourself. And it's hard to find brushes that have all 4 edges.. I rotate my pages clockwise all around till I'm done inking my page.

As for the page itself. I always like to add "DINGY PHOTO" brush or the ABANDONED PHOTO bruhses downloaded off 1greeneye.net ( I believe) I usually work with different layers. That way you can add texture to your layout. With the textured brushes I try different oppacities to them.. like linear burn/ color burn/ etc. Download a lot of grunge brushes too! A combination of brushes always look good!

Font work is always good to add too. Like some of the members already mentioned.. I love the 4990810 and Stamp Act.. There are so many out there!

Most importantly HAVE FUN! Experiement with different designs.. Can't wait to see what you come up with! Take Care!

Ronalyn

I believe the same thing - you have to push yourseldf to try something new every once in a while, or your pages all start to loook alike, you lose interest, and move on to some other hobby.

Anyways, I'm loving shabby these days. Brushes, dude, brushes are where it's at. I've created a ton of my own brushes for borders, crumples, etc. Totally makes the page lkook different. And, if you're used to clean lines, get ready to rotate your elements! Nothing should be 90 degrees in shabby!

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My layouts!

Sorry, but I just had to comment on your title: Aged, depressed and worn - sounds like me! Good luck with your new-found love for digital scrapping.

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Cindy
www.aGlimpseofTime.com

I would like to thank everyone for their tips. I did not say which program I was using because I wanted more general information. If you say what program you use and it is different than what someone else uses, they tend to just say "Well I use program X so I can't help you." I am fairly proficient with my program of choice so I am just looking for common techniques as opposed to detailed tutorials.

Ronalyn, I do not understand what you mean by 'inking'. Please elaborate.

Yes I asked for directions. I do when I do not know where I am going or what I am doing. Broad generalizations about someone based on creed, sex or background can be very limiting.

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I am so going to loose my man card.