This birthday layout is all about lines, both the obvious and the not-so-obvious.
It was the space-technology styled lines at the bottom of the invitation and at the top and bottom of the Yoda napkin that inspired the concept. I wanted to continue those lines through the layout.
How To Add Lines For A Strong Graphic Feel
When adding lines, look for previously existing ones and then extend them. For example, do you see the “It Is Your Destiny” embellishment to the upper left of Yoda? I could have placed it at a number of different vertical points next to the photo on its left. I chose the point I that I did in order to extend the orange line at the very top of the napkin with the top orange line in the “Destiny” embellishment.
Next, by placing the orange and red strips of paper and the bottom row of photos where I did, I created two strong not-so-obvious lines. The top of the yellow strip is at the same height as the top of the photos. This creates an “implied line,” which means that although there are spaces between the paper line and the photo lines, you “feel” a line unconsciously that extends all the way across to the far right photo.
Even more important than the implied line is the line created from the negative space between the upper and lower rows. That line flows from the left side of the page to Yoda’s light saber. Because I made it’s width equal to the width between the bottom right photo and the yoda napkin, you feel as if that space is the same line, making a ninety degree turn and becoming vertical.
It then opens up at an angle, the exact same way that the graphic lines in the Star Wars invitation and napkin do. In other words, that negative space echoes the Star Wars design, which gives us a sense of design continuity. It feels like it was meant to be that way when the reality is, I could have placed the strips and pictures anywhere.
Contest Reminder
The contest closes at noon PST today, so if you have birthday themed layouts to enter, you have a little time left.
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Star Wars Birthday
12×12 2-Page Layout
Cardstock (Bazzill, Creative Memories); Patterned paperc (My Miind’s Eye); Pen (American Crafts); Misc.: invitation and party napkin (Star Wars).
