Scrapping Q: Flower Placement?

LeeAndra

LeeAndra

Sweet Shoppe SugarBabe
So I'm working on a page right now for KCB's second journaling prompt, and everything crucial (photo, journaling, papers) is placed and has met my seal of approval. :p

I'm just trying to pretty it up... and I realize that I have no flower placin' skillz.

I know abt doing things in threes & the visual triangle, but after fiddling around for the last 15 minutes with the same two flowers, I come to y'all to ask for help!

Yes, this could also apply to other elements, too, but right now, I'm just asking abt flowers as I seem to be okay (I hope!!) with placing other things on my pages.

How do you decide where your flowers go on any given page? Does the theme or photo matter? Do you just go with your instinct or do you have some tried-and-true formula that you're dying to share with moi?

Chime in, please! The fate of this layout rests in your hands. :D
 
I am flower impaired myself. Even when I was paper scrapping I could never seem to put flowers on my pages but I always thought it was because I am a momma of two boys who aren't really flowery kids. :)
 
Use a template for placement? Sometimes that helps even if you're not using a template, you can drag a cluster you like from a template to your layout and use that as a guide. Or, save a copy of someone whose cluster skills you like and practice layering flowers on top of their page (using it as a guide) in Photoshop.
 
I go with my gut... :p I try to anchor my clusters with either a photo, edge of the paper... and I'm totally in that triangle thing...
 
Well, I am a big template lover, so that helps me a lot. On pages where I don't use a template, I just kind of wing it and the flowers land whereever looks pleasing to my eye. My only things are that I generally try to avoid placing really "tall" flowers (like those rolled paper ones) below any "flat" layers and likewise, if I place any other flowers on top of "tall" or bulky flowers, I adjust the shadow as needed. Not that I am anywhere near an expert shadower.
 
I can layer flowers with other elements or do a very small floral and foliage cluster, something like 2 flowers and a little foliage. But those gorgeous, large flower and foliage clusters that some scrappers rock? I just can't do them. Can't. They look pathetic when I try. :( Beyond the usual clustering suggestions (visual triangle, vary the size and weight of elements in the cluster, place clusters where you want to draw attention, etc) I don't have a lot to add, but if you learn the secret let me know!

Oh--I lied. I have 1 thing to add. I think I remember Traci Reed doing a segment on clustering in one of her Creative Live classes. Watching her scrap and make a floral cluster, it looked so doable. Then once she'd made the one cluster, she showed how she duplicated and altered it so that she could get multiple clusters done quickly. So if you happen to have access to that, maybe there's some good advice.
 
I am still working on my flower placement skills.... I too stuck the the rule of 3's (or odd numbers).... but little by little I am growing above and beyond that. My favorite thing to do right now is tucking them behind things... so I'm not just clustering flowers together but also layering with everything else... one here peeking out from behind a photo, another behind a piece of string but above ribbon... that sort of thing. Let me also say don't underestimate the power of the leaves!!!!! For a long time I just used flowers but couldn't be bothered with the leaves.... well let me tell you I now realize the foliage makes the clusters what they are... giving them more dimension and life.

If you are really stuck with how many or where to put them I suggest getting a few flower heavy templates and use their placements... this has really helped me to not be scared to go flower crazy when needed :)
 
I don't have anything specific that I do, but I mostly make odd clusters. I don't limit myself to three, but I try to keep them odd in number because it looks better to me. Sometimes I make one really large cluster around the photo. I also like to make the flowers smaller and scatter them a bit, too.
 
Clustering is not my favorite part of the process but I find I use flowers most for two things: either to cover of an intersection of two areas (like a corner of a photo/paper) or to anchor a cluster of it's own (which then includes other elements like ribbons, etc.)

I also always start with my favorite flowers from the kit since certain types of flowers I don't like. And I pay a lot of attention to color when placing them as well. To a certain extent it's just trial and error so don't be afraid to play!
 
Umm... I just go with my guts... Not helpful, I know, but I love flowers and I do trial and error every time to make them look good :)
 
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