Contrast...that little something that makes a big difference!

Hi everyone...Casey here with the next installment in my ECBARF series.  Remember that ECBARF is the acronym used to signify the major design concepts we use in scrapping.  Last week we covered E for emphasis so this week we tackle the big C.  C represents contrast...and contrast is the term used to describe how an element stands out against it's surroundings.  Contrast makes certain pieces of a layout pop and adds overall visual interest.  


Contrast is something we have to be careful with...too much and our layouts can become overly busy or confusing to the eye...not enough and we are left boring and blah.  Finding the happy medium takes practice.  So to help you along your digi-scrapping journey I have included several examples of layouts (using SPS digi-kits;) that used contrast well and a description as to how contrast was used.  Oh and don't forget to read a more in-dpeth discussion of contrast you can click on over to the Daily-Digi.  

CrazyKiera used several contrasting methods in this layout.  Notice how her title is done in a more beefy font than her journaling.  This draws the eye to the title and adds visual interest.  Also notice how she has used the lighter white paper for the wave shape.  The shape and color draw the eye and adds a bright splash...contrasting against the darker paper used and the other rectangular shapes.  Last but not least her use of the aqua colored ribbon amidst the element cluster adds a another bright splash of color and a touch more contrast as well.

nof007750 created this cute layout!  Take a look at how creative her title is.  Her use of a different font, font color, and size all add contrast and grab your attention.  This is a great way to add interest...what a cute layout. 

melissavt designed a bright fun layout that is simple yet gorgeous.  She uses contrast by combining a black and white photo with color pics.  This is a great technique when working with multiple images.

shawnbear  created a darling layout using shape contrast.  Notice that her photos are all cropped in rectangular shapes and that the page borders are squares.  Both of these shapes have hard edges/angles and are repeated throughout the layout.  This repetition provides cohesion but she incorporates contrast via the scalloped circle paper.  The eye is immediately drawn to this area and helps you focus on her title and photos.

beckyroy also uses shape contrast.  Notice how she uses the circle in the background with all the other rectangles and squares.  She also uses contrasting colors throughout the layout...but this is not overpowering because she kept busy patterns to a minimum.  She also used the great alpha to grab your attention...the black and yellow lettering really pops when you first look at the layout.

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it helped explain the concept of contrast.  Be sure to keep an eye out for my next post on balance.  Until next time...happy scrapping!