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Sometimes when I'm making a card and it has many layers on the whole cardfront and then more on images, I just feel like there are so many layers that the cardfront is almost "heavy" and awkward.
Does anyone else sometimes limit layers because of this? I see some cards in the gallery that I just LOVE and then I start counting layers, and sometimes I think - WOAH! maybe not!!
How many is too many? or is there no such thing as too many??
I know what you mean. When giving a card that is so top heavy to someone, the entire card can feel a bit off balance. On the other hand, a card on display or framed can be quite lovely with a lot of layers. I guess it depends on whose doing the layering!
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i was thinking that the other day too.
i think i like to look at it in the gallerie but i would never make myself a card with too many layers.
it is about the weight and also it is a lot of cardstock (pricy) if it is just to have a tiny little bit color to show.
it depends how you do it. lots of layers that have a large matting area appear heavier. cards that have several layers that have thin matting areas look cleaner and not as heavy. i love using lots of layers.
I'm with Jen, I love to do a lot of layers, and that is my natural inclination; however, I so LOVE the look of the cleaner, less layered, cards so many are doing. It was one of my New Year's resolutions (stamping resolutions) to try to do cards more often with less matting, not necessary less layers in general, just less matted layers, if that makes sense to you, I know what I'm trying to say - LOL -- but I haven't done it yet.
I make mine lighter by cutting out the center of layers that will be hidden anyway. Gives me lots more paper scraps for other projects. I use my large punches like a scallop punch right in the center and then cover it with the next layer. Then I save all the punch outs in a drawer with my punches and have them ready to go when I need them. Since I have been doing this, I no longer have cards that fall over or take 2 stamps.
i was thinking that the other day too.
i think i like to look at it in the gallerie but i would never make myself a card with too many layers.
it is about the weight and also it is a lot of cardstock (pricy) if it is just to have a tiny little bit color to show.
I agree. I would like to say that my cards are light on layers because I adore the clean, simple look, but the truth is that I am just too stingy - I mean, thrifty ;) - to "waste" sizeable pieces of cardstock to have just a small amount show. Particularly since in Australia at the moment only four colours out of every colour family are available in single colour packs, and my favourite colours are not available in the single colour packs. So when I have only 3 sheets of, say, Brocade Blue in a multipack, I'd rather use it for 6 cards instead of only say 3 cards and mats with scraps left over. Otherwise I'd be buying multipacks and accumulating colours I don't have ink for or might not buy ink for whilst always running out of the colours I like the most. That said, occasionally I will go wild and use more layers of my precious SU cardstock. :lol:
I think I may be a layering addict.....but I am trying to stop! When I first started stamping and only had a little bit of cardstock- I didn't layer at all- plus I didn't really understand how to do it. Now that I have learned how layers add dimension to a card...I am always looking at my card thinking...hmmm..should I layer this or not? I usually do! But it just my sickness....
I don't really care how heavy the card is. I prefer to use the word "substantial". I just balance it out by MORE layering inside. If it won't fit in the envelope, I'll get a bigger one. I have never ever said no to a layer because of it. It would bug me too much to know it needed that extra bit of colour. Its for art!--its a higher cause!
__________________ Darci "Awww, you guys made me Ink!"
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If I need to layer where only 2 sides are showing (top/bottom or left right) I cut a 1/4 stip and layer it behind both sides, making it look as if it is 1 continuous piece of paper.
Great thread. I'm phasing out of non SU supplies. When I make a card, I use layers but normally they are non SU or patterned paper and are not very heavy. I really like SU cardstock for a nice base but I never thought about the weight of that many layers before. I guess I would try to stick to more lightweight papers now if I knew I was going to have a lot.
__________________ Taryn
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I've been enjoying making "juicy" cards with lots of layers and embellishments. Not so many that the card looks too busy, but just enough.
I've taken to making just card fronts and using the back as one would a postcard. I do put it in an envelope to mail it. They're usually too heavy for a postcard and need the extra 13 cents for hand-processing anyway.
I also go entirely in the other direction -- just the single layer of the folded card itself decorated with stamps and maybe one embellie or dimensional piece.
I do this too. I hate that "off balance" feeling when the card is too top-heavy. To help even out the weight of the card, I will sometimes put a layer (or two) on the inside.
I don't really care how heavy the card is. I prefer to use the word "substantial". I just balance it out by MORE layering inside. If it won't fit in the envelope, I'll get a bigger one. I have never ever said no to a layer because of it. It would bug me too much to know it needed that extra bit of colour. Its for art!--its a higher cause!
I couldn't have said it better myself! My DH called them my 12-D cards. :mrgreen:
Since I sell a lot of my cards, I have to keep a lid on the layering, otherwise it would cost my customers too much to mail them.
I counted the layers on a card in the gallery a few weeks ago, and there were 13, plus dimensionals! It was a lovely card, but I do think that's overkill! [IMG]//www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif[/IMG]
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IMHO- a card without(or few) layers can be and are just as beautiful (see JulieHRR for example) as those with lots of layers.
I'm a layer girl. It's just the way I do things, my style. If a card DOES become too bulky for a regular envelope, I have make no hesitation to put in a bubble envelope and add the extra postage.. we're talking personal cards, etc.
But, with that said, if I have a customer that is looking for a bulk purchase, I always design their cards with postage in mind.
I think we're talking 'taste' here. If layers are done tastefully, they can add to a card.. if it's too much (and I've done this many times!), it becomes a bit gaudy. Here I am calling myself out as I'm probably the person who did the 13 layer card! LOL
I make mine lighter by cutting out the center of layers that will be hidden anyway. Gives me lots more paper scraps for other projects. I use my large punches like a scallop punch right in the center and then cover it with the next layer. Then I save all the punch outs in a drawer with my punches and have them ready to go when I need them. Since I have been doing this, I no longer have cards that fall over or take 2 stamps.
I often do this as well - usually only one of the layers has a center cut out, and that is usually the one next to the card base. An added bonus is that is most likely a color I use under the image, so I have a smaller piece of the same color ready to use. I don't have a punch, so simply cut out a frame about 1/3 inch wide using my paper cutter.
Some one else mentioned using strips - maybe I should try to incorporate that in the design and use as a frame for a bottom layer. I have a very large pack of one inch (and less) strips that I can't bear to throw away, but I certainly don't use.
I have never put layers inside a card except for occasional matting of a verse. Maybe we should start a thread, or a challenge, showing some ideas of how to do that.
I make mine lighter by cutting out the center of layers that will be hidden anyway. Gives me lots more paper scraps for other projects. I use my large punches like a scallop punch right in the center and then cover it with the next layer. Then I save all the punch outs in a drawer with my punches and have them ready to go when I need them. Since I have been doing this, I no longer have cards that fall over or take 2 stamps.
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Just when I think I've put too many layers on a card, I'll see a card in the gallery where there are about 20 more layers that I just used and it looks AWESOME! I think it takes a certain talent to use a TON of layers and not make the card look "cluttered" by it. Since I almost always use a colored base of SU! CS, I've never had a "top heavy" card.
Happy to see this discussion. For me it is difficult to strike the balance between layers and blah looking. A couple of the posts are great info. I'd forgotten that I could use my Evolving Images templates to create the layer without the middle. Just cut the first layer and cut the next size down or even more from the middle. Love the idea of the strips as layers. Thanks gals.
How many is too many?? (layers, that is...)
