Design Challenge - September 2015 - Rule of Thirds

[lovepug2]

I finished mine! I can't believe we are midway through September!

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?pid=1963

I'm looking forward to more design challenges, Heidi! Than you for hosting!

[howdyheidi]

Fantastic entry, LeighAnn!  I think you illustrated how well this design element of Rule of Thirds works for Clean and Simple cards.  I had been thinking that before when I started this challenge, but you really nailed it!  I think this is a little bit out of your typical style, too, which is nice!

Thanks so much for doing this challenge.

[lovepug2]

Thank Heidi! I've been wanting to focus more on clean and simple designs. I've always been drawn to those cards but have struggled to make them. I just keep adding too much stuff, lol!

[howdyheidi]

I tried to get the placement of this stamp right.  I ended up trimming my panel to mount it on the card, so I had to be careful to trim evenly.  I think this is a pretty simple card. 

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=1973#top_display_media

[Yankee]

I made some Halloween cards.  I tried to do this rule of thirds in the layout.
I made fourteen cards, and only about half got placed correctly.  I kept trying to center everything like I normally would do.  My normal is a one layer with center stamping, so these cards were hard for me!
My photo with all cards wouldn't take, too big.  So I photo only one and put in gallery.

[howdyheidi]

Thanks so much for participating Yankee. I am really glad that this challenge helped you to try something new with the placement.  The design of your card is very interesting and fun.  Here is a link:

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=1980#top_display_media

[Utah Ann]

I am working on this challenge, however, I am sort of stumped.  My card at this point is a CAS using and coloring one of my favorite stamps.  Trying to decide what to add.  I am with the others  on some of their comments about design being hard for me.

I will get this card finished. 

[howdyheidi]

I am working on this challenge, however, I am sort of stumped.  My card at this point is a CAS using and coloring one of my favorite stamps.  Trying to decide what to add.  I am with the others  on some of their comments about design being hard for me.

I will get this card finished.

I am glad you are working on this.  I hope that no one is taking this as a challenge to get everything perfect.  I intend this challenge series more as a way to get people thinking about these designing techqiques, trying to understand them better, and then actually using them. 

Using and coloring one of your favorite stamps is a good way to go!  I hope you enjoy it!

[Far North]

I feel I have a natural strong sense of presenting things in an asymmetrical manner or as several folks who shared about the rule of thiirds referred to as an alternative to "the bulleye look".  I spent considerable time looking at card galleries and found many cards including my own with the focal image smack in the center. I found it frustrating to not find information on other related discussion of what may or may not effect the location of sweet spots such as the use of color, balance of other images including backgrounds and the use of mats.  I am sure most of these items will be singular topics in future challenges so I plan to keep my eye to creating more asymmetrical cards and look forward to more design tips in future months.

Thanks again Heidi for getting us started.
...Jan
Here is my card with an eye on the sweet spots.

[howdyheidi]

Jan, I really like your entry. Like I said in the gallery, I like how the placement of the images and the interesting background allow the eye to travel all over the card. 

Yes, I do think you are getting ahead to other topics that could be (and some of them I did plan on) covered in future challenges.

However, I also think that so many of our stamps are really well designed.  I think that sometimes the design of our card does put the stamp in the center, but that the stamp itself is designed to be balanced by the rule of thirds (and other design elements).  I wonder if anyone agrees or disagrees with that.  I noticed that more with my larger stamps. 

Thanks so much for participating!

[Far North]

Heidi said: "However, I also think that so many of our stamps are really well designed.  I think that sometimes the design of our card does put the stamp in the center, but that the stamp itself is designed to be balanced by the rule of thirds (and other design elements).  I wonder if anyone agrees or disagrees with that.  I noticed that more with my larger stamps."
_______
I totally agree Heidi that stamps are being made with great designs.  For this challenge I tried for quite a while to separate 3 sunflowers on a single branch so I could redesign them into a rule of thirds styled card...I could not achieve a design that was as good as the stamp designer's. When I looked at the galleries I saw many wonderful large stamps with much more attention to the total design than stamps from my earlier years of stamping.  I think it is similar to looking for the right stamps for creating an ATC...not all stamps work. 

[Utah Ann]

Here is my card.....Happy Snoopy 
http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?pid=1989&message_id=8d7a5ce71948f98810e61d4adf62f41b&message_icon=info#cpgMessageBlock

Please share any comments with me that might help me to get a better understanding of the Rule of 3's.  I like this card and hope that it works for this challenge.

[howdyheidi]

Ann, thanks so much for playing! I really like your entry.  If you haven't seen already I did leave comments in the gallery.

Still time left to play!  Can't believe how fast this month went!

[Conniecrafter]

I think this goes for this challenge :  http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?pid=1991&message_id=93e1b04fa9b96d3547eeca62d221926f&message_icon=info#cpgMessageBlock

[Iring]

Well, I did use the rule of thirds, and the acrylic template I made marking out the thirds lines and their intersections ... but I just realized I didn't really meet the challenge, because my focal image isn't stamped!  I'm linking it just for the design, but I'll try again if I get a chance.

first comes Love