You all know that I love creating water themed layouts and waves designs and I thought today I could share a few tips on how to get the most out of that type of design. It's all things wave designs today!
Tip #1 - Explore the different wave options.
There are so many different styles of wave designs available depending on the supplies you have on hand. You can go wavy like my layout above, or check out some of these options in the Silhouette Design Store:
Each of these can create really fun and unique layered wave designs.
You can also use a circle punch and punch half circles along one edge of a strip. There are several options for this simple technique. You can use a variety of punch sizes or you can use one punch at varying sizes of half circles along the edge.
Tip #2 - Alternate your waves.
If you look at the waves on my layout I arranged them so that every other wave is the same. This adds a more natural wave look when the wave design alternates.
Tip #3 - Use all blue, green, teal, or aqua papers in varying patterns.
Sometimes it's hard to find papers that match the water color in your photos. A little solution I have for that is to try to find at least one paper that is a close match to that and then supplement with a variety of blues or greens depending on the water color. I typically go blues for pool water and a mix of blues, greens, teals, and aqua for ocean water.
Tip #4 - Use a variety of colors and patterns.
If you are struggling to find blues and greens or you just want more color on your layout, try using a variety of colors and patterns. I did that with the layout I'm sharing today.
Tip #5 - Define the edges of the wave pieces OR using contrasting colors layered together.
You'll definitely want that wave design of each strip to stand out so make sure you define the edges. Here are a few ideas:
• Use your finger nail, craft knife/blade, or paper distressing tool to run along the edge of the paper. This creates a small lip on the edge of the paper and really makes that edge stand out.
• Use a nail file or sandpaper to sand the edge and expose the white core of the paper.
• Use paint or ink along the edges.
• Add hand-stitching along the edges. On my layout above I used a color of thread that matches the color of the patterned paper I stitched on. This also adds a nice texture and some dimension to the wave design.
Tip #6 - Add embellishments into the waves.
Try adding some fun embellishments here and there to create a wave scene. You can add fish or other water creatures, coral, sand, or splashes and droplets.
Got any tips to add? Make sure to leave a comment below!
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