Sketch
This is another name for a layout or diagram. In sewing you use a pattern to create the pieces of a dress to sew together. In cardmaking, you might look at a sketch for an idea on how to assemble various elements to create a card. Usually the designer will create a few samples to illustrate ways to use their sketch. Some blogs and message boards post a weekly sketch to stretch your creativity. A designer will sometimes provide exact dimensions to follow and other times just a general diagram. If it is a contest, you'll want to follow the sketch as closely as possible but for a regular sketch use it as a starting point for your own creation. The designer will usually invite those who use her design to share their creations with other via their blog or gallery.
True story- Last year I followed a weekly sketch discussion on a message board and would attempt to use the sketch every week- and some weeks were tougher than others. One week I made a card of which I was particularly proud. I uploaded my attempt and realized a few minutes late that I had missed adding an element to my card. My card was glued, finished and frankly I really liked it the way it was so I decided to leave it as is, and I made a joke about forgetting the extra layer. I had many people compliment my card. I learned that day that I could use a sketch as a starting point and to assist me in creating my own time consuming layout.
Challenge
A challenge is when a designer asks you to think outside of the box and be extra creative in your cardmaking. There are several types of challenges and sometimes a designer will combine two challenges or use a sketch and add a twist by adding a challenge to the project as well. These can be difficult but the results can be stunning.
Color challenges are among the most popular challenges such as: use two or three specific colors or create a holiday card using non-traditional Christmas colors.
Inspiration challenges involve creating artwork based on a photo or object. Catalog pages or websites are a great place for inspiration- who knows where you'll find a unique color combo or design or texture or...
Elimination challenges are a great way to stretch your creativity. Such challenges might be: create a card without layers or create a card without using any floral images or embellishments. While it sounds easy, it does take some thought. I like these challenges because it makes me look at my stamps and supplies in different ways. One of my favorites was to create a holiday card without using any traditional holiday elements I was amazed at how card artists made images such as seashells into elegant holiday cards.
Sketches and challenges have inspired me to create some of my favorite cards and viewing the artwork of others has provided me with a lot of new ideas for my own work. Participating in challenges is a great way to push yourself artistically and to share your work with others. Go ahead- I challenge you to try this sketch challenge and to share your results with us!
To see the responses to Heather's Challenge Click on the illustration.
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