Choosing a Color Scheme for Your Project

When planning a crafting project, one of the most basic considerations is what colors to use.  Sometimes, however, it’s the hardest thing to come to a decision on.  There are just so many beautiful colors to choose from!  Here are some things to consider when selecting a color scheme for any project:

* Who is the project for? If you’re making it as a gift for someone, does that person have a favorite color?  If so, try to incorporate it into the project, along with some complimentary colors.
* Is the craft for a special occasion? If it is a wedding gift, doing it in the wedding colors adds a sentimental touch.  For a baby shower, the standard boy (light blue), girl (pink) and gender neutral (pastel green and yellow) colors are appropriate.  And most holidays have certain colors associated with them that you can use.
* Are you using items that include colors that are beyond your control, such as photographs? This is a common concern in scrapbooking, but lots of other crafts use photos.  You’ll need to find a color that won’t clash with what’s in the photo.  Look for color ideas in the photo itself, or consider reprinting it in black and white if it’s too busy.
* What is the theme of the project? Is it a nature item, or something in a futuristic theme?  Using colors that are commonly associated with a project’s theme is a nice, safe approach.
* Consider where the finished craft will be displayed. If it’s an item for your house, or for a close friend or family member’s, you can scout around in the room for color ideas.  If you’re creating items for sale, think about common colors that people decorate with in those rooms.
* Use another piece for inspiration. If you’ve seen something in a store, online, on television, or anywhere else that had an interesting color scheme, try using it on a project.  Interior design shows are a good place to look for unusual color concepts.
* Think outside the box. If you’re going for a formal look it’s best to stick with traditional colors, but if you want to make your project unique and funky, use whatever strikes your fancy.  It’s your project, and you can make the grass blue and the sky green if you want to.

Use Colored Paper in Your Scrapbook

Additional color can be easily added to your scrapbook page through different colored backgrounds, borders, and embellishments. A light colored background creates a soft, farther away feeling; while a darker background sharpens the focus. Complimentary colors can be slightly lighter or darker than the background to direct the focus towards or away from portions of the page. Contrasting colors can also be used to create a more dramatic or focusing effect away from or towards various photographs or mementos.  

Simply add, fold, or paste additional sheets of paper into your design for the desired effect.

Add Color To Your Scrapbook

Color coordination and contrast will highlight and accent your scrapbook. A well thought out color scheme can help define the theme of a page, attract attention to specific items, or detract away from mistakes. Poorly chosen color schemes, on the other hand, can cause your scrapbook page to look gaudy or mismatched.

Background colors can either be matched, coordinated, or contrasted with the colors in your photographs, mementos, or embellishments. Matching colors add to the continuity of the color scheme. Coordinated colors add depth to scrapbook pages. Contrasted colors focus the eye. In this way, color can be used to create the effect you desire.