Beyond Lettering - Alternative Uses for Pens in Your Scrapbooking
Pens are an essential tool for any scrapbooker, primarily for their role in adding text and lettering to your beautiful creations. However, pens can be versatile tools that go beyond mere writing.
Our guest scrapbooker Penny, has used pens to create a border around her pages. Lets explore alternative ways to use pens in your scrapbooking projects, adding depth, texture, and a unique touch to your layouts.
Doodling and sketching
Step things up by incorporating doodles and sketches. Fine-tip pens are excellent for intricate details, while gel pens can add a vibrant and glossy finish to your drawings. Use doodles to emphasize certain elements on your pages or create custom frames around your photos for a whimsical touch.
If you’re a fan of Zentangles or Mandalas, why not incorporate them into your pages?
Faux stitching
Not everyone has the time or patience for ‘real’ stitching in their scrapbooking projects. Instead, grab a pen with a fine tip and create faux stitching lines around your photos or page borders. This technique adds a handmade look without the need for a needle and thread.
Hand drawn patterns
Experiment with creating your own patterned backgrounds by using pens to draw subtle designs. It could be polka dots, intricate swirls, or geometric shapes. Hand-drawn patterns can add a personalized touch to your scrapbook pages. Try different colours to match your overall theme and palette.
Highlighting and shadowing
Enhance the visual appeal of your scrapbook by incorporating highlighting and shadowing techniques with pens. Add a subtle glow around your focal point using a white gel pen or create shadows to give your elements a three-dimensional appearance.
Colour Blocking and Fill-ins
Experiment with colour blocking and fill-ins. Use pens to colour in certain sections of your layouts or create colourful backgrounds for your photos. This method adds a modern and artistic flair to your projects.
Photo frames and borders
Instead of relying solely on pre-made frames and borders, use pens to create unique and personalized designs around your photos. Draw delicate frames, add decorative corners, or create a hand-drawn border like Penny has in the example above.
Resist Techniques
Explore resist techniques by applying a layer of clear embossing ink or embossing powder to your paper and then drawing over it with pens. This creates a resist effect, where the ink or colour resists the areas with embossing, revealing a beautiful and textured design.