Challenge 1: Out of the Comfort Zone with Colour!

Written and Created by PaperCraftCentral Susan

Want to Stretch your Papercrafting Skills?

Welcome to Challenge 1 of PaperCraftCentral's Creative Challenge Series!

I hope you will have some fun with the ideas I have here for you.

The aim I have in mind is to stretch out of your card making, scrapbooking or 3d papercraft habits just a little, and have you try some things that may sometimes be out of your comfort zone, all in the name of fun and growth of your skills!

Naturally you can take part in the challenges without uploading any of your work but I do hope you will show me what you do in response to the inspirations.

Are you ready?

Challenge 1 Instructions for Moving Out of your Crafting Comfort Zone with Colour

Let's start off gently. This first suggestion might stretch you just a little bit.

Every now and then I take note of my own work and I notice that patterns emerge. I may have been using the same or similar colours to make my paper goodies, for example.I seem to fall into a habit of using orange, peach or yellow tones, for example. They look great with navy and brown and black.

Have you noticed it too? It really is a human thing to fall into crafting habits with colour, but sometimes it can make us crafters feel a little stale in what we are making.

I noticed that orange tones are really not my favoourite colours at all. I actually like blues and greens, but I often find I don't choose my favourite colours when it comes to making cards. Part of that is that I want to stamp images on lighter cardstock, so the pale colours such as Petal Pink and Lemon Lolly allow me to stamp images in darker inks on them. I can also add blended colours to pale cardstock, like I did with this Sunrise Sailing card. I started out here with a piece of Petal Pink cardstock and used blending brushes and masking to make the sunrise sky and the sea before running the piece through its embossing folder.

When I notice I am using a lot of the same coloured cardstock, that's when I know it is Time for a Colour Change!

There are two steps to this Out of your Comfort Zone Challenge with Colour:

1. The first step is to take a survey of your work. See if you can spot any patterns. Browse through your own albums, cards and papercraft projects to see if there is a dominant colour theme there, for example. You may already know that you do have your favourite colour combinations. Also look for colours that are not there at all, or are used very little in your projects. Write out a list of colours that you rarely or never use. If you have not been paper crafting very long, look to your wardrobe for ideas. What colour(s) do you never wear? Is there a garment in your wardrobe that shows a colour combination you have not yet translated into paper?
   
   
2. Step two is to make a card, scrap a page or make a 3-d papercraft project using the colour or colours that you use or like least! I know this can be challenging, so try looking at a colour combination suggestion or two to see what colours might go best together when you are trying something new. You can do this with the Stampin' Up! Colour Wheel. Here's how to use the wheel. And if you would like your own Colour Coach, this is where you can find it to purchase  from me if you live in Australia. I keep one on my craft desk and am amazed at how often I refer to it, even though I have been crafting since 2006!

That's the colour challenge!

It may be harder than you believe to use colours you normally avoid, but you can get some amazing results by trying this idea.

Here's another great way to generate some new colour schemes too. Just spin this Colour wheel I found for you on the 'Net.

Another prompt might come from looking at my collection of projects pictured above. Do any of the colour combinations I used look like something new for you? Try this with your own collective projects and see what themes you notice.

When you have completed your entry using your new to you colour combination, please do show it to me. Tell me what colours you normally use and how you felt about using some unfamiliar colour(s) this week.

I'm so looking forward to seeing what you will do!

PS: There is one final last instruction. It is an easy one. Here it is: Be sure to have fun with Challenge 1!

PPS: If you want to be notified when a new challenge is created on PaperCraftCentral.com, subscribe to my monthly newsletter, Paper Twists.