Technique: Color Blocking

Overview:

Color blocking is a fast and easy way to create wonderful looking backgrounds, borders or embellishments for your scrapbook pages. By definition, it means using blocks of color to decorate your pages. Because each block can vary in size, color, shape and position on your page, the possibilities for design are endless using this technique. Color blocking is also a great way to use up some of your scraps.

Tools and Supplies:

Paper
Paper trimmer
Adhesive

Step by Step Lesson:

Overlapping Blocks - Simply cutting large blocks of paper, and slightly overlapping them, divides your page and helps to provide a base for your photos, title, journaling and embellishments. The sizes of the blocks can be specific sizes that you choose or can be random blocks of paper. The blocks can also be a variety of vertical and horizontal blocks, rectangles and/or squares.

Leaving a Thin Outline - Another version of color blocking is to leave a thin outline around your blocks for the background color to show through. A popular thickness between blocks is about ¼”. This also creates a matted look for your blocks, as well as provides an easy mat for your photos.

Making Strips - Strips of paper, used as the background of a layout, are another nice variation of the color blocking technique. Vary the thickness of your strips, as well as the distance between them for added interest. Also try overlapping them for additional depth.

Fill in With Blocks - Filling in the background space around your photos with blocks of color creates a mosaic look and a perfectly filled page. This technique works best with a variety of sizes of photos. It is also a great way to include several photos on a page.

To create this color blocked mosaic for your layout, first crop your photos to the size you want them. Then adhere your photos to the page with repositionable adhesive. This will allow you to adjust them later if necessary, but will keep them in place while you measure for your filler blocks. Space the photos out so that there will be room for color blocks in between and around them. Next, choose a few different colors of paper and decide if you would like to use small blocks of color or larger blocks.

You can then start filling in the empty spaces between the photos with strips and squares of color, leaving a thin border between each block where the background paper can show through. Rather than measuring each strip of paper, make a pencil mark or small indentation with your fingernail where you would like to cut and use your paper trimmer to cut straight lines. By using the pencil mark or indentation as your cutting mark, you’ll have blocks that fit perfectly in the spaces on your page, without having to pull out a ruler. Alternate the colors and vary the sizes of blocks to create your color block mosaic. Continue cutting strips or squares to fit until the whole page is covered.

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Tips:

• Use blocks of paper in shades of the same color for a single color or “monochromatic” background or frame.



• Choose various types of patterned and textured paper for added dimension and texture.



• Use square punches in various sizes to quickly create blocks in uniform sizes.



• Add embellishments such as eyelets, brads, fibers, glitter, buttons, and stickers to the blocks of color.



• If you are an 8 1/2" x 11" scrapper, save your scraps when you cut down your 12" x 12" paper. You can use the extra paper for borders, colorblocking, to cut out letters, or for paper piecing.

Technique "Twists":

• Any of the color blocking variations can be created as backgrounds or with any of the elements of your pages. Cutting various sizes of color blocks and adding them to your layout as a border is a quick and easy border idea for any scrapbook layout.



• Titles and journaling look great when implemented using the color blocking technique. Vary the sizes and types of letters, using a different block of color as the background for each word or letter, depending on your title.



• Add embellishments to the blocks of color or outline them to add detail.



• To make color blocked frames and mats, use any of the color blocking variations to add dimension and focus to a special photograph.