I need title help!

Okay, I am printing this page out for future reference - I have a book of printed info from you guys! Amy

The title is always my favorite part of the page!
I rely on my computer A LOT, but then I have several templates, and you can do SOOOO many things with them. I am also big into doing creative handlettering. There are several very insipring books out there to that can get you started.

Here are a few of my favorite things:
1. Computer fonts, lots of them, and using them every which way your little head can think of. I usually use these for really long titles because it's easier to be constistant. Word Art (part of your regular old word program, no special program needed) can do about a MILLION and 1 differant things. It's also VERY easy to resize. You can get lots of free fonts from online, or there are some GREAT programs as well. Cut them out, print them right on your journal block, print them in color, or hollow and use a marker or chalk to fill them in. It's limited only by your imagination.

2. Take your favorite template, and dry emboss each of your letters. Then cut them out with a little lip around the sides, and it creates an AWSOME shadow effect.

3. Take a versamark pen, and trace your letters from your favorite template, then heat emboss them. This is a really neat way to add that extra class to a page. You can cut them out, or emboss right on your title block. (Unless your VERY talented, I wouldn't emboss right on your page though.)

4. Using a template, out line with a colored pencil or marker, then fill with a complimenting chalk. This gives a GREAT cloud like look to your letters. And you can even swirl the chalk to get differant effects. I also love to use my watercolor pencils for this because you get so much DEPTH!!

5. Using a pencil, and your own hand, write out your title very simply. Then go back and add dots, triangles, hearts, whatever your hand doodles and don't stop until it looks "right", then go back with a marker or pen to make it permanant. You can't really mess it up.

6. If you want the look of a handwritten title, but just don't have the penmanship for it, or want something with a little more "umph". Use your computer to get the look you want, and then tape a piece if vellum over it, and trace away! You can do the same thing using a light box and cardstock. (This is coming from the person who should have been a doctor her handwriting is so bad!!)

Okay, I could go on for hours, but basicly (and I learned this from this site) just let your hand and mind go, and don't be afraid to try something new and crazy, after all, cardstock only cost like 20 cents!! If you mess it up, just try something else. (Although some of my favorite titles have come from messing up my "vision" but ending up with something I would have never have thought of!)

Yes, yes, yes!

You girls are wonderful! What fabulous ideas! The advice about reversing the title alone, helps me a ton!

Nancy! What great ideas! This is one area of scrapping that I lack in. You can bet I'll be trying out some of these ideas and soon! Thank you so much!
Bunny

You can do a lot of different looks from just one lettering template. Take for example the Frances Meyers Chunky:

1. Turn the stencil over, and turn the cardstock over, lightly trace the letters, and cut them out, turn them right side up and apply them to a title spot.

2. Same as #1, but cut each letter out of a different patterned coordinating paper, and then adhere them to a colored cardstock, and recut all around to make a solid color shadow around your word.

3. Letter directly on the cardstock, starting with pencil, lightly trace each letter, slightly overlapping one on top or underneath. Then decide which will be "in front". Reline with markers, and add doodles and dots to the different letters to make each one individual/

4. On white cardstock lightly pounce each letter of the title with a soft and dreamy shade of chalk (I would use a pom pom here to keep it real soft) Either all the same color, or each letter a different color. Now cut out the lettering leaving a narrow white border, and add them to the page. This looks wonderful for some sleeping baby or day dreaming layouts.

5. After cutting each individual letter for your title, make each a work of art with different embellishments--add a fine line of mono adhesive down one edge of each up and down letter, and add seed beads or micro beads. Use decorative punches for all the cut out areas of each letter, use stickers in different ways on each letter. Use eyelets, and brads to add texture.

6. For a longer or more descriptive title, cut only the most important word from the stenciled lettering. Then use brads and wire or fiber to hang the rest of the title from the letters.

These are just some ideas using only one stencil, but they can be applied to every lettering stencil made. Stencils are relatively inexpensive, and very good stepping off points for all kinds of decorative lettering. All of the above suggestions can be used on die cut lettering as well, if you want to skip the tracing and cutting steps. Many of these ideas can also be translated into sticker lettering as well. Specific to stickers, to make them look more unique than just a marching row of letters across a title block:

1. Use different fonts of stickers in one title. Maybe the basic words out of small bitty alphabet stickers, and then the important name or event out of a different color and bolder font.

2. At CKU I learned how to "dress" stickers. Take you word, and put it on a sheet of waxed paper, now run a fine strip of magic tape through the entire thing. Cut the tape off the sides of each sticker, and apply the sticker to the title block. Now pull the tomato colored film off one letter at a time, and give the little bit of sticky something important to do--hole seed or micro beads on one, maybe some shaved ice or glitter on one, foil on one, etc. so that those lettering stickers each take on their own look.

3. Use a ransome note look by writing each word in the title out of a different font of stickers, on different papers that have been cut and torn. Reassemble the title, and add a couple of fingerprints. This is great for a layout about a little girl sneaking into mommy's make up, a little boy getting into the messiest stuff in the garage. Make the layout look like a wanted poster, and in journaling, make it read like a police report, stating the crime and punishment, and name names when it comes to the witnesses. You can turn a (at the moment) tragedy into a sweet funny memory for later when your temper has cooled back down.

4. Using squares, circles, balloons, or any other shape appropriate for the occasion, make little stacking blocks and add each letter to its own stack. This looks really cute for birthdays if you make your title with balloons. Stack both patterned papers and cardstock for this, but make sure the layer that the letter will sit on is cardstock, or it will get lost in the pattern, and because the title is going to read as separate letters you could loose the wording if it is too busy.

Then of course you can put your computer to good use for lettering titles. There are many different lettering fonts on the market from Creating Keepsakes, Lettering Delight, Provo Crafts, Hugware, and best, and no expense, downloaded from the internet. Then you can mix and create your own lettering using the wide variety of fonts right from your own file. You can print them in outline, reversed, and cut out individually or as a continuous word. You can print them to vellum, and then when the vellum is dry, turn it over, and color in with markers, chalks, or colored pencils, and then mount on white.

As you can see I could go on for a long time about lettering and titles--I love this part of the layout, and often if well done cuts way down on the amount of journaling I will need to add to the layout to tell the rest of the story.

It would be good if everyone would add at least one lettering idea to this thread, and share with the rest of the neighborhood some of their favorite lettering tricks and tips.

Hope some of this is helpful--it sure got my fingers warmed up, and the brain cell lit and ready to go for the day.

Nancy

I use a combination of things. My favorite is my computer and hundreds of fonts!! You can print them in reverse and cut them out or print them onto vellum or cardstock for a title block. I also use a variety of templates, die cuts and stickers. I don't own a QuicKutz or Sizzex at the moment, so I don't use those. And I never freehand titles, because my handwriting is horrific! LOL

I do have some layouts in the gallery if you want to take a look. I think this is the link to my layouts here:
http://www.scrapbook.com/cgi-bin/photopost/index.pl?thumb=1&stype=2&si=beth+r&perpage=12&sort=1&cat=500&user=
(I hope that works!)

I mainly use my computer. However, on occasion I have used punches. I take a plain shape and then make the letter out of it. I used a circle punch on several layouts in the gallery. I just punch the circle and then try to make a letter out of it. If you are interested, check out:
http://www.scrapbook.com/cgi-bin/photopost/index.pl?photo=2278
http://www.scrapbook.com/cgi-bin/photopost/index.pl?photo=59

Cindy

I use fonts, I loooooove fonts! I have over 500. I print them as backwards outlines in MS Word and print them out, then cut them along the lines with my exacto knife. You can see LOTS of this in my gallery!

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~*~Sara!~*~

"I say embrace the total geek in yourself and just enjoy it. Life is too short to be cool." -Shirley Manson

How do you do your titles?? I don't mean the actual words but the colors, fonts, styles, etc.

I have used letter stickers and I have two alpha coluzzle templates....but those get boring afterwhile.

I checked the gallery but many of the lo's under Lettering and Titles was done with QuicKutz.

Anybody have any cheaper ideas?

ps: I do have a computer and printer!

TIA!
*b*