Depth and Dimension

Anna Aspnes’ UrbanStitchez are a favorite for adding depth, dimension and texture to my scrapbooking pages. Today, I thought I’d share how I combined them along with template layers from 8×8 Artsy Template Album No. 1 and some TapedTextures to create depth and dimension on this two page spread.

Create Extractions and Blend Sketches

After extracting my grandson and creating sketches from copies of five photos, I blended the sketches into two solid papers from ArtPlay Palette Forester. I had already blended the papers together using the gradient tool on layer masks. I used brushes from AnnaBlendz Artsy No. 4 and a soft round brush to blend the sketches into the paper. Once my photos and sketches were in place, I considered how I might create more depth on my page.

Use Template Layers and Taped Textures to Create Depth

My first thought was to work with the template’s layers that I had already placed on my page above the two blended solid papers. I adjusted the placement, recolored and/or masked eighteen layers of template pages 8-9 from 8×8 Artsy Template Album No. 1.

Note that I adapted this template to a 24×12 page by enlarging the layers about 15%. The page design of this template with its text placement and series of masks going across the top inspired my photo placement. After enlarging the layers, I moved them all to the left which left space for a larger photo on the right. I will include this page in a book for family that I will publish at the end of the year.

Next, I positioned several png files from TapedTextures No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 above the template layers. Both the template layers and taped textures added more depth to the page.

Add UrbanStitchez

However, while I liked the increased depth and texture on my page, I thought that my extractions appeared ungrounded. I began experimenting with the UrbanStitchez. I dragged a png file of UrbanStitchez 5_9, a fine gauge stitch, onto my document below all the extractions, but above the taped textures and layers from 8×8 Artsy Template No. 1. I positioned the first png file roughly along the foreground line between the sketched player on the right and the extraction of my grandson dribbling the ball. I added a layer mask. With a small, hard round brush I masked out any stitching that appeared where I didn’t want it over the sketch or extraction. I added two more copies of the same png file over the foreground line, flipped one horizontally for variety and added a layer mask to each in order to hide unwanted stitches running along the line in the sketch.

Repeat Using Additional UrbanStitchez

I followed the same process for adding stitching to each of the other sketch lines, but I chose a different stitch for each row. In all cases, I did not increase the stitch size. Instead I pieced png files together by overlapping the stitching. Then I added layer masks so that they looked like one continuous line. I also used the mask to hide any unwanted stitching that might show above a leg or foot. For the second and third rows of stitching, I used png files from UrbanStitchez No. 7. Finally, I grounded my grandson and his dad with two more UrbanStitchez from UrbanStitchez No. 2.

Note: I could also have used the .abr brush file of the stitches and stamped each on a new blank layer. As described above, I would have added layer masks to erase unwanted stitches.

Embellish

I then added a stitch from ButtonThreadz No. 1 to tack down the green button on the left before adding journaling, a title and the date.

By placing the UrbanStitchez over the basketball court lines, I emphasized the depth in the scene and added dimension to my page. I also grounded a photo extraction by adding UrbanStitchez below the extraction. Template layers, TapedTextures and UrbanStitchez are all great tools for adding depth and dimension to a page.