Friday 18 October 2013

My Banner Manifesto


It's nearly the weekend, so let's put the flags out!

Or, we could talk about banners?


Banners have been big for a bit now in the scrapbooking world. So big, maybe they're turning a corner (a banner going round a corner: I'd have to follow that one, wouldn't you?) and going small again. But I'm not ready to bid banners goodbye and I'm not saying farewell to flags. Noooo way..

Last time I banner-ed big, someone said but I just don't get banners

Well, let's start with the obvious.

- if you want to celebrate. A few flags on a page gives your viewers a good visual clue. Before they read a word of journaling they can see that this is a page about something fun. In fact, you might not even need a lot of journaling if you have broken out the bunting.

But, you can be more subtle than that. You can use banners to

- add an extra layer of meaningI have a postage stamp punch which I used to make a banner of stamps. It's on a page about me in the garden as a little girl (amongst other things), and the garden was my dad's big thing. His other love was collecting postage stamps and so I'm reminded of that. You could almost say that I'd flagged it up..



- add colour. If you are following that old design principle of gallon, pint, quart, maybe you're looking for a little touch of a third colour? There you go..

-  add dimension. Pop dot your banner, let it fly high and you've added depth to your page.

- add movement

- repeat a shape you have somewhere else in your design

- use it as a home for other elements: a title or extra embellishments. They will be well grounded if you put  them on top of the banner..even if that does mean they are flying high..

...alright, maybe that's enough with the bunting stuff. But what I really want to say is this - if you don't get banners, then don't even try. Think of them as a design device instead. Then fly the flag. It is Friday, after all...


Now, does a stamp-y banner count as a contribution to Julie Kirk's lovely Going Postal series? It might be pushing a postal point to say yes - but at least it has given me a chance to give her a shout out! She has a beautiful postal Pinterest pinboard right here and lots of stampin' blog stuff going on right here. Go on, drop her a line..

25 comments:

Mel said...

Love these ideas Sian - I haven't used a banner in ages but do love them.

Miriam said...

I just love banners and bunting and all things hanging around. I have bunting of all sizes all over my work room!

alexa said...

This is a wonderfully useful post, Sian, apart from its visual gorgeousness ( that goes without saying but needs saying anyway!). I haven't used much in the way of banners but now I have seen how you have used square and circular ones, I am feeling a tingle of interest and am off to find my circle punch :).

Melissa said...

What a fantastic layout - love the colors! I'm not ready to give up banners either, so maybe I'll add one to a layout today! :>)

Ruth said...

I'm a fan of the odd banner or two. I love how they bring a page or pages together.

Julie Kirk said...

I'd already hopped out of my 'reader' to leave a comment before I even got to the end and saw the Going Postal links/references! Thanks so much Sian! Your page is so very lovely and I love that you've scrapped yourself.

Loved the 'bannerfesto' too - lots of sensible advice there.

I've popped your post on the board: http://www.pinterest.com/notesonpaper/going-postal/

Thanks again. Julie :-)

Barbara Eads said...

I love that layout----and the little bits you used on the shelf to highlight it.

Sandra said...

As always great ideas. I don't think banners will ever go out

Amy said...

I happen to fall into the category of not really getting banners - well, I get them I think but I don't use them!
I do however love how you used the circles on the card, now that is a great example.

Unknown said...

Yes, I'm a fan of banners, bunting etc, I don't use them often but love it when I do.
Gorgeous page, love the birds watching what you are up to!

Susanne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Susanne said...

I'm a banner fan too at the moment, although my crush on them comes and gos. I love your manifesto of ideas here - and that layout is pretty darn cool. Your cards always seem very much in your very own style too. Nice!

Jennifer Shaw said...

Such a lovely card and LO. Love the banner using the stamps. I am still a sucker for using a banner. I don't think I will ever tire of them.

Jimjams said...

Hmmm still not my thing LOL, but I love the way that *YOU* use them so it's all good :-)

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

Well I'm a fan of banners and bunting, even if they are 'old hat' now. They'll continue to appear on my cards for a while yet I think.

Kim Winter said...

I love the use of the buttons! Too cool!

Alison said...

I'm just about to choose some papers for making so e bunting foe the layout I'm doing!...love your ones!
Alison xx

Lisa-Jane said...

I still love banners because they can be treated so very differently and used for so many reasons. Bring them on!

Relyn Lawson said...

WOW!! You do amazing work!

JulieJ said...

Love the banner on you card and a great page. I have some of that style of paper and I'm never quite sure how to use it. I shall have to pin it and give it a try.

Lou said...

you couldn't have chosen more appropriate background...love it. Banners work for me too x

Jo said...

A great post, I'm a banner lover but I don't use them much :)

Maria Ontiveros said...

I'm definitely not ready to let go of banners yet.
Rinda
And what an awesome, awesome page!

Nathalie said...

Banners are a great tool that I am not ready to abandon either… I love how your details have such significance (I have probably said that before about your work!) and your photo is priceless!

Anonymous said...

I'm like Amy, I like them on other's pages but just don't use them on my own. I really liked this post as it gave me more "insight" into banners.

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