Criticize!
Most scrappers are their own worst critics… I know I am!
But to each other we are oh-so nice and gentle.
Usually, scrappers focus on the good things in other people’s work,
and leave compliments to give someone that extra boost to go on.
I like that! I really do! But this time, feel free to criticize my layout.
What’s more: I ask you to!!!
I know there’s something “wrong” with my last layout.
I even know WHY that is… but don’t see the “wrong” part that clearly…
So take a good look at this layout, and CRITICIZE IT!
Tell me what’s wrong with it!
(maybe that’s even nice to do for a change!)
I made this layout for the “Gutter Girlz”.
THE PROMPT: Kiss My ASS
THE SONG: Bad Reputation by Joan Jett
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Chain
Hard to read on the photo, but these are the (part of the) lyrics I used:
“A girl can do what she wants to do and that’s what I’m gonna do
An’ I don’t give a damn ’bout my bad reputation”
Used materials: spray ink, journaling pens, stamps (journaling lines),
machine stitching, metal thread
Detail
Wrinkled photo
and metal thread,
crocheted into
a “chain”
Detail
Journaling and
doodling with
white and black
journaling pens.
Did you take a good look?
(the pictures enlarge when you click on it)
OK then, I ask you to be honest!
What do you think?
See you next Friday,
Je t’embrasse!
January 19th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
You know, I think this page is great, wish it were mine! However if you think it needs something, it would probably benefit from a heavily inked black edge/border. That would draw your eye more to the journalling and lend a credence to the weight of the layout, highlighting the pushpins and stitching. Just a thought….
January 19th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
I don’t think it “needs something more” really… it’s just that I think it’s overall not a very great layout – but why?
January 19th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
I really like the inks you used and the way you crocheted the wire is a super detail. I think the layout is a little top heavy – the inner section is wider at the top than at the bottom and the photo and heavier color add to the impact at the top. Perhaps a heavily inked black or dark red(is that your top color) border especially in the bottom left area would give more weight to the bottom of the layout. Curious as to what you think? have a great week and this is a very cool post!
January 19th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
great page, but the journalling is hard to read, it doesn’t pop out of the background.
January 19th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Well, I’ve never been one to shy away from honesty. If I don’t care for a layout, I will rarely comment on it. So, when I DO comment, it’s always a truthful statement for me.
So, here’s the truth: This layout is just dandy. It works. It is balanced visually, it breaks a few rules appropriately (like the journaling over the title) and the colors and “feel” of the layout all work together well from my perspective.
But 12×12 layouts (i.e. squares) are never my favorites and perhaps because you have non-graphic style design in the center of the square, you are feeling that it just doesn’t have that pop. Think more about the Z in your design – does your eye follow it? In this layout the eye lands last on the photo, but then doesn’t have anywhere else to go. Perhaps, it would work better with a little less symmetry and more of a Z design – like popping that photo more down toward the bottom right hand corner of the page. Then the eye has a good final resting spot with all that visual stuff going on. Hope that helps!
January 19th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Ik had hem al op SIS gezien.De lijnen waar de tekst in staat lijkt een notenbalk,je zou er wat muzieknoten aan toe kunnen voegen als je het gevoel hebt dat je wat mist. Misschien is de foto te lief voor de titel en krijg je daar door het idee dat het niet klopt. Wat mij betreft hoef je het niet te veranderen , ik vind hem super !!!
January 19th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Honestly, I love it! 😀
January 19th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
I seriously see nothing wrong with it. And I am not just saying that 🙂 I love the stick pins.
January 19th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
het beeld is vertikaal te heftig in twee gedeeld, denk ik.
January 19th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
LOVE the page-the honesty of it is amazing. I do agree that the journaling is a tad bit hard to read, and I also think putting the pic on a larger matt would help it pop as well. I love the title!
January 19th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Marit, I love it! The ONLY thing I could even come up with to change it would be to MAYBE add a black outline to the edges of the layout, with ink or a black marker?
January 19th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Hoi meis, ik zit naar je werk te kijken (wat ik overigens niet eens écht “verkeerd” vind hoor!!) Wat misschien beter had gewerkt is als het vlak buiten het vierkant donker was gekleurd en binnen het vierkant licht… Dan was in elk geval je journaling beter zichtbaar geweest… Of misschien is de onderkant nu te licht en de bovenkant te donker (zwaartepunt ligt niet helemaal goed???) De getekende spijkertjes vind ik echt superleuk!! En je foto… WAUW!!!
January 19th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
I love it. I would LOVE to be able to read your journaling more clearly, but I do love the white lettering… since you’re asking for ideas, I would darken the edges of the page. Possibly with more red, and then go over it with the white again. Thanks so much for playing along in the gutter!! Love it.
January 19th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
Fabulous! Like others have said I’d like to be able to read your journaling, but I’m nosy like that. 🙂 Since you want criticism then I’d say for me it’s a little flat. I like a lot of dimension in my work but that is a personal preference and I’ve been known to like really flat things too. I just think we aren’t going to like everything we create all the time ya’ know.
January 19th, 2010 at 9:35 pm
I almost forgot: Thanks so much for playing in the gutter with us!!!
January 20th, 2010 at 12:38 am
You’re crazy Marit, this is awesome!! The only thing I would do is ink the edges all around to keep the eye centered, but that’s it woman!! Thanks for rolling in the gutter with us!!!
January 20th, 2010 at 3:26 am
Volgens mij staat de foto teveel in het midden, en heb ik, maar dat is mijn persoonlijke mening, wat moeite met de kleuren, en er mist iets krachtigs!!
Kus,vanuit Fort MacKay
Broer
January 20th, 2010 at 7:14 am
I dont think here is anything “wrong” with this page at all. I love the colors and ur title is great! If it were my page I think I would add a few more layers. But i like layers lol!
January 20th, 2010 at 10:24 am
I love it – but if you want to do any more, I agree about the black ink. Thanks for sharing 🙂
January 20th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
i think this is AMAZING! Then again i am biased about anything “grungy” 🙂 The stitching is awesome! If you add anything else it may become too busy!
January 20th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Ha Marit, ik heb je LO eens heel kritisch bekeken (ik vind het een topper). In mijn ogen is ie helemaal af zo….ik zou er niets aan veranderen!
Groeten uit Geldrop, Viv
January 20th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
I would give it one extra pop of color. Something unexpected at a spot where you want highlighted the most…be it the journaling, the title work or the photo.
January 21st, 2010 at 1:23 am
Well, my first thought was that it lacked something, maybe in the lower left corner. But I can see where you would disagree with that. Soooo – in that case, I would say it’s a bit plain. If I came across it in an album I would look at it and read the journaling and admire the techniques you have used to create the background, but I wouldn’t sit there and gaze at it like we all do when we’ve made a really good page, lol! I think that because the background is largely red, and the photo is largely unadorned, the impression is that you’ve taken a background and plonked a photo on it. Obviously you’ve MADE the background, but still I think that’s the problem. I guess that’s a bit vague, and whether you do anything about it is up to you, lol, but that’s why I think you see it as unfinished!
Oh, and that LO of my cousin with the cowlick is back up on my blog. I submitted it for a page call but it didn’t get chosen. Not surprised, altho I like it a lot! xxx
January 21st, 2010 at 7:34 am
Ik waag me er niet aan Marit! Ik vind ‘t top zo en wou dat ik kon zeggen dat ik ‘m had gemaakt!
Maar ik ben wel heel benieuwd of je iets hebt aan voorgaande kritische reactie’s, of je iets gaat veranderen en of dit dan iets toevoegt aan deze lo.
Je houdt ons vast wel op de hoogte.
January 22nd, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Nou, sorry hoor Marit, maar ik zou ook niks kunnen bedenken hoor, vind ‘m weer helemaal toppie!!
Wat grappig he, dat als je vraagt om kritiek, iedereen dat dan ook ‘durft’ te geven. Terwijl je, als je er niet naar vraagt, alleen maar positieve reacties krijgt. Zet je aan tot denken…
XXXJenneke
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:20 pm
LOVE this idea! So often I wish I would get honest (like this) or specific (like, “nice stitching” instead of “great page!”). I commend you for seeking the honesty out!!
That said…
Since there’s a lot of suggestions here already, here are my first impressions: -Originally, I didn’t get how the photo connected to the theme — I had to look through the wrinkles to see a hand holding a cigarette… Is that the “bad reputation?” Maybe add a smaller, close-up photo of the hand to really drive the theme home.
-At first, I thought that the journaling was music notes…
-I LOVE the way the title is almost ghost-like (big, but clear, etc.). Given the monochromatic-ness of the LO, I think the elements (like the title or photo) would POP more if there were white space from the square to the edge of the page, with maybe a few selected scribbles….
All in all, really awesome ideas here!
January 23rd, 2010 at 11:23 am
beetje late reactie…. je vraagt wel wat van mij om kritiek op je lo te geven 😉 maar ik heb je lo bekeken en sorry ik vind het gewoon een gave lo 🙂 heb er echt niks op aan te merken!
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:47 pm
I think it’s incredible just as it is! Love the chain!
January 24th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Cool, a small fave part of your LO is the black ‘talking lines'{second detail shot}. I guess you’d call them voice prints? Happy happies.
January 24th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
OK Marit, I cannot see anything that says this is not a great creation! Truly, I find it pleasing, inspiration and so well put together.
There you have my honest opinion which is what I always try to give.
Who am I to criticize anyone else’s artwork? I am not in their head. I can say what pleases me, very thought provoking post as always dear one!
oxo
January 27th, 2010 at 11:19 pm
Ik zou niet weten wat er mis aan is, hoewel ik ook wel zie dat het nu niet je beste werk is, én ik ook alle reacties hierboven heb kunnen lezen. Voor mij mist het wat kleur, ik hou niet zo van pagina’s in 1 kleurschakering, maar dat is zo persoonlijk dat ik nu ook weer niet kan zeggen dat dat precies hetgene is wat er verkeerd aan zou zijn. Ik heb in je latere post al gelezen wat jij denkt dat er niet zo goed aan is, maar dat de foto op een eerder gemaakte achtergrond “gekwakt” is, dat gevoel had ik nu toch eerlijk gezegd niet.
Wat ik eigenlijk veel interessanter vind, is zoals Jenneke gezegd heeft, dat je kritiek vraagt, en het ineens ook krijgt, terwijl het anders alleen maar positief is… Zou het beter zijn moest iedereen altijd een eerlijke, niet altijd zo zoetsappige positieve commentaar geven? Zouden we hier voordeel kunnen uithalen, zou ons werk hierdoor verbeteren als we het van iemand anders’ oogpunt bekijken, of zou het demoraliserend werken? … Ik vraag het me af!
xxx Peggy
February 6th, 2010 at 3:10 am
Perfection is WAY overrated! However it see nothing imperfect about that layout! It ROCKS!