Advice needed

[Storm1]

No matter what I do I always seem to end up with a little boxes look. :D

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1YmSAnI1WiBcA6ors6MHn3bEVCG_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1YmSAnI1WiBcA6ors6MHn3bEVCG)

Font -no good
Bkg paper -very poor choice.
I used Greens & White because it was Spring time.
There is a great deal of History attached to the places we visited .
Although Fort Rodd belongs to Parks Canada the Veterans do a great deal of Volunteer work to keep it in good shape.
My Husband is showing our youngest son where he was soldiering in France during WW 2.


Without changing it too radically ( too much work ) how can I convey a History feel to this Collage /Montage/ Scrapbook page. ?
Any little embellishments I could put ?
Better font & that bkg I feel if I made it grungy - I've had it :):)
Storm

[lsweeney]

What about using one of the photos as the background? Transform it to fit your paper and maybe desaturate it or lower the opacity or change the blend mode (all depends on what is on the layer below). Maybe a sepia toned overlay to convey some age and history?

I like the thumbed/stacked look of your smaller photos. You could sort of spin off another rectangle the same size and color as the mat on your small photos, turn it a little from the stack, but let it touch some to make it part of the look. Make it look like another photo that has fallen out of the stacked ones. Use this area as your text block area to tell your story about the trip. It's easier to put the text in before you rotate the block--afterwards highlight the block layer and the text layer and then transform (rotate) them together.

(I'm always full of big ideas when someone else is doing the work!)

[emkayess65]

Hi Storm,
it looks like you had a nice trip.
Nice combination of pictures and locations.
I know it is still kind of gray/beige outside.
That's why I would intensify the colors some.
Like the red of the lighthouse
and the contrast between the woods and the bridge.
Make it pop, you know....Blue Skies ahead.

mks

[Wendy]

Hi Storm ..

Try reducing the drop shadow a little on the photos :)

Wendy

[frank abramonte]

I don't see anything wrong with your use of boxes.
Since your collage represents your husbands experience in WW2 I think a military scene, as a background, would help tie it together.
Maybe some clipart of soldiers, sailors, medals, assortment of allied flags or a scene of the Normandy invasion.

[cats4jan]

You mentioned not being happy with the BG - maybe a gray/blue would work better. I'm a big fan of pulled pixels when I'm stumped for a paper choice.

[Inspeqtor]

You mentioned not being happy with the BG - maybe a gray/blue would work better. I'm a big fan of pulled pixels when I'm stumped for a paper choice.

Janice,

What do you mean by pulled pixels?

Thanks :)

[Diana]

Janice,

What do you mean by pulled pixels?

Thanks :)


Here's a couple threads on pulled pixel backgrounds:

http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?p=371086

http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showpost.php?p=255161&postcount=9
(tutorial)

Diana

[Storm1]

Thank you all for looking & your suggestions.
Lorrie I have used a photo as the bkg paper before maybe again.
mks -make it pop . I agree I can see how blah the Trestle looks.
Sorry I misled you Frank this Collage is not about my Husbands WW2 experiences.That map just happened to be in one of the buildings,just why I don't know.
Fort Rod & Fisgard Lighthouse were all part of the Defence system guarding the Strait of Juan de Fuca & Esquimalt Harbor & Fort Victoria from the 1800's thro'to WW2.
Jan I too like your pulled pixels in your Scrapbook pages.
Charles that striped band in the middle is pulled pixels.
Get an image ,with square marqee make a rect about 2 pxs wide & as long as you want & then drag them across .
You get all sorts of surprises :D
First thing I am going to do is drag this desk out again & change back to my old partially broken mouse.
Ole Bill spoilt me by making the Microsoft Explorer Trackball . I have got 2 Logitechs trying out but for me they are no good.
Stupid Microsoft stopped making them ,they are very well designed & with all these poor "baby boomers" joining the
lower ranks of us "old fogies" I am sure Trackballs will be more in demand. ;)
Wendy thought what on earth is she on about & then the penny dropped & I can see your point.
Lots of work thanks for the imput. Storm