Layering is one of the most popular techniques in rubber stamping, and therefore worth a closer look. Of course there are no hard and fast rules, but there are a few pointers that can be useful to keep in mind, especially if you’re new to stamping.
Think of layering as framing. Just as you would when choosing a frame for a painting, you create the layers on your card to bring out and enhance the actual artwork. You generally work with colors (do you want something that’s contrasting or complementary to your image?), widths of the borders, and different types of edges (straight, patterned, torn, etc.)
Many stampers like to use fancy edge scissors to enhance their cards, but find it hard to cut straight with them. One way of easing that problem is to place the smaller panel on top of the larger one that you want to trim, and use the smaller panel as a guide.
Personally, I think it looks better to have the fancy edge on the second (and/or consecutive) layer rather than the first. Compare the two cards below. On the first one I cut a scalloped edge on the top panel, which distracts from the stamped image. On the second card, the fancy edge scissors were used on the second layer, creating a frame that enhances the image. I chose a color that was the closest I could find to that of the stamped image, and the soft scalloped edge goes hand-in-hand with the swirls in the image. A zigzag, or other "sharp" edge, probably wouldn’t have worked as well.
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The width of the border also matters. Again, you can see two versions of the same card below. The wide silver border on the first is overwhelming. Just narrowing it down a bit makes for a much more pleasant effect I also moved central image up a bit, giving the card more balance.
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If you have several layers on a card, varying the widths of the borders makes it more interesting to look at. On the first of the Love Under the Stars cards below, the gold and the blue layers are both in increments of 1/4" in from the outer edge. On the second, I trimmed down the gold panel to expose more of the blue. A small change, but it made a difference.
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Catch Every Star uses a totally different approach. The bottom panel overlaps the top one a little bit. That is partly due to the fact that there simply isn’t enough room to place them apart, but even if there were, putting the two elements together like this holds the card together better.
I chose a contrasting color for the base card to make the main image pop out. The colors in the marbled paper tie the main image and the base card together nicely. There’s the teal of the card, and a little bit of gold from the stars. Also notice how the corners, except for on the base card, have all been treated with the same corner punch.
Play around with color and placement. Search for details in your stamped image to help you decide on what to do with edges or corners. Strive for an overall balance and harmony to your cards.
