[podiumchick]

So, let me take you down a pathway in my mind (scary, I know) to let you see where I'm coming from with my question.

I was thinking this morning as I read the NL and saw the SS winning LO with the denim and the zippers, etc. and wondered if anyone would scrap with those things in 'real life'--on paper. I've wondered this about rocks and seashells and other chunky embellies too. I started wondering if that is important, digitally--to be 'realistic' or 'like paper'. I'm interested in hearing your opinions. Personally, I'm not comfortable putting elements in my digiscrapping that I don't see on paper scrapped layouts. I subscribe to several magazines and am surprised at how 'chunky' some LOs are, but I'm sitting on the fence wondering.

I know we are free to be very creative digitally and there are no limits. But what do YOU like?

[mbc72]

I find that is one of the advantages of digital, that you can use the heavy chunky elements that you wouldn't use on paper. Just like I would never use a ripped, bent or otherwise "imperfect" photo or paper on a paper layout, but love the look on digital. That being said, I do think more like a paper scrapper when I look at my layouts and really try to have some texture and get my shadows realistic.

I guess I just pick and chhose the best of both world!!

[Sara Arell]

I started paper scrapping a hundred years ago, it seems and I loved it - but I was already into graphic design and doing digital layouts with my own artwork, etc long before I found digital scrapping - honestly, I still love all of the fun of paper scrapping but I can't put the money into doing both so I choose digital for myself. I understand what you mean about being realistic, but I kind of like the dreamy layouts that I have done and that I see on SG - realistic? NO, but I think that's where the fun comes in for me - I like the dimension of paper scrapping definitely and I went back through some of my older scrapbooks and was amazed at much I still liked them - just can't warrant spending so much on paper supplies and digital supplies - I do love to combine the too when I can and if I have something on hand that I can use to do that, I do, but I still vote digital for me. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy the creativity of paper scrapping because I really do love it - I just have to choose one or the other - Also, the supplies I used to buy for paper scrapping really added up in $$$$$ and with digital scrapping I can use the same things over and over again and make changes to them so that one would not know that it's been used in another layout. Does that make any sense?

[no_idea]

I've never ever paper scrapped, in fact I am "craft challenged." I LOVE the freedom of digital, and I like when my paper scrapping friends see my LOs and marvel "How did you do that?!". Since I didn't paper scrap I don't worry about what looks correct with traditional scrapping, because I truly don't have the experience to know. I am so crazy happy with digital because for the first time in my life I feel creative, and to me that's what matters most!!!

[April Showers]

I was a paper scrapper for about 5-6 years before I switched. I never used bulky embellishments because I didn't like how they looked under a page protector or how thick they made albums. I used buttons, ribbons, brads and eyelets- and they were the thick embellishments. I love that I can use thicker things without them bulking up my pages while still adding depth and dimension. If you think about it, you probably would have used seashell stickers on a paper page... not that different really, except some of the ones we have available in digital are so much more realistic.

[SandiC.]

I'm not too concerned about how realistic things look. I'm like April, used the embellishments on my ol paper LOs, but they became soooo bulky. I don't like that too much, just a little depth so they don't look flat.

[AggieB]

I never really got into paper scrapping, but I love digital. It never occurred to me to only do digitally what I could do with paper. I'd have to say that digital is a whole different critter.

[bjc]

to me the beauty of digital is that it is digi....sounds redundant but hey ...i love to blend papers, love to change photos, love using masks... all of these things i dont really think you can do w paper..paper has its own charm and beauty, just like children, each are different and no need to compare or model one after the other.... as for shells and rocks and things i think even paper scrappers may use these real/textured items for paper layouts that they may display but of course may not be able to put in a book....

btw...i think this is an interesting post and poll you started ..i will enjoy seeing all the answers...

[PolkaDot]

Like Aggie, I see digital as a different art form. I love that I can fade, blend, add depth, etc. I don't think about how I would have done it with paper, but that's probably because I have never paper scrapped (had no interest!)

[Belle]

Paper scrapping is messy and a lot of hard work. I love the fact that I can use 'sticks and stones' etc. in my digi scrapping.

[elibar]

I've come to think of it as art. An artist using paint as a medium wouldn't leave out a tree just because she couldn't glue a tree to her canvas. She would just make every effort to make it look realistic, if that's what's in her mind. It's just what you're trying to express.

[scraphappen]

What a great poll! I was surprised with the results. Good to see though!

[amanda]

Personally, I love the look of depth and dimension in layouts with realistic elements. I think it's fascinating to see people explore this as a digital art medium, much like realistic mixed media. Perhaps it's my own personal taste. I think we all have differing opinions, what's one persons yummy might be another person's yucky! So I guess for me, the sky can be the limit. With digital art, I think you can let your imagination take you places that you might not have thought of otherwise if you stuck to one particular style. Just my 2 cents, my "yummy" if you will!

[HeidiD]

I voted for the "Sky's the Limit" option, but my style tends toward the paper look.

For me personally, anything I create needs to be as realistic as possible. For instance, I have no problem creating fantasy-type scenes with extracted photos of babies hanging from stars with clouds in the background, etc., etc., etc., as long as everything is shadowed, layered, shaded, etc. to be as realistic-looking as possible within that context.

I guess you could think of it as a scientist (this is the left-side of my brain poking its head in my right side's business!):

We have absolutely no idea what kinds of things go on in the rest of our universe. There may be planets where there is bright pink grass, inhabitants who walk on their heads, and everybody drinks sulfur. OK. Weird to us, but whatev, right? To each their own.

The things that are the same are our universal rules. Things like gravity, the speed of light, and the freezing point of water. These are constants across our universe, no matter where you go. So on that planet, even if you're drinking sulfur for breakfast, it's not going to be floating in midair, because it's bound by the force of gravity.

Does that even remotely make sense? Or am I leading y'all down MY mind's pathway's and making everybody REALLY scared? LOL!

Anyway, my point is, no matter what you decide to do, there are constants - shadowing, layering, light directions, etc. that should apply to every art piece. That's my idea of "realistic." Within those rules, anything goes. However, since this is digital, you can control everything, including things like shadows, light sources, etc., so your ultimate creation is up to you. And that's great if that's something you choose to have fun and experiment with. I just prefer to stick within those "universal constants."

Cool question.

[~*Kiana*~]

I chose Sky's the Limit.
My LO's tend to resemble paper more though.

I haven't really gotten into the fantasy yet, but I LOVE looking at them and wondering "how did they do that"

Since I write poetry I consider myself pretty creative and I am a big SUPPORTER of ARTISTIC LICENSE. What might be a poem to me may not be a poem to you, and the same goes for scrapping.

This was a great question and poll and I loved reading all of the responses.

[Reminiscing]

I voted "It's digital! Sky's the limit...." but really I'm both. My roots are in paper scrapping, which I've done in some way or another before scrapbooking became a big industry. I have scrapbooks dating back to sixth grade, which would be early 1980s. However, I never got really into lots of embellishments, and certainly not big thick ones. I never even used buttons or brads in my paper scrapping. I discovered digital scrapbooking in 2004 and loved it. Part of what I love is what we can do digitally that we can't do with paper. However, I usually tend to keep it realistic.

[ArizonaAngel]

For me the sky is the limit also. I'm trying to do more artistic LOs but alas mine too tend to be more like paper LOs. That's OK though! I just love to play with it.

[sarabethp]

I didn't have roots in paper scrapping. Honestly, I never saw the purpose in all that boring cardstock and so many of the LOs (my own included) seemed childish to me. I dove into digital because it was different than paper scrapping. I love the Non-realistic look to it. To me it is a form of art and I think that whatever looks right to you is the important part.

[JenW]

I did paper for awhile but everything was pretty flat. I hated having a chunky album! I created with only paper and stickers, looking back it was pretty boring. That is what drew me to digital. I LOVED the look of "chunky," I love the dimensions! But I hated mess & bulky albums. With digital I get the best of both worlds and I absolutely LOVE it! I can have the dimensions and still have a flat page to put in an album! It is fantastic!

[catinkeri]

When I first started with digi I wanted it to be like paper scrapping, but now I just think that the skies the limit. I love the way anything is possible with digi scrapping! And of course with the designers here at SG they make everything accessible and 'doable'.

[Cheri T]

I, like many, have voted for sky is the limit, however, mine tend to be less artsy and more papery.
My paper scrapbooks, which I still dabble in, tend to be lumpy-ish. I used buttons (flat-ish ones), fibers/yarn, brads, and remember/know all the metal from Making Memories company? Yeah, I used that too. I love that I can have the lump but my pages are flat in digi. I took a look at a couple of your pages Kim (love your style, I always have!)...on the first couple lines I see a row of buttons and a butterfly on a couple pages. Buttons on paper pages do end up being really lumpy. Yet they look cool on a paper or digi page. Butterflies on a paper page are usually/always stickers and look very, well, unnatural. Yet on a digi page the shadow can be made such that it looks like a real butterfly landed on the page.

So I guess what I'm saying is I like having the best of both worlds:) Great question Kim; looks like it made us all think!

[Ro]

I seem to love everything - depending on my mood. Sometimes, I go for simple. Sometimes, I load them up. But I love that they are nice and flat. This might horrify you, but last weekend - when I was cleaning out my office - I found my big 12x12 paper scrapbooked albums. I had literally forgotten about them because the books are so big, I had to put them in a bottom cabinet and then, stuff got stacked in front of them.

As I looked through the books, things were falling off of pages, etc. I ended up tearing them apart and have donated the actual albums. I have a stack of stuff I'm going to scan into my computer and then I'll make some digital layouts.

It made me kind of sick when I thought about how much time I had spent on those layouts and they weren't lasting at all. But my digi layouts are all perfect - of course. And it was sickening to release that I had accidentally glued a couple of things on some heritage photos.

I was sick, sick, sick about it. I never have to worry about ruining photos as a digital scrapbooker!

My 8.5x11 paper books (I have a lot of them) were made in the days before scrapbooking got lumpy and the books fit on shelves, so I'll keep them as they are.

If I didn't think I liked digital scrapbooking enough before, that experience with my 12x12 albums completely and utterly convinced me that I'm on the right path with it.

[Eden]

I'm a "The sky's the limit" kinda girl. I never did paper scrapping - never saw the point.

I arrived at digitial scrapping only 3 months ago - through making a few photobooks of my travels. Already it's much more than that for me now. Sometimes its a fun way to dress up poor photos and can be a personal record but sometimes it can "morph" into an art form and become quite a strong medium for conveying a range of messages.

Thanks for the question!

[Heatheranne]

I was just getting started with paper scrapping when I found out about digital scrapping. I must admit that I like the bulky look. One of my favourite forms of art are shadow boxes, although I've never made one yet. I doubt that a shell could be used with paper scrapping, but I would be tempted at putting slices of shell and a shell, or chip of Mother Of Pearl, on a paper layout. Luckily in digital, I can do whatever I want, so bring on the bulk, the grunge and the tears! Digital scrapping is a wonderful world! :-)

[tinkerbell11]

I think when I first converted from paper to digital I was worried about how the difference affected my pages but now I love all the times people look in my books and say "Wow how did you do that?" knowing that I could never recreate certain techniques on paper, And I can use all the embellishments I want and my book CLOSES ha ha!

[caprimom]

I never scrapped traditionally either. I just dived right on into digi. For that reason, when I first started making layouts, I tried to replicate the pages I saw in magazines because I could understand "create a rectangle to be a photo mat" better than I could understand blending and brushes etc. Now that I have a bit more experience, I find that I like whatever strikes me at the moment. Like Heidi, I try to make realistic shadows, etc, regardless of the type of layout.