Repetition

Repetition is an easy way of making backgrounds and patterns for decorative panels on cards and invitations. You can take photographs of patterns or make them in an image handling program such as GIMP which is free at www.gimp.org

Design Type

You can use type to make your design look beautiful. Just make the type size really big and choose a font that has flourishes or other decorative elements. This example is the edge of an upper case letter D.

Shades of Blue

Using variations on opacity can help you make beautiful images that look translucent on the web. For example, this image would make a great background for an email newsletter.

Texture is Your Friend

Texture can be text or pattern. You can develop a library of textures by taking photos of surfaces such as pebbles, leaves and fabrics. Texture can be used for creating backgrounds in documents or web pages.

Up Close - You Beauty

Get up close to see the beauty in all things. If you take pics with the highest possible resolution on your camera you can create a myriad of opportunities with just one image by cropping and resizing different aspects of the photo. This technique is easy and enables you to make strong and beautiful images for your graphic designs whether they are intended for newsletters or cards or websites.

Focus on Blur

Photographs do not have to be in focus to be captivating. You can take out of focus pics or blur images to create mood and movement. Don't be afraid to experiment. Try things that are out of the ordinary and you will discover the beauty in all things, including your own mind.