Wonderful World Of Color: Working With Neon

photo credit: Typography Mania

Hi everyone! Stephanie here, popping in with another color inspiration post for you all. Last summer, neon was all the rage. The trend began on the runway and quickly trickled into the scrapbook industry. There were neon spray mists, neon ink pads, neon sequins - the list goes on and on!

If you're like me, chances are you picked up a neon item or two … And maybe it's been sitting in your stash, un-used, because you're not sure how to add it to your projects. Taking my color cues from the fashion industry, I've discovered some simple ways to add neon to my layouts and cards without overwhelming my design …  

Layout by Anna-Maria Wolniak for Studio Calico 

1. When working with neon, less is more.

When you decide to create a bold, colorful project it can be tempting to grab all the neon products you own and squeeze color into every nook and cranny of your layout. That's certainly one way to do it, but if you're worried about 80's overload try adding just a "splash" of neon. Some mist drops or a cluster of small embellishments will go a long way. 

Photo Credit: Moxie Fab World 

2. When in doubt, pair neon with black and/or white. 

It can be hard to find papers and designs that work well with neon. If you're having trouble matching your neon products to cardstock or patterned paper, here's a great rule of thumb to remember: go with black for a dramatic "wow" factor or white for a softer, more summery look. Are the colors in your photos clashing with the neon products you want to use? Switch the photos to black and white & the problem's solved! 

Layout by Ula from ulietta.blogspot.com

3. Build up layers of colors

To help tone down the boldness, try layering neon on top of a more subtle shade of the same color - for example: neon pink on top of pale pink or rose. The layout above is a perfect example of combining bright, neon blues with more subtle shades, creating a much more balanced design. 

I hope these tips and tricks are helpful to you! If you don't have any neon scrappy stuff to play with don't despair! A quick trip to Target or the local drugstore will get you in with the color crowd. You can buy neon nail polish there for as little as $1 and use it in the same way you would mist or paint. 

You can find tons more neon inspiration on the Pinterest board I created specifically for this post. Check it out RIGHT HERE. 

Happy National Scrapbook Day! Keep calm and neon on :)