Background vs. Foreground - Hero Arts
Posted by Lydia Fiedler on November 05, 2020

Background vs. Foreground

One of the hardest art lessons I had to learn was the concept of light and dark for background and foreground images. For some reason, I always tended to reverse them, and make my backgrounds dark and my foregrounds light. But it you go to the park and look around, you'll notice that the trees that are farther away from you are lighter than the trees closer to you. So today's card is an illustration of that art lesson.

To start, I used the Woodland Forest Stencil and Soft Granite Ink to lightly ink blend my card panel. Then I stamped the tree, which I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT in Intense Black on top of that. This tree has a matching die, and I don't care if Halloween is in the rearview, I'm making some spooky cards with this. Finally, I stamped the fox from Winter Tree and Animals in Red Royal, die cut him, and in another way to manipulate perspective, I put him in front of the tree, and let his little tail hang out of the frame just a bit. Both the color, and this frame breaking enhance your perception that he is the closest to you.

I love that he's looking over his shoulder - like he heard something. It has a wintery, sort of wistful feel to me and I could not love it more. The sentiment is from Winter Tree and Animals as well.

I hope you are safe and happy as we head into the holidays.

Hugs.

Click on products to shop:
SA155 Woodland Forest Stencil - Hero...
HA ]
CM490 Winter Tree and Animals - Hero...
HA ]
DI829 Winter Tree and Animals Frame...
HA ]
AF226 Soft Granite Shadow Ink - Hero...
HA ]
AF345 Intense Black - Hero Arts
HA ]
AF225 Red Royal Mid-Tone Shadow Ink -...
HA ]

Leave a comment

Your email will not be published. Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

1 comment

Henriëtte M.,

It’s such a gorgeous card Lydia. I also thought for a long time that the background was darker than the foreground.
Thank you so much for sharing this beauty and how you made it, I love the awesome background.
Stay safe and have a wonderful weekend.


  • How to Use Dies Beyond Basic Cutting

    Technique Tutoral

    Creative Die Cutting Techniques Every Cardmaker Should Try

    Ready to get even more from your metal dies? Discover a collection of creative die cutting techniques that go far beyond basic cutting. From embossing and eclipse designs to partial die cutting, shaped card bases, shaker cards, and interactive projects, this beginner-friendly guide will help you unlock the full potential of your Spellbinders dies.

  • September 2026 Small Die of the Month Preview & Tutorials – Owl Be There

    Spellbinders Blog

    September 2026 Small Die of the Month Preview & Tutorials – Owl Be There

    Our September 2026 Small Die of the Month preview & tutorials are here! This "Owl Be There" die set features 21 cutting dies. Enjoy the step-by-step tutorial below as well as the video tutorial to get you started with this month’s kit. Make sure to show us what you create by tagging #SpellbindersClubKits on social media! Spellbinders Monthly Clubs are exclusively designed by our in-house...

  • September 2026 Clear Stamp + Die of the Month Preview & Tutorials – Stuffed With Gratitude

    Spellbinders Blog

    September 2026 Clear Stamp + Die of the Month Preview & Tutorials – Stuffed With Gratitude

    Our September 2026 Clear Stamp & Die of the Month preview & tutorials are here! Join the Clear Stamp & Die of the Month Club and receive an expertly designed clear stamp and coordinating die set each month, complete with inspiration. Plus, members get store savings, extra deals, gifts, and more. This stamp set features made-in-the-USA stamps from high-quality photopolymer for clear, crisp impressions. Our...