Help! Love card looks too sinister?!?

[codepink]

Okay, so I'm working on a valentine's card and I thought I might be close so I showed my DH. He has a good eye for color, etc, so I value his opinion. He said he liked it, BUT he said it felt rather sinister with the "blood red and burnt edges" and he said it had the feeling of being bound up - NOT what I was going for!

Any advice on how to fix this sinister looking love card is greatly appreciated. As with everyone, I'm my own worst critic.

amy

[GMAX]

For me, it's the starkness of the black with red. Try some other color rather than black. Just my humble opinion.

[CreativeDiva]

:lol: well, I don't really think it looks "sinister"...
My first instinct is to tell you that you should leave it as is... but that's probably not the help you're looking for...
If you want to make it look less dark you could try tying cream or white ribbon around it in a bow instead of the gold cord (the light color will lighten it, the bow will soften it...)
Mabe put it on white background instead of red and then use direct to paper to smudge some red on the white so the contrast not too startling...
oohh oohh, better, keep the red background, but put vellum over it to soften it...
I don't know, just thinking aloud...
But I still don't think the card looks sinister.

[MD Plover]

My opinion is that where ever you put the black I would go with either pink or white

[CreativeDiva]

looking at it again, how about vellum over the black (or instead of the black)?

[justheather]

I'd change the black back mat (does that makes sense?) to white, vellum or some other accent color (I love Mellow Moss with Real Red!).

I like the black beind the word love, though...makes it pop.

[meldan]

I keep coming back to look at this card. I don't think it is sinister but rather I think it looks very dramatic. I would love to see it on the cover of a racy Harlequinn novel...don't know if that was the look you were going for but you created a very striking card!!!! :lol:

[jdmeeks]

May soften it up using US White with the Definition stamped. You could sponge real red over the white and that would make it blend better! The concept is really good!

[CyndiManak]

I agree with meldan, I think it looks a little racy...

[Michelle Laycock]

Definitely the black. When I think of the colors black and red together I always think of "racy" and "overtly sexy"

Try white instead of black and perhaps try white mulberry behind the front piece instead of black cardstock.

[codepink]

Thanks for the help! I knew I could count on y'all. Here's what I finally settled on...

Gallery at Splitcoaststampers

[madiegirl]

Looks awesome !!!! I did like the boldness of the first one but love the softer look of the second too. It's nice to see the contrast !
Great job !
Thanks for sharing !
Shelley