Here’s the layer order for a shadow box, from front to back: Now let’s talk about shadow box layers and their order. If we look closely at the shadow box I designed, the focal point is the people on the swing, the frames are the foliage (trees and flowers) around it, and the background is the sun. It can be as simple as a plain and uncut piece of cardstock, or you can add extra layers behind that piece of cardstock to add more depth, such as a sun, moon, stars, or even a reflection. For the best results, your focal point should be clearly defined and without other layers touching it or overlapping it.Ī shadow box’s frames are the elements you’ll have at the edges (top, sides, and bottom), often things like trees, flowers, other less-important buildings and animals, or really just anything that goes with the theme and helps you draw the eye to the focal point.Ī shadow box’s background is what appears behind the focal point and frames. This focal point isn’t likely to be very large, but the eye will be drawn to it. It’s often the silhouette of a person or people, an animal, a character, a building, or something else meaningful and personal. The secret to creating a beautiful custom shadow box is to always have three things: a FOCAL POINT, FRAMES, and a BACKGROUND.Ī shadow box’s focal point, usually at the center, is the element you want to really stand out. Then when you shine a light from behind the layers of cardstock, the light comes through the layers in varying degrees of brightness, creating a lovely 3D effect with depth and beauty. Essentially, the way a shadow box works is you stack many layers of cardstock on top of each other, with each layer having different elements cut out from the center of the cardstock. In order to design a custom shadow box, it helps to understand how shadow boxes work.
#Silhouette connect x8 how to#
See exactly how to design your own shadow box in this tutorial video below (or keep scrolling if you prefer a step-by-step photo tutorial): But here’s the awesome thing - you can design your own custom shadow box, with just the imagery you want ! So today I am showing you how to design a custom shadow box in Cricut Design Space ! Last spring I made a garden-themed shadow box and shared it freely with everyone, and so many of you have made it! (Thank you!) Since then, I’ve seen many more variations on shadow box themes and folks keep asking for MORE. Learn how to design a custom shadow box in Cricut Design Space! DIY Paper Flower Wall Art: Mason Jars & Vases.