Altenew | Oldie but Goodie Image Spotlight Technique

Hello crafty friends!

Svitlana is here. Today I’m sharing a card I made using one of the techniques I loved and used a lot at the beginning of my cardmaking journey — the image spotlight technique. I recently realized I haven’t used it in quite some time and decided to bring it back into my creative rotation.

WHAT IS THE IMAGE SPOTLIGHT TECHNIQUE?

The idea behind the image spotlight technique is to highlight a portion of a stamped image by coloring just that part, while leaving the rest in a neutral tone. It’s a simple yet striking way to draw attention to a specific area of your design.

STAMPING THE IMAGE

I started by stamping the floral image from the Build-A-Garden: Oxeye Daisy Stamp Set onto two cardstock panels — one in Solar White and one in Crafty Necessities: Evening Gray Cardstock.

I used Evening Gray Fresh Dye Ink and stamped in the same position on both panels using the Stampwheel (honestly, I don’t stamp without a tool these days).

CREATING THE SPOTLIGHT

To create the spotlight portion of the image, I die-cut a section from the stamped white panel using a die from the Rounded Rectangles Die Set.

Then I colored that piece using the coordinating Build-A-Garden: Oxeye Daisy Layering Stencil Set, along with Citrus Punch and Green Valley Fresh Dye Inks.

Since my stamp was still on the Stampwheel Flip Plate, I placed the white panel back in the base and reinserted the die-cut piece into its negative space. Then I restamped the daisy using Evening Gray Fresh Dye Ink to re-sharpen the outlines, which had softened during ink blending.

This restamping step isn’t strictly necessary, but I find it helps the image look more crisp and polished. Just a tip, be careful with alignment — even a slight shift can misalign the stamping and ruin the piece. Ask me how I know 🙂

ASSEMBLING THE CARD

I popped up the die-cut, colored piece over the matching area on the Evening Gray panel, so the stamped image flows seamlessly.

This is the heart of the image spotlight technique — using color and dimension to focus attention.

Next, I added some black splatters to the panel and mounted it onto a white card base with foam tape for extra dimension.

SENTIMENT AND FINISHING TOUCHES

The sentiment comes from the One-Go: Solid Sentiment Strips Bundle. I popped it up using a combination of thin and regular foam squares to keep it level across both the colored and gray areas.

A few Citrus Punch Enamel Dots finished the design.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The image spotlight technique is a wonderful way to add visual interest to a stamped design without overwhelming the composition. If you haven’t used this technique in a while — or ever — it’s definitely worth revisiting.

SUPPLIES

If you’re curious about the supplies I used, they’re all listed below. I use compensated affiliate links where possible—meaning I earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Just click the letter codes to shop from your favorite retailers: Simon Says Stamp (SSS), Altenew (AN), Scrapbook.com (SC), Amazon (AZ), Spellbinders (SB), Papertrey Ink (PTI), and more.
I truly appreciate your support!

Altenew Rounded Rectangles Die Set Click A Shop: SSS | AN	Altenew One-Go: Solid Sentiment Strips Press Plate/Foil Plate Click A Shop: AN	Altenew One-Go: Solid Sentiment Strips Die Click A Shop: AN	Altenew One-Go: Solid Sentiment Strips Bundle Click A Shop: AN	Altenew Build-A-Garden: Oxeye Daisy Click A Shop: AN
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Altenew Instant Dimension Foam Tape Click A Shop: SSS | AN	Altenew Stampwheel Click A Shop: AN	Altenew 9″X12″ Ultra Sticky Mat: Grid Click A Shop: AN	Altenew Citrus Punch Enamel Dots Click A Shop: AN