Here are a few more ideas for decorative pen lines using the template shapes. This time, it is your turn to drive.

The premise for the designs in the earlier article about pen lines was to use the template shapes to add the decorative elements to the pen lines. No drawing, no extra alignment steps, and no merging. Then set the parameters to very small values so that the decoration would be almost subliminal. The pen can draw these details easily and impressively. No pen line would ever need to be just a plain rectangle. The details would be delicate enough that they could not possibly overshadow any picture.  

Some of the designs used the template shapes in obvious ways, some used template shapes that were not often considered because they were entirely too decorative, and one used unlikely parameter values to turn the template into an uncuttable shape, but quite an interesting pen line.

The premise for this group of designs remains the same. This time, however, there will be no files to download. The Parameter tables will be included, and you will make your own files. Either begin with the downloaded files from the earlier article, or start a new design from scratch. Education is important. How many times have we heard that expertise is the first step toward creativity?

The thought of “decoration” brings to mind baroque flourishes, and some framers—rightly—want no part of it. 

This notion has perpetuated an adherence to strict austerity: Every picture is presented best with no ornament whatsoever. However, this attitude ignores the fact that every aspect of the presentation—even its austerity—colors our perception of the picture. So some pictures could do with a little ornament—call it softening the rectangles, call it an echo of an element of the picture.

Decorative pen lines may be the perfect addition to solve the need for minimal decoration. The details can be small enough that they are almost subliminal. No line needs to be just a simple rectangle anymore, and Wizard’s FrameShop™ software offers endless choices to change the details for every line using just the templates and their parameters.