How do you make those bulletin boards?

I get this question a lot. Like, not on here, but in person. You'd be... incredibly surprised at the amount of people wondering this.

So, I'm putting it here as well. It's good for everyone to know, honestly, and there isn't much that goes into it. I'm going to start off by saying though that it isn't always cheap to make bulletin boards. Whether you're crafting as an RA, a teacher, or someone who needs to make a nice looking board, I have the tips and tricks for everyone.

First things first, color scheme. Any artist understands the importance of a color scheme, which yeah, seems pretty lame. Like, the secret to bulletin boards is a color scheme?? Yeah right.

I'm serious though. Any artist will tell you that the color scheme really can make or break a piece of artwork. So first things first, create your color pallet. If you want to learn more about color pallets and how they work, I suggest googling it. But basically, warm colors go with warm colors. Cold colors go with cold colors. So when making a bulletin board, make sure you know what you have in mind.

Next, once you have a color scheme, sketch out your idea. This can be sketched out on lined paper honestly. Just have an idea - don't go into this blindly. Know what colors you need. Sketch out what you want the board to look like, or even get your ideas somewhere else.

Now, it's time to buy materials. I make all my boards out of cardstock, because it's easy to work with, doesn't easily rip like construction paper, and it looks gorgeous. But, it's also pretty expensive if you buy a lot of it. When buying it, keep in mind how much you'll need. It's easy to over and under buy cardstock, especially if you're buying it one sheet at a time, like I usually do. At my local Micheals, it comes out to like 50 cents a piece, sometimes less when on sale.

I cut everything by hand. I hot glue everything by hand. It is time consuming - trust me. Use a pencil to outline for sure, and for backing, I suggest butcher paper, though I don't always use it. Again, IT WILL BE TIME CONSUMING. I've spent over 5 hours before on a board.

Lettering. A lot of people hate hand writing lettering. If this is you... don't hand write it. Buy precut letters - it'll save you in the long run. I just happen to like my handwriting, and I like how it looks on the bulletin boards I make.

Okay. This is all I got. I hope you guys can make awesome bulletin boards, because I find it so much fun. It's such a stress reliever.

Okay friends. Enjoy crafting, and have fun with bulletin boards! <3