How to Crop Artwork Without Smudging the Front
Welcome to Quick Tip Tuesday — a series of small, practical ideas to spark something new in your gel printing and creative play.

Do you ever crop your prints or other artwork to use on greeting cards — only to discover that you’ve accidentally marked up the front in the process?

Yep… I did! And I knew there had to be a better way.

Here’s the quick video showing how I solved the problem:


It’s a simple little trick, but it makes a huge difference in keeping your prints clean and pristine while you trim them down.

Give it a try the next time you’re turning your artwork into cards or collage — and let me know how it works for you! 😊

Until next time,
Diana


1 Comment

  1. Great tip, and if cutting for window mounts the back aperture could easily be slightly larger to give a nice uniform overlap. (Popped across from your newsletter to see the new blog format.)
    Diana Garrison AUTHOR  10/30/2025 08:15 AM Central
    Thanks for hopping over! That's a great idea! 🌟

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I’m Diana, the artist behind Crooked Little Studio. I teach playful ways to use random colors and materials to unlock creativity. You can find more inspiration here.

Meet Diana Garrison

I am a teaching artist who helps creative people like you explore techniques and develop practical skills so you can freely express your creativity and unlock your potential.

Until my retirement at the end of May 2024, I had been teaching K-12 students - for over 20 years - how to execute various art techniques and how to appreciate and talk about the visual arts; and I have been doing all this online for the past ten years. And now I am teaching online courses as well as adult workshops in my home studio, at local venues, and as a guest teacher in other locations.

The creative process is an amazing thing! As I explore my own art-making, I develop new styles and techniques along the way. I love to share that knowledge with others so they can benefit from what I've learned.

I offer tips, tricks, and insights in occasional newsletters for my email subscribers; I create free and paid resources and tools, and I am building a collection of online courses. I am always open to ideas for new things to share.

Won't you join me on this creative journey?

Cheers! 
Diana

Photo of Diana Garrison