Balzer Designs

Creative Mojo with Mark Lipinski

On Wednesday I mentioned that I was going to be interviewed on Mark Lipinski's internet radio show, Creative Mojo.  If you missed the live broadcast, you can listen to the podcast by visiting the Creative Mojo website.  

When you visit the website there is a box on the right hand side that says "Recent Shows."  You want to choose the show from 04-11-2012.  It looks like this:

Mark and I talked about taking classes and getting the most out of them.  Give a listen and let me know what you think.  

Also, be sure to check out Mark's blog where he shares info about all the guests from this episode of Creative Mojo, including me.  There are photos of each person and their work.  (It was hard to pick three pieces that I felt represented me accurately because I'm all over the place!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Creating Projects for Scrapbook Soup TV

On Friday I'm heading out on a little roadtrip which will eventually take me to Cleveland, Ohio.  

In Cleveland I'll be taping the upcoming season of Scrapbook Soup TV.  

Today I thought I'd share a little bit about what goes into prepping for a segment on the show.

Each segment is 6-7 minutes long.  When I'm creating a project for the show I need to think about that fact.  

What is a project that I can do from start-to-finish in 6-7 minutes with some step-outs?

Do you know what step-outs are?  They're a TV invention.  Remember when Julia Child would put a turkey into the oven on TV and then remove one that had already been cooked?  That's a step-out.  If paint needs to dry on a canvas, I'll say, "...and here's one that's already dry..." and pull out a new canvas.  It makes it possible to get each project down to 6-7 minutes, but boy is it a pain-in-the-you-know-what to do all those step-outs.  It means that I make each project multiple times.  I'd like to say that this has absolutely no bearing on the types of projects that I create for the show, but I have to admit that I do end up limiting the numbers of layers just because I want to do fewer step-outs.

When I have an idea for the project, I'll do a sketch or two.  

Once the idea in my head looks good on paper, I start to figure out what supplies I'm going to use.  When creating for myself I tend to like to use everything I own.  When creating for TV it's important to severely limit the supplies that I use.  I have a very limited amount of time to show off the products and talk about how they work or why I like them, so keeping it minimal is helpful.  In my mind I think about the Green Room trays....

We lay each segment out on one of these big trays before filming.  In my mind, I try to imagine the least amount of stuff possible on that tray. 

At this point I know what my project is going to be and I have my supplies.  It's time to get to making.  I'm sure that I look like a crazy person as I create each project.  I sit there in my studio talking to myself as I create.  On TV it's important to talk-and-do.  You should never stop talking or doing.  Both must be happening at all times.  So to get myself ready to do that I give the instructions for everything I'm doing out loud as I do it.  

Crazy.  Person.  

Once the project is done I sit back to determine how many step-outs are required.  I want to do enough to keep the segment moving quickly, but not so many that the viewers get overwhelmed.  It's a balancing act.  I tend to write out how I'm going to teach the project.  Usually when I look at the steps I can see where a step-out will help speed things along.  Then, of course, I have to sit down and make all those step-outs.  

Once the step-outs are done it's time to photograph the project, edit the photos, write up instructions, and create a .pdf of the instructions for download on the Scrapbook Soup website.  This takes a surprisingly long time.

Finally, each project goes into a bag with the name of the segment, the instructions, the finished project, the step-outs, and all of the supplies needed to complete the project on air.

Whew.

For this taping I have prepped nine segments.  Well, technically I've prepped eight and have one more that needs to get finished before Friday...eep!  It's time for me to get back to work!

I hope you found this peek backstage interesting!  Thanks for stopping by!

---

P.S. I'm going to be interviewed on Mark Lipinski's internet radio show "Creative Mojo" today (Wednesday, April 11) at 3:35pm EST.

Here's a bit about the broadcast:

As you might know, Creative Mojo with Mark Lipinski was chosen by Digg.com as one of the Internet's five most motivational webcasts and was a featured podcast on iTunes.com.   The entire premise of the show is to spotlight creativity and the creative process and has a following of roughly 40,000-plus listeners.  Let your friends and fans know that in order to listen in to the show LIVE, they will need to go to www.toginet.com on their computer and click on the "listen live" button on the right-hand side of the page.  The show airs every Wednesday at 3:00 pm EST (New York) and runs LIVE, with listener call-ins, for two hours!  If you can't listen live, you can catch the taped version anytime, starting from a few hours after the live broadcast.  Just check out the Creative Mojo web page.

Hope you can tune in!

P.P.S. The winner of the Pomegranate Stencil is....

Anne, e-mail me with your mailing address and I'll get those stencils out to you!

A Handmade Gift

My friend Kelly recently turned thirty.  When I was invited to her birthday dinner I knew that I wanted to bring a handmade gift.  But giving a handmade gift to a person who makes things for a living is a somewhat intimidating proposition.  I needed to think about what I could make for her that she couldn't make for herself.  I mulled on it for a while, and then I decided that it had to be a custom stamp.  Or as it turned out, two custom stamps:

A faux wood cut portrait and then the "It's Me KP" stamp.  I used white embossing powder to get it to pop on top of her shoulder on the card.

And of course the inside of the card had to be lovely too.

The banner is hanging just from the ends, so it has some nice movement when you open the card!

And here's how I wrapped up the card:

And the gift:

Glassine is just so awesome, isn't it?  

I enjoyed putting together this gift -- the card, the wrapping, the whole thing!  I was a little bit nervous that she wouldn't like it (or think it looked like her), but she did!  And that made me feel very happy indeed.  The best gifts are the ones that put a smile on the recipient's face, don't you think?

Thanks for stopping by!

Experimental Printmaking at MoMA

I'm currently taking a class at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) called "Experimental Printmaking."  It's taught by a mixed media artist named Katerina Lanfranco.  It's an eight-week class and each Monday we meet to make art and spend time in the galleries.  We are four weeks into class and I thought I'd share some thoughts about the experience.

1. This class hits all the marks.  

I love taking classes.  Being a student is one of life's great luxuries.  And I try to take advantage of it by taking classes all the time -- some in-person and some online, but I'm always taking classes.  It's true that I like learning new skills, but I feel like that's the least of it for me.  I love:

• The nuturing.  Being a student is all about being encouraged.  I enjoy sitting back and allowing someone else to take me on a journey.
• The different ways we all do the same things.  Even though many of the techniques or ideas in the classes I take aren't new to me, I learn something from the ways they are used or in the different ways that different people get to the same result.
• The camaraderie.  Learning together, struggling together, sharing tips -- I adore the bonds that are created in class.
• The pop of inspiration.  Class is so much more than just "learning a skill."  My favorite moments are when a fellow student or a teacher awakens an idea inside of me. 

I've taken some dud classes that didn't hit any of the four points above.  But this class, I am thankful to say, is not one of them.  Katerina is a generous teacher and each Monday I come away from class able to check off all four points from the list above.

2. Being in the museum after hours is just awesome.

There's no other way to say it.  Last Thursday I went to MoMA and had to fight the crowds to see anything.  On Monday I sat in front of a print for a quiet half-an-hour and copied a section of a print (the original print is by Otto Dix).

Undisturbed -- like my own private museum.

Here's a peek at all the abandoned stools and drawing boards.  Before committing to a spot, we left them sitting in the gallery as we explored.

One of the most fun after hours sights I encountered was the security guard mimicking the movements of the Maneki Neko (or Japanese waving cat):

3. I get a private (& practical) tour each Monday.

Each time we tour a gallery Katerina talks to us about what we're seeing, the history behind it, some popular criticism of it, and encourages us to voice our own reactions to it.  She also discusses methodology -- how did the artist create that print?  What techniques were used here and why?  How would the impact be different if the artist had painted instead of printed?  

I love every moment of it.  It has given me a whole new appreciation of contemporary art.

4. I am being confronted by the intersection of art and craft.

I could write a book.  I'm sure many books, many PhD theses, many treatises have been written on this subject.  I will therefore keep it brief:

• Virtually every technique that we have been taught in class is one that I have already explored through my crafty endeavors.  Ex: altered books, image transfers, stamp carving, Photoshop, collage, etc.
• Every single one of these techniques is seen hanging on the walls or in the exhibit cases of MoMA.
• This has forced me to really think about why one thing is craft and another art?
• My current conclusion is as follows: Scale, intellectual content, and intent separate contemporary art from craft.

5. I'm waiting to see how this class affects my art.

I am exploring and musing and very much wrapped up in all I've seen and done.  But I don't think anything from class has yet trickled through to my every day art making.  Though, you never know. Sometimes it's such a slow evolution that you don't see it along the way.  Nevertheless, I find myself eagerly awaiting Monday nights.  I guess only time will tell what the influence has been.

6. I'm definitely a hands-on learner.

I've taken non-studio art classes at MoMA before.  And I didn't enjoy them nearly as much as this class.  More than that I didn't retain any of the art history.  But with this class I can practically quote back everything that's ever been said about each piece of art.  I think it's because I'm a hand-on kind of learner.  I need that practical aspect for the information to sink in.  I still remember being in biology class in high school and it wasn't until we made models of cells that I actually remembered what all the parts were and how they worked together.  I need that hands on aspect.  The rhythm of this class is perfect for my learning style: brief lecture or demonstration, visit to the galleries, studio time.  I only wish class were longer!

7. Before I go I thought I'd share a few images of what we've been up to.

The classroom is in the education portion of MoMA.  You have to go down a long staircase.  

If you can spy the lady in red, that's our classroom.

Art I've loved seeing:

Art I've loved making:

So far it has been a delightful four weeks!  I'll be sure to report back at the end of class!

Thanks for stopping by!

Two New Girl-in-the-Garden Paintings

Today I wanted to share some details of the two new girl-in-the-garden paintings I shared yesterday.

This first one I'm calling "Flower Fairy."  

The name doesn't feel quite right to me.  Any suggestions?

She has a bit of an Indian flair...

...particularly that flower bindi in the middle of her forhead.  From Wikipedia: "Traditionally, the area between the eyebrows (where the bindi is placed) is said to be the sixth chakra, ajna, the seat of 'concealed wisdom'. According to followers of Hinduism, this chakra is the exit point for kundalini energy. The bindi is said to retain energy and strengthen concentration.  It is also said to protect against demons or bad luck."

I'm trying to imbue my artwork with more symbolic meaning these days and I felt that placing the flower bindi on her forehead forwarded the idea that she is of-the-garden; that nature is part of her spirit.  Which brings me to....

This white rose with its trailing leaves and the ruffled top of the dress are some of the more "controlled" aspects of the painting.  I wanted there to be a double meaning in the rose.  She's wearing the rose, but the ruffles are almost a part of the rose, suggesting that, perhaps, she is rising from the center of the rose.  Emerging.  Another hint that she is of-this-garden.

This is a detail of her big poofy skirt:

I can't draw hands.  Seriously bad at it.  And that is limiting.  One of the reasons her skirt is so big is so that I could hide her hands!  They're on my "to do" list.  Must do some hand studies.  But like any calesthenics, I'm just not looking forward to it.

I really like the way these big dot flowers turned out.  

Using your fingers to make dots and then clustering them into circles is a technique I learned from an online class I recently took.  It wasn't the right class for me but I'm deeply appreciative of the gifts I've received from taking it, the biggest one being painting with my fingers instead of paintbrushes.

Here's a close up of the leaf-wing-things:

I briefly researched how to draw dragonfly wings and then I decided that I wanted to leave it a little more open.  Are they leaves?  Wings?  Is it a neck ruff á la Queen Elizabeth I?  Or does it once again hint at the idea that she's a flower or a blossom and those are her leaves?  Lots of possibilities!

This next painting is called "Seeking Direction."  

I didn't know how it was going to turn out, but I loooooooooooooooove it.

I hemmed and hawed and went back and forth a thousand times about whether or not to add a proper face.

As you can see, I didn't.  And I'm really glad.  I think it allows the viewer to put themselves into the painting.  She can be any race, any age, anyone.

I think I used about twelve different shades of blue in this painting.

I wanted there to be a clear division between sea and air, even though they're both blue.  And I didn't want to put in a black dividing line.  So I tried to keep the water area of the painting a bit more fractured than the air, so it would have a different texture.  I think it was successful in creating a clear separation.

Painting the orange stripe was a late night decision.

In the morning I needed to decide what to do with it.  Orignally I was going to put text there.  However I think the stenciled numbers fit into the theme of the painting much better than any words could.  They speak to me of urgency, of a count down, of planning, of being lost -- all things that relate to "Seeking Direction." 

And notice that I've indicated "right" and "left" from the subject's point-of-view, rather than the viewers.  I believe that this, again, invites the viewer to place herself in the painting.

The words "emerge" and "submerge" came to me as I was staring at the painting.

Was she emerging from the water or submerging herself into the sea?  I've been trying to stay away from words on my paintings (because I tend to want to tell the story too clearly) but I decided to add them anyway.   And I'm so glad that I did.  I think they contribute very strongly to the theme of the painting.

And here you can see more of the fingertip dots.

I seriously love fingertip dots in ways I can't express.  After making dots with pencil erasers and foam circles and a paintbrush for years, these fingertip dots are just so easy, I love it!

This painting has an emotional appeal for me.  While this painting doesn't look anything like me, in some ways it's a self-portrait; the crown of flower petals representing ideas springing from my head.  I am the figure in the painting trying to figure out which way to go.   

I wasn't consciously creating a self-portrait, but in writing this blog post and thinking about what I'm trying to say with the painting, I realize that I have.  And perhaps that's why it appeals so much to me.  I think the art that speaks to us is not the art we find the most aesthetically pleasing, but the art that makes us feel most keenly.

Thanks for stopping by!

All About Faces

You'll recall that I mentioned I had filmed two DVDs while I was in Colorado last year.  One of them is here and ready for you to buy!

It's called "All About Faces."

And yes, you're going to love it!  In the video I share a number of different ways for creating fun faces, along with the basics of how to create a pleasing face.  Here's a video preview:

You can buy it three different ways:

• DVD
• Download
• HD Download

And of course my DVD "Collage Fast & Furious" is still available as well.

If you have watched my videos and enjoyed them I sure would appreciate it if you'd leave a short review on the Interweave site.  I know that I always read the reviews when I'm trying to decide whether or not to make a purchase!  Thanks in advance!

See you tomorrow!

Some Housekeeping...

Happy Monday!

I've been overwhelmed with e-mail lately.  I'm feeling the love, but answering a lot of the same questions.  So...I thought I'd hand out some answers right here on my blog!

ONLINE CLASSES

If you take an online class from me, you will have access forever.  (Technically: until I die or stop paying for a Typepad account, neither of which is going to happen any time soon.)

You can join any of my online classes at any time.  Join when you want and work at your own pace.  I've gotten a number of e-mails asking when I'm going to offer a certain class again.  Once a class is open, you can join it at any time.  I will never "re-offer" the class.  It just changes from lessons released over time to work-at-your-own-pace.  That said, if you have questions I monitor the classroom and try to get back to you ASAP.  And if you post your work in the online gallery or ask questions on the message board, I do check those every week or two even after the class has "ended."

If you can't get the password for the class videos to work, chances are you are using the wrong password.  Perhaps the one you logged into the classroom with?  Above each video is a sentence that reads: "The password for the video is...."  That's the password to use to unlock the video.  (I answer this question at least twice a day, so I know lots of you are confused about it.)

IN-PERSON CLASSES

I am deeply flattered by all the lovely e-mails inviting me to teach or asking me if I'll be teaching in your neck of the woods.  I'm taking a bit of a break from traveling this year.  I promise that any classes I'm teaching will be posted under the "Teaching Schedule" button on my blog.  Right now the only thing on my schedule for all of 2012 is CREATE: New Jersey.  I'd love to see you there!

STENCILS

Thank you!  Thank you!  I'm so glad you like them!  And that you want to buy them is even more awesome!  Here are three online choices:

1. I believe in supporting fellow artists whenever possible.  Roben-Marie is selling a number of Balzer Designs stencils in her fantastic online shop.  Find them here.  She's great and has a bunch of fun stuff in her shop.
2. If you're looking for a bigger selection, Blue Moon Scrapbooking has most of them in stock and they offer free shipping (to the U.S.) for orders over $50.
3. In the U.K., a shop called Chocolate Baroque came up in a Google search.  They've got a good selection of the new stencils!

STAMPS

Stamping Bella is no longer selling any of the stamps I designed for them.  However, I have a new line of stamps with EcoGreen Crafts and I will let you know as soon as they are available for purchase.

CAFE PRESS SHOP

I've opened a little Cafe Press shop with some Dirty Girl aprons and other silly things.  So if you want to be a dirty girl too, you can find it all here.

FAVORITE JOURNAL, PEN, PAINT, TOOLS, ETC.

 I get a lot of questions about the tools I use.  I tend to be all over the place, but I have listed and linked all of my favorite most-used supplies in my F.A.Q.'s section.  You can see them here:

Ranger Teflon Craft Sheet Sharpie Waterbased Paint Marker Uniball Signo White Gel Pen Sakura Pigma Micron Pitt Pens Permapaque Gelly Roll Moonlight Pens China Marker Cosmetic Sponges Glass Mat Linoleum Cutter Speedy Carve Ruler Metal Edge Ruler Black Cat Ink Nib Pen Golden Fluid Acrylics Paint: Tan Orange Acrylic Paint Pink Acrylic Paint Gesso Black Gesso watercolor palette box Eco Green Paints: Primary Collection Deco Arts Black Stencil Paint Paintbrushes Liquitex Matte Medium ATG Cutterbee Scissors Vinyl Letter & Number Stickers (1/2") Archival Ink Pad: Black Ranger Heat Gun HandBook Watercolor Journal Masking Tape Crafter's Workshop Stencils Adirodack Color Wash: Meadow Adirondack Color Wash: Wild Plum Adirondack Color Wash: Stream Adirondack Color Wash: Red Pepper Adirondack Color Wash: Butterscotch Copic Airbrush System #3 Compressor Gelli Plate Speedball 4" Acrylic Brayer Craft Scrubbie

InLinkz.com

As the list evolves over time, I will continue to update it on my F.A.Q. page!  I hope that it's helpful!

WHERE TO STAY IN NYC

I get asked this one all the time and I'm sorry to tell you that I don't really know the answer.  My out-of-town friends and relatives stay with me or someone else they know when they're in town.  The only thing I can recommend is checking out Yelp.  I think their reviews are excellent and usually spot on.

WHERE TO EAT IN NYC

Again, Yelp is a great resource.  In my neighborhood we frequent:

• Bouchon Bakery: two words: pecan roll
• Danji: Korean Tapas (get the bulgogi sliders)
• The Capital Grille: steak
• Mi Nidito: Mexican - nothing special, but I like the chicken wings
• 5 Napkin Burger: I like the lobster sliders better than the burgers
• Vynl: great for vegans/vegetarians, loud & colorful
• Totto Ramen: Ramen, very casual, long lines
• Bann: Korean Barbecue (the calamari appetizer is one of my faves)

But every corner of NYC has great food.  It's hard to eat a bad meal around here.

Thanks so much for reading all of this, for all of the kind e-mails, and for listening whenever I chatter away on this blog.  It is all much appreciated!

Have a great day!

A Teeny Tiny Update From CHA

It has been an amazing whirlwind here in sunny California!

I got to hang out with some of my favorite peeps.

I saw some great new product.

And some really cool art.

I got to wear my new dress.

I gave two lectures.

I taught my first really big class (100 students)!

I ate some good food.

I got to be a celebrity judge!

I played with paint and stencils.

I even made some art with my Mom.

I ran make & takes and did demos.

I recorded videos and posed for photos.

I took a class.

I displayed my work.

And I encouraged everyone I met to let their inner "Dirty Girl" out!

Tomorrow I head to Santa Ana and my "Ruin & Rescue" class.

Thanks for stopping by!

4 Days in Colorado

In what is probably the most foolhardy travel turnaround I've ever done, I stepped off the plane from Germany on a Tuesday and onto a plane to Colorado on Wednesday.  With just about twenty-four hours at home I had time to unpack my suitcases, repack my suitcases, say hello to my husband, get sick, and sleep like the dead.  And then I was off!

The first few days of my visit were all about this:

I filmed two DVDs, two promos, and an e-mag video tutorial for Cloth Paper Scissors, all of which will be released in 2012.  And I managed to only cough between takes!  Of course, I had the power of Hugh Jackman to help me...

That's a photo of Hugh looking at me to remind me to look right into that camera and not at any of the others.

I love filming stuff, but I hate the supply nightmare.  I hate packing the supplies, organizing the supplies, shuttling the supplies around.  I wish the filming studio could be like a real studio and have absolutely everything right at hand.  Wouldn't that be awesome?  Or maybe an assistant?  Speaking of which, my Mom came along to help out:

Thank goodness she was there.  I was so sick and jet lagged it was pathetic.  I wouldn't have made it out of the aiport without her, nevermind all the way to Loveland.

Cloth Paper Scissors Editor Jenn Mason was also there...

...to keep everything running smoothly and do the promo interviews.  I also got to spend some time with Sue Pelletier and Joanne Sharpe, who were both there to film DVDs as well.  There was lots of good chatter.  It always feels good to be in the company of other artists, you know?  They just "get it."

After the filming was over, I met up with two of my favorite Colorado residents: Emily Pitts and Ronda Palazzari:

I suggested that we go to the Denver Art Museum.  Ronda had never been and Emily had been once a while ago, so it was pretty new to all of us.  And as luck would have it we happened upon the once-a-month free admission day!  Lucky, lucky!

There was lots to see:

The museum is very visitor friendly.  Sitting on that little table is paper and pencils for you to draw with.  What a super cool idea!  There were lots of interactive exhibits, places to make art, and places to...well, ham it up:

My favorite interactive bit was a series of videos that Emily discovered.  They were interviews with artists who were asked questions like, "What does it feel like to be an artist?"  "How do you start a painting?"  "What do you do when you get stuck?"  And so on.  And the answers were inspiring.  Especially to the questions of getting stuck.  All of the artists said something that I think is so very true: Getting stuck is good.  Because the really awesome stuff is only discovered in the getting unstuck.  They also emphasized the need to be disciplined about making art.  You have to show up every day whether you feel like it or not.  I wholeheartedly agree.

This might have been my favorite piece from the entire museum because it sparked an idea in me.  Robert Motherwell took this book and illustrated it.  I love that idea!

We didn't manage to make it around the whole museum, so there's a good excuse for me to head back to Denver!  We did, of course, manage to make some time for the museum gift shop.  My Mom bought me this necklace and earring set by local artist Julie Powell (you may have spied me wearing it in the photo from the day, I couldn't help myself).

A wonderful keepsake of my time in Denver. 

And now that I'm home I'm sleeping and drinking tea and hoping to kick this cold to the curb.  It's way past the ten days a cold is supposed to last, so I'm hoping this coughing will stop soon.  I hate being sick when there's so much art to make!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Me, I have so very much to be grateful for.  Even on my darkest days I am conscious of what a lucky, lucky life I lead and so very thankful that that's the case.

One of the things that brings me joy every single day is this blog.  And so today I say thank YOU for reading, thank YOU for leaving comments, thank YOU for writing to tell me how much you enjoy the blog.  I am very grateful.

And to say thank you, I've got a little gift for you: If you'd like to download a printable copy of the "Happy Thanksgiving" doodle I drew, you can do so right here.

Thanks for stopping by!