Balzer Designs

New 2019 Balzer Designs Stencils: part 2

Thanks for all your kind words about my new stencil release with The Crafter's Workshop.  Here are the last six designs:

This one is called "Love Frame" and I love it so much that I went super simple with my sample for Creativation.  I simply sprayed some spray ink over it...and yum!

You'll notice that it's the opposite way from the picture of the stencil.  Never forget that stencils are reversible!  As long as there's no text, you can use them either way!

This stencil is called "Plaid Fringe."  At first I was thinking of a piece of burlap when I designed it.  Then I thought about it and decided a plaid would be more useful and more dynamic than the grid of burlap.

I used a stencil bumping technique to create the drop shadow effect in this sample.

Watch the video for the how-to:

I love how it makes the design pop right off the page!

I love text stencils.  This one is called "Script Words." You can stencil individual words or you can use the text as an overall pattern, as I've done in these two samples:

I like the way that the words become almost abstract shapes.

This stencil is called "Spring Medallion."  I incorporated it into a mixed media piece that I really like.  A good reminder that you don't have to use the entirety of a stencil.  Sometimes just a bit is enough!

This next stencil is called "Stone Increase" for some obvious reasons!

It is definitely going to become one of my "go to" stencils for quick and easy backgrounds.  Here is a short video all about gelatin printing with this stencil:

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Quick and easy!

This last stencil is called "Texture Love" and it's probably the most "Julie" of all the stencils.  These are the little patterns I like to doodle and put into most of my work!

I love these stencils!  Love these samples!  Love the new direction for all of it!  I hope that you do too!

Do you have a favorite?

Thanks for stopping by!

New 2019 Balzer Designs Stencils: part 1

I'm so pleased to share that I created TWELVE new stencil designs for The Crafter's Workshop.  The new designs will be released at Creativation (the craft industry trade show) this weekend!  Over the next two days, I'm going to show you all twelve designs and the samples I made for the Creativation trade show. 

Today I'm sharing the first six.  I worked really hard on them.  They're a bit different from my usual. I hope you like them.

This one is called "Big Flower."  Thanks to all of the gelatin printing that I do, I have found that I now design a lot of stencils with that specific process in mind.  Here is my gelatin printed sample, featuring both the 6x6 and 12x12 sizes of this stencil (you can even see a print of the deckled edge of the deli paper mask I used):

Next up is a stencil called, "Dash Triangle."

It's a very versatile stencil.  You can use it exactly as it is, or you can use portions of it to create areas of pattern in your work, as I have in this sample:

I think you can see the beginnings of the painting I posted on Tuesday in this sample.  In some ways, this sample is a study or a sketch for that larger work.

This stencil is called "Faithful Tree."  I don't name the stencils, so I'm not sure why it's faithful?  Maybe because there are lots of other tree stencils?  In any case, I wanted to go one step further than just slapping it down on a background (which would be quick, easy, and beautiful) so I slapped four down instead!  ;)

I'm ready for this to be tile for my new house!  Swoon!

This one is called "Fantastical."  I think I named it "Art Deco Butterfly" in my mind.  Can you see the butterflies and flowers that make up the design?

For the sample, I layered the 6x6 and 12x12 sizes of the stencil.  One of the things that creates rhythm and movement in artwork is using the same shapes in different sizes.  I think it's quite effective.

The next stencil is called "Garden Frame" for some pretty obvious reasons!

Again, I layered the 6x6 and 12x12 versions in this gelatin print:

You can either use the whole frame, or I think it's very pretty when you use just a portion of it.  There's something about the contrast between that hard frame and those soft curves that I just adore!

The final stencil for today is called "Heartful Flower."  I used it for some more gelatin printing fun (although it almost looks like I used spray paint):

So that's it! Come back tomorrow for the next six beauties!

Thanks for stopping by!

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P.S. As soon as I know where these stencils will be for sale, I'll be sure to post links for you!

Gelli Printing on Fabric

Hey you guys!  The kind folks at Gelli Arts sent me their GIANT Gelli Plate (20x16). Because it's so big, it's perfect for printing on fabric fat quarters! (Fat quarters are usually 22x18.)

In the video, I'm sharing my very first time using this giant plate (so fun) and demonstrating how quick and easy it is to print up tons and tons of custom fabric.

Supplies Used:

• Fabric Paint
• Gelli Plate
• Brayer
• Catalyst Tools

Now I just have to decide what to do about all this yummy hand printed fabric?!  I'm sure I can come up with some ideas!!

Thanks for stopping by!

A New Painting. A New Direction?

You guys, I have been a busy little bee.  I have tons of new work to share with you! Some of it is faces, some of it is quilting, some of it is painting, some of it is stenciling...just lots and lots of art!  

Today, I want to kick off the sharing with some new work that I think is representative of where my work is heading.  I really like it and I hope that you do too!

It still feels like me -- lots of color, lots of pattern, lots of layers, lots of gestural mark making -- but it also feels like a change -- lots of white space, more transparency, a different color palette, more restraint.

Here's a video of this painting coming together -- from start to finish:

Supplies used include:

• Acrylic Paint - fancy, basic, useful 
• Oil Pastels
• Grease Pencils
• Paper
• Catalyst Brushes

You can see, from this blog post, that I've decided the final orientation of the piece is the opposite way that I painted it.  Nothing wrong with that!

I'm very excited to see where this kind of abstract work takes me!  Wheeeee!

Thanks for stopping by!

#CarveDecember 2018: Days 16-19

Today I'm sharing days 16, 17, 18 & 19 of #CarveDecember!  

The prompt on day 16 was "fruit."  This was my interpretation:

If you receive this blog via e-mail and can't see the image above, click on the title of the blog post to be taken to my blog where you can view the images.

And here are some other interpretations of the word, "fruit."

 

The prompt for day 17 was "fit."  This is my interpretation:

And here are some other interpretations of the word, "fit."

The prompt for day 18 was "eye."  This is my interpretation:

And here are some other interpretations of the word, "eye."

The prompt for day 19 was "lovely."  This is my interpretation:

And here are some other interpretations of the word, "lovely." 

 Thanks for stopping by!