Balzer Designs

Around Here: July 2020

Hello, friends! Here's a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? Drawing hundreds of little lines in my art journal. Also, online classes. So many online classes. This week I'm teaching Block Printing on Fabric... ...but I've also got lots of other live online classes coming up: ScanNCut DX: Super Basic Beginner CanvasWorkspace on your iPad ScanNCut DX: Working with HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) Pamphlet Stitch Art Journal ScanNCut DX: Rhinestones, Baby! Gelatin Printing from Your Backyard Plus I'm working on some work-at-your-own-pace online classes which include: An epic stencil design class for ScanNCut... Read more →

Art Journal Every Day: August into September 2019

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, the concept is simple: It's a commitment to take ten minutes each day to do something in your art journal. No need to finish anything or even like it. It's about making the time to nourish your creativity every day! If you have the time to flip through your phone, you have the time to Art Journal Every Day. If you'd like to share what you make, use the hashtag #artjournaleveryday so that we can all take a peek. You can find new Art Journal Every Day posts here on the blog... Read more →

Block Printing Class Next Week

Just a quick reminder that my live online block printing class is next week! Block printing/stamp carving is easier than you think and tons of fun. Here's a quick look back at a few of my favorite carves from the last ten years: If you haven't tried stamp carving before, I hope you'll give it a try! And I hope you'll join me in class! Thanks for stopping by! Read more →

Art Saved Valentino Dixon

One of my favorite podcasts, Only a Game -- a sports podcast on NPR, is going to stop production this Fall. As part of the lead up to production ending, they're re-sharing some of their favorite segments. Today I listened to a segment from 2018 and it really inspired me. It was the story of Valentino Dixon. In brief: In the early 1990s Valentino Dixon was falsely accused and convicted of murder. The prosecutor pursued the case even though multiple witnesses came forward to say he didn't do it AND someone else confessed. The prosecutor was so vindictive he even... Read more →

Two Gelatin Printed Zines

On Friday, Jackie Jimerson and I did an instagram live together where we each made a simple zine using stencils and gelatin printing. They ended up being very different, which is one of my favorite things about art making: We can all use the same supplies and techniques and end up with wildly different results! Here is mine: Here is Jackie's: As you can see from the photo, Jackie is offering her zine as a free download! You can go HERE to get it. She even has included instructions on how to fold it. You can see that it becomes... Read more →

Art Journal Every Day: August 2019 Pages

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, the concept is simple: It's a commitment to take ten minutes each day to do something in your art journal. No need to finish anything or even like it. It's about making the time to nourish your creativity every day! If you have the time to flip through your phone, you have the time to Art Journal Every Day. If you'd like to share what you make, use the hashtag #artjournaleveryday so that we can all take a peek. You can find new Art Journal Every Day posts here on the blog... Read more →

100 Days of Gelatin Printing: Days 87-95

Only 5 days left in this 100 day odyssey. Crazy. This is the first 100 Day Project I've done that hasn't felt onerous at some point. I can't decide if it's the topic or the fact that I've been home for 99% of the days of the challenge? I'm not sure. In any case, here are my most recent layered monoprints for my 100 Day Project (These images are embedded from instagram. If you can't see them, click HERE.): FYI: Due to Pass The Brush I'll be delaying posting day 96 on instagram until Saturday, which means you'll get a... Read more →

Adventures in Arting Podcast: Jackie Jimerson & Pass the Brush

Our guest today is Jackie Jimerson. Learn all about Jackie and her first time experiencing gelatin printing, gain insight into her thoughts on designing her own stencils, and listen in on our chat about paying for content or not, design teams, and a bit about being a black artist in the mixed media world. If you do not see the podcast player above, please click on this link. On the off chance that you've never listened to a podcast or don't get why anybody would want to, here are some facts: (1) Podcasts are convenient. It's a recording that is... Read more →

Direct Cut Around a Stamped Sentiment

One of the most crazy cool features of the ScanNCut is its ability to cut around stamped images. However, the ScanNCut isn't able to distinguish between a word and a shape. So when you have a stamped sentiment like this one: The scanner wants to cut around each individual letter (aka shape)... ...instead of creating a block, like this: In this video I show you how to create that block: It's quick and easy to do and makes fussy cutting sentiments so very easy! Thanks for stopping by! --- P.S. I am a paid spokesperson for the Brother ScanNCut. It... Read more →

Art Journal Every Day: June & July 2019 Dailies

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, the concept is simple: It's a commitment to take ten minutes each day to do something in your art journal. No need to finish anything or even like it. It's about making the time to nourish your creativity every day! If you have the time to flip through your phone, you have the time to Art Journal Every Day. If you'd like to share what you make, use the hashtag #artjournaleveryday so that we can all take a peek. You can find new Art Journal Every Day posts here on the blog... Read more →