Balzer Designs

It's a Baren

Every time I post a printing video in which I'm using a baren, at least one person always asks what it is that I'm using to print.

This is a baren:

In essentials, it's a flat surface with a handle.  It's helpful in pressing down on printing blocks -- both from the front and from the back.  You can see me using it here:

If you can't see the video, click here.

It's one of the those tools that you don't need but it's nice to have.  You can find a very nice article HERE that covers some of the different types of barens -- including a wooden spoon!

I hope that was useful to you!  Thanks for stopping by!

ScanNCut for Artists

I had the great pleasure of teaching a two-day ScanNCut class focused on using the ScanNCut as a tool for making art tools.

It was a great group of people from all over the country -- Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Hampshire, Vermont, California, and Texas.

And we had so much fun making stamps, screens, stencils, masks, and more!

I even made screenprinted cookies for the students, using a screen I cut with my ScanNCut!

Don't worry, a tutorial for the screenprinted cookies is coming!

AND, I'm so pleased to share that I will be teaching two different in-person ScanNCut classes for Sewing Machines Plus in California in December.  I'll share a bit more of an in-depth look at those classes next week, but here are the links if you're curious: 

• One-Day Class
• Two-Day Class

Thanks for stopping by!

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P.S. I noticed that mats and blades for the DX are now up on Amazon.

• Scanning Mat
• Standard Mat
• Auto Blade -- blade only
• Thin Fabric Auto Blade Holder -- holder only

#PrintInktober: Days 17-22

Check out what I did for days 17-22 of #PrintInktober:

These are all videos embedded from instagram.  If you click on them you can see still photos too.  If you are reading this on e-mail, you probably have to click through to read this post on my blog if you want to see the videos.

I'm doing my best to explore all kinds of stamps during this project -- rubber stamps, foam stamps, hand carved stamps, and even wood block stamps!

What I Like: I love the finished print.  That's paper I want to use over and over.  And I love the seamless repeating block -- layered two-part block -- that I made from foam.

What I Can Improve: I'm not sure if it's a "finished print."  It looks more like a pretty piece of paper to me.  So, what's the difference?  What would make it a finished print?

What I Like: I love it when I start with a question and go after the answer.  It's part of what makes art fun for me -- exploring, experimenting, problem solving.  And I think the finished print is great.

What I Can Improve: Still don't always get a clean impression.  I need to work on my attention to detail and consistency with inking and pressure.

What I Like: I didn't get the results I wanted on the first pass, but I kept going! Persistence is one of the major keys to my success.  I am a great believer in the adage: It's not done until you're satisfied.  So, if you're not satisfied, it's not done.  Keep going.  And at first I was disappointed in the bleary outline of the brayered color, but on consideration, I really like how it looks.

What I Can Improve: Got a little bit wedded to how the two horses were arranged on the acrylic block.  I think the print might be more dynamic if I took the time to rearrange them as I was printing....

 What I Like: Loooooove how this one turned out.  Surprised even myself with how cool all those stamps looked in a mandala format.  Most of all, I like that I added those "x" shapes at the end.  It helps to connect the disparate pieces together.  Also, yay for me for bringing out the wooden stamps. I've hoarded them for way too long, kind of afraid to use them.  Why?!

What I Can Improve: I never seem to take the time to find the center of my paper.  I think because this is a kind of mandala formation, it would be great if the center were actually at the center of the paper!

What I Like: Simple and beautiful.  After the previous day's very thought out composition, it was fun to just use a single stamp to create a beautiful overall print.

What I Can Improve: My first impression was too faint.  I needed to use more ink.  I really ought to do a practice print before launching into the real thing!

What I Like: I have never used this alphabet block because it was just "not right" to my eye.  I'm so glad that I dragged it out of the drawer to see if I could find a way to use it that worked.  Also: this is some of the simplest stamping and masking, but it looks great.  Sometimes I think things have to be super complicated when simple is perfectly awesome!

What I Can Improve: I wish I had printed all three flowers straight.  Sigh.  I think I should take more time to line things up in the future -- or perhaps make some marks on the back of the block to help me print correctly.

Overall, I feel like my prints are becoming more interesting.  I wanted #printinktober to be different from #carvedecember -- a different emphasis.  I think I'm doing it!  What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by!

Week Three of #Printinktober Faves

It's week three of #PrintInktober and it's still going strong.  Today I've got more favorites to share!  And remember, it's not too late to join in.  You can throw in just a single print if you'd like to!  Take a peek at the awesomeness:

These are all images embedded from instagram.  The code doesn't necessarily work on e-mail.  If you are reading this on e-mail, you probably have to click through to read this post on my blog if you want to see the images.

This is just a taste of the amazing creations I've seen online.  I hope this inspires you to get out your stamps and play!

Thanks for stopping by!

#Printinktober: Days 8-16

Here is what I did for days 8-16 of #PrintInktober:

These are all videos embedded from instagram.  If you click on them you can see still photos too.  If you are reading this on e-mail, you probably have to click through to read this post on my blog if you want to see the videos.

As I mentioned last week, I'm trying to chase down the answer to a question I have: What makes a "finished print" as opposed to some stamps on a piece of paper?  

What I Like: The circle mask is giving me life.  It just makes the whole print look clean and neat.  And I love using lots of different little stamps to create a larger image.

What I Can Improve: Still need to try making the circle mask out of something thinner so that the stamping doesn't hit the "lip."

What I Like: I always like doing a "rainbow roll."  I'm glad I used the spray inks to see what would happen, even though I didn't like it.  I hope I never stop experimenting!

What I Can Improve: I would have liked to see more color contrast between the spray inks and the printing.  Maybe white printing with colored inks on top?

What I Like: This set of blocks still makes me swoon.  And I had fun using block printing inks instead of stamp ink.

What I Can Improve: Registration is always tough. I'm better at it now, but I still need practice!

 

 What I Like: This is a great stamp set and it doesn't feel overthought.  Sometimes I think I try to add too much detail to my stamps.  Also, I will never tire of printing on book pages!

What I Can Improve: Registration, baby.  It's a skill.

What I Like: I'm so glad that I experimented!  I love that I mixed foam stamps with a hand carved stamp.  I love that I resurrected this block I didn't like to try to breathe new life into it!

What I Can Improve: Thinking through what I'm doing before I do it.  I mean, obviously I should have reversed the reference image.  Duh.

What I Like: I love the look of chine-collé and this was my first time trying it.  So fun!

What I Can Improve: All that work and I still screwed it up.  Sigh.  Need to find a better and cleaner way to register or I need to stamp first and collage second.

What I Like: Good for me for going back to the scene of the crime -- so to speak.  I'm delighted with how this turned out!  Definitely worth the time and effort.

What I Can Improve: I'm still a super beginner at this technique.  I want to explore it more and find the best ways to make it work for me!

What I Like: You know I had a good time putting that MISTI to use! I love these blocks and I love the colors I chose.

What I Can Improve: I wish I had been a bit more careful about coloring the blocks.

What I Like: I dragged another old block out of storage and into play!  I like this block, but I barely use it because -- as I discovered in printing it -- it's carved on both sides and therefore doesn't print well.

What I Can Improve: I like the technique of using markers to stamp with.  But, I get impatient.  I can work on my patience.  Maybe.

Overall, I feel like I did a lot of experimenting.  I'm proud of that.  Listen, I do a lot of experimenting in general, but I don't often show the failures.  My failures are out in the open here and that's okay.  This project is about trying things -- not about being perfect.  And I just keep saying to myself: You learn more from a failure from a success.

Thanks for stopping by!