When I look back over the major pieces I’ve sold in the last five years, almost all of them have been reworked. Here are a few examples:

Some of them have been reworked many times. I’ve painted over them, collaged into them, cut them apart, changed the composition, altered the palette, and completely shifted the direction of the piece long after I originally thought I was “done.”

A Mindset Shift

At this point, I no longer think of reworking as fixing failed art. Rather, reworking is a core part of my practice. I don’t need to fear failure because I know that failure isn’t an end point. It’s just a stage along the way.

I think there’s a tendency to imagine artmaking as a straight line: you begin a piece, you work on it, you finish it, and then it remains permanently fixed in that final form. But that has never really reflected my experience in the studio. My work tends to evolve slowly. Sometimes very slowly.

Time is an Art-Making Ingredient

No artwork is garbage to me. There’s always a way to rethink it, remake it, resurrect it. But, I need time to learn, to change, to get some distance because:

• Sometimes I don’t know how to fix it.
• Sometimes I love it when I make it, but no one else does and I can’t understand why.
• Sometimes I’m missing the skills to fix it.
• Sometimes I can feel that there is something interesting happening in the work, but I don’t know how to finish it.
• Sometimes I’m frustrated and need a break.

Whatever the reason, I put it aside. Not as a failure, but as something unfinished to revisit later.

I think time is one of the most underrated tools an artist has.

When I return to older work, I return with more experience, more technical knowledge, and usually a clearer understanding of what I actually care about visually. Distance allows me to see the work differently. I can separate what I intended from what is actually there on the page or panel.

Very often, I discover that there was something compelling in the original piece all along. It simply needed editing, contrast, structure, or a different context in order to fully emerge. Watch the video for more:

The Process of Revision is a Process of Layering

The process of revision feels deeply connected to how I understand creativity in general. It’s iterative and accumulative. When I rework a piece, those earlier decisions don’t disappear completely. They remain underneath the surface. You can often see traces of older marks, textures, colors, or compositions. I love that accumulation. I think it gives the work a sense of history and complexity that would be impossible to create intentionally in a single sitting. It’s one of the many reasons that I love collage! That collage paper brings so much depth and character to the work.

There is also something psychologically important about reworking art. It requires letting go of the idea that artwork must be preserved in its current state. Sometimes the only way forward is to paint over the section that took hours to make. Sometimes you have to cut into a piece that is “fine” in order to give it the chance to become something much better.

That can feel uncomfortable. But it is also incredibly freeing: the more willing I am to change a piece, the more alive the work becomes.

I think this mirrors life rather beautifully. We are not fixed. We are constantly changing, rethinking, revising, and becoming. Why shouldn’t our artwork do the same?

In Conclusion

So if you have old work tucked away somewhere — paintings you abandoned, drawings you never resolved, collages that almost worked — I would encourage you to look at them again.

Sometimes the work isn’t bad. It’s simply waiting for the artist you are now.

If you’re interested in purchasing the piece from the video (or any other work), please visit my online shop.

Thanks for stopping by!

The post Why Reworking Old Art Is Central to My Creative Practice appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

         

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That said, experimentation in art can sound big and dramatic and scary. Like you’re supposed to radically change your materials, or start working in a completely new way, or take on some ambitious project where everything is uncertain. If you’re already unsure of yourself, it’s easy to talk yourself out of it before you even begin.

What I’ve found is a more useful way of experimenting. It’s smaller and less risky. I call it: micro-experiments. I’m sure I’m not the first or only person to come up with this, but it’s a notion that really works.

What is a Micro-Experiment?

A micro-experiment is a tiny shift inside something you’re already doing. It’s not a big commitment.

It’s not a new direction. It’s just a question you ask while you’re working, such as:

• What happens if I add just one more color?
• What happens if I don’t mix it this time?
• What happens if I move the surface instead of the tool?
• What happens if I only do this halfway?
• What happens if I repeat this step twice instead of once?
• What happens if I use less than I think I need?
• What happens if I let it sit longer before I touch it again?
• What happens if I switch the order of these two steps?
• What happens if I use the “wrong” tool for this?
• What happens if I stop trying to control the outcome?

None of those questions require courage in the heroic sense. They don’t demand a leap. They’re small enough that you can try them without overthinking it.

A Micro-Experiment Example

In this video I started with one idea: could I “tea-dye” some paper with acrylic ink? I ended up discovering that I could marble paper with just water and acrylic ink!

The results were unexpected and very welcome!

Why Micro-Experiments Work

When you keep your experiments small, you lower the stakes. You’re not trying to make something good. You’re just trying to see what happens, making a shift from being focused on outcome to curiosity! (As a side note, I truly believe that curiosity is my superpower and the key to all success I’ve ever had in my life. I often tell my husband that I’ll know we’ve done a good job raising our son if he turns out to be a curious person. So far, so good! This photo is one I shared to my instagram stories recently.)

When you do a micro-experiment, instead of needing a block of time and a clear plan, you can experiment in the middle of whatever you’re already doing. One piece of paper becomes five slightly different versions. One technique becomes a series of variations and over time, those small variations start to add up.

You begin to notice patterns. Certain colors behave in ways you didn’t expect. Some combinations fall flat. Others feel like something you want to come back to. You start to build a kind of personal knowledge that doesn’t come from tutorials or classes, rather it comes from paying attention to your own work. (This is where I look at you sternly and tell you that a key part of this process is maintaining some kind of notebook where you write stuff down. But more on that in a moment.)

You Start to Build Tolerance for Uncertainty

A lot of hesitation in art comes from wanting to avoid doing something “wrong.” Micro experiments make that almost irrelevant. If the goal is simply to try something, then nothing is really a failure. It’s just information. This is where I think the idea of “wasting supplies” can start to shift for you. If you approach your materials as something to preserve, you tend to use them carefully, if at all. But if you approach them as part of an ongoing process of learning, then using them — even in ways that don’t lead to a finished piece — becomes the point. You’re not using more supplies than you would otherwise. You’re just using them more intentionally.

Writing is Part of An Art Practice

As I mentioned before, one thing that helps me make the most of these small experiments is writing them down. Not in a formal way with step-by-step instructions, and not every time, but often enough that I can look back and remember what I tried. It doesn’t take much. A sentence or two. A quick note about what changed. Sometimes just a reminder that something surprised me.

That record becomes a kind of bridge between one experiment and the next. It keeps ideas from disappearing, which they tend to do if you rely on memory alone.

Final Thoughts

What I like most about micro-experiments is that they don’t require a particular mood or mindset. You don’t have to feel inspired. You don’t have to be confident. You just have to be willing to ask a small question and follow it and that’s a much easier place to begin.

Thanks for stopping by!

The post The Power of Micro-Experiments: Discovery of How To Paper Marble with Just Acrylic & Water appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

         

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My project was called “100 Days of 1 Object” and it was all about making art based on the same vase of (fake) peonies over and over again.

I’m not going to share all 37 pieces today, but I will share a grouping that I just listed in my online shop.

Why Did It Take a Year to List Them in My Shop?!

There are a few reasons that it took me so long to get them up for sale and they’re (almost) all related to the fact that being a businessperson and an being an artist are two different jobs and I like one a lot more than the other. (I’ll let you guess which one.)

Cutting Custom Mats

When I embarked on my 100 Day Project, I didn’t think about making stuff to sell. I just thought about making stuff. And as a result, I didn’t make the artwork a standard size that would fit in a standard pre-cut mat. So, that meant that I need to cut custom mats for every single piece of art that I made. Cutting custom mats isn’t hard (I use a Logan mat cutter), but it’s time consuming and there’s math and measuring.

Scanning & Photographing & Editing & Listing. Oh My!

As the title above suggests, there is a lot of technical labor to get done.

• Scanning Artwork: I like to scan artwork on paper. I feel like the colors are more accurate when you scan and there are no funny angles or weird lighting issues. I bought a super high quality large format Epson scanner fifteen years ago and it still does a great job!
• Photographing: Even after scanning, I need to photograph the artwork in its mat and bag so that the customer can understand how the artwork will look when they receive it, as you can see from the photos below:

• Editing Images: All photographs and scans need to be edited. Most of the time it’s simply cropping and color correcting. Plus I save a full resolution version and a low resolution version with a watermark (for the web). I watermark my photos because they often get separated from the source. How many times have you seen something you loved on Pinterest or elsewhere, but you can’t seem to find the source for the image? I always want people to be able to figure out where the original image came from. I do my editing in Photoshop.
• Listing Artwork: I try to keep this pretty simple – a description of the artwork and then the photos I’ve edited for the web. I didn’t do any mock-ups of the artwork in a frame, because it just felt too time-consuming, but I do sometimes add those into the mix — especially for bigger pieces.

I made a quick one for this blog post, so that you’d understand what I was talking about:

Photos like these help the customer to envision what the artwork might look like in their home or office or business!

One Very Big Art-Related Reason

I needed time to fix up some of the artwork that I didn’t love. I’ll let the video walk you through that:

The Artwork

Here’s a closer look at 15 of the 37 pieces from my 100 Day Project!

You can find all of these for sale in my online shop!

Thanks for stopping by!

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The post Peony Artwork from My Failed 100 Day Project appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

         

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The Price is at Its Lowest Possible Point

There are enough students that we have reached the lowest possible price for class!

Yay!

If you were to take a four-day-class with me at my home studio, the price would be almost double what Dillman’s is charging. So, it’s quite a good deal!

What to Expect from Class

We will be making three different types of books, decorating pages and papers using a variety of mixed media techniques, and having a generally fabulous time together!

I wanted to share a bit more about how each day of class will go:

• Class runs 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm each day.
• Bonus: The classroom is open 24-hours/day for you to use any time!
• Every student will get a 20 page booklet that I’ve put together with instructions, diagrams, and room for taking notes.
• Each day begins and ends with conversation.  At the beginning of the day we come together to discuss the plan for the day, answer any lingering questions, and share a laugh or two!  At the end of the day, we share what we’ve made, clear up any confusion, reinforce the lessons of the day, and keep the joy going!
• We will be working on both book forms and mixed media techniques every single day. For instance, on the first day of class we will spend the morning making collage papers as well as painted and collaged pages, and then bind the pages together in the afternoon. 
• Each of the 4 days will feature new techniques and ideas being demonstrated. 
• You can expect 4 awesome days packed with learning, camaraderie, and joyful creation!

I am a big fan of allowing students to do their own thing. So, I will offer lots of live demos as well as personalized suggestions and advice, but you are welcome (and encouraged) to create in your own style.

What to Expect from Dillman’s Art Workshops

I haven’t been to Dillman’s before. But students (and teachers) come back year after year because the quality of the workshops and the teaching spaces is so good! (The photo above is from their brochure about their classes.)

From their website: “Studios provide students with personal table space, standing room, mirrored demonstration area with seating, and wash-up area along with fresh coffee everyday.”

I talked to a colleague of mine who has taught there for many years and she says she loves teaching there. The facilities are great, the staff is kind, and the students are wonderful.

What My Students Say About My Teaching

You don’t have to just believe me when I say I’m a great teacher worth traveling for! Here are what a few of my former students have said:

​​​​​​​“Just took a class with Julie this past weekend and it was awesome. She is real and her classes build from easy techniques into the more difficult. I highly recommend taking a class with her!” — Jay

“​I just took an AMAZING in-person class with Julie. She designed the projects so we would not only have guidance and direction, but also have freedom to explore what interested us. it was so much fun, and left me with so so so many ideas to chase. Thank you so much, Julie!” — Florence

“Julie paces the class so new techniques are broken down into achievable parts. The classes are filled with techniques so your end product is unique rather than a cookie cutter copy. Your individual style shines through. I like how she has students gather together at the end to share our work.”  — Nancy

I hope to see you in class!

The post Making Mixed Media Books: In-Person Class appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

         

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The Art Books I Bought

Point Character Drawing by Taco

A drawing reference book focused on comic-style figures, with an especially in-depth section on hands, perfect for improving a skill I’ve always struggled with. I couldn’t find version 1 (the one in the video) for sale in English, but the new volume is HERE.

The World of Rubens (1967 Time-Life Book)

A vintage art history book filled with images and context about Rubens’ life and work, offering insight not just into his paintings but into how his era understood art.

Exploring Dimensional Quilt Art by June Barnes

A fiber art book packed with sculptural textile ideas and techniques, full of inspiring projects (like Möbius strip forms) that I’m excited to experiment with in my own work.

World Textiles: A Visual Guide to Traditional Techniques

A richly illustrated reference book that explores global textile techniques, patterns, and materials. I think it will be great for generating ideas and understanding how designs are constructed.

The Best Contemporary Quilts: Quilt National 2001

A collection showcasing top contemporary art quilts, offering a wide range of innovative work and a gateway to discovering artists to research further.

The Best in Contemporary Quilts: Quilt National 1999

Another volume of cutting-edge quilt art that still feels surprisingly contemporary, reinforcing how strong ideas and design transcend time.

The Book Tools

Rotating Book Stand

A hands-free adjustable stand that holds books open without damaging them, making it much easier to study, sketch, or take notes while working.

Scotch Book Tape (Archival Repair Tape)

A clear, acid-free tape designed specifically for repairing books, helping stabilize damaged covers while staying nearly invisible and preserving the book long-term.

How to Use Art Books to Learn

You can’t just look to learn. It’s easy to flip through a book, admire the images, and feel inspired. It’s also easy to close the book… and go right back to making the same work you were making before. And it’s not because the book wasn’t good. It’s because inspiration needs to be processed.

When I bring a book into my studio, I treat it like a tool to be used. For me, that means taking notes. Not highlighting. Not underlining. Actual notes. I write down:

• Ideas that interest me.
• Techniques I want to try.
• Questions that come up.
• Quotes I find meaningful.
• Thoughts that relate to what I’m reading.

For me, the act of writing forces me to process what I’m seeing. For instance, if I see something I love, I ask myself, “What about this is interesting?” Is it the color scheme? The structure? A particular pattern? This thought process allows me to really dive into what I personally and uniquely want to create and why.

In addition, I often sketch from books — focusing on interesting compositions or juxtapositions. Sketching is just another method of processing ideas. So is doing the exercises in a how-to book. It’s one thing to read about how it works and it’s another thing to actually do it. Any time you use your hands to create something, it’s naturally being processed and translated through your own personal filters.

If you’re an artist, you’re a do-er. And so, I believe, you must do in order to learn because the goal isn’t to collect inspiration. The goal is to use it to move your work forward.

Wrap-Up

Several years ago, I posted a Book Club video that demonstrated exactly how I use art books to learn. If you enjoyed this post, you might find that one interesting too!

So before you go, let me know: What’s an art book that you love and highly recommend?

Thanks for stopping by!

The post Thrift Store Find: 6 Art Books for $12 and Here’s How I Plan to Use Them appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

          

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This is a photo of my studio today:

Yes, it’s messy, but it’s actually NOT disorganized.

For me, being organized comes down to three very practical things. None of them are complicated or require a ton of heavy lifting, but they do take a little bit of intention. I’ll take you through all three of them in today’s blog post.

Disorganization Can Stop You From Being Productive

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You sit down to make art. You have an idea. You’re ready to start. And then you can’t find the thing you need because your creative space is totally disorganized. So you start looking. You open containers. You retrace your steps. Maybe you get frustrated enough that you decide to reorganize everything. And somewhere in that process, the energy you had to make something…just leaks away.

I think this is one of the quiet ways that we stop ourselves from making art.

Not because we don’t have ideas. Not because we don’t have time. But because our space makes it just a little bit too hard to begin.

Watch the video for my tips:

Organization Tip #1: Zone Your Art Supplies

Everything you own should have a general “home base.” Not a hyper-specific, perfectly styled location. Just a place where that category of thing lives. For example, all of your paints zoned together.

In the photo above, I’m using rolling carts. If you’re working at a kitchen table, this might be a set of bins or drawers. If you have a larger space, it might be a particular shelf or area of the room.

Whatever your space constraints, the goal is simple: when you need something, you already know the direction to move in. If you’re not sure how to start, pick one category (whatever you use most) and gather all of it into one place. That’s it. You don’t have to organize everything at once. Just start by creating one “zone.”

Organization Tip #2: Label Everything

I know this sounds obvious and yet most people resist it. A label means you don’t have to remember.

Every time you have to stop and think, “Where did I put that?” you’re using up energy that could be going into your work.

Keep in mind, you don’t need a fancy system. A piece of tape and a permanent marker works just fine. If you want to use something like a label maker, rock on. The important thing is that when you open a drawer or look at a closed box, you immediately know what’s inside.

Organization Tip #3: Be Aware of What You Own

This one is less obvious, but it’s equally as important. If your supplies are hidden away, they tend to disappear from your consciousness. You forget they’re there. This might be controversial, but I believe that when it comes to art making, the only wasted money is the money you spend on art supplies you don’t use. If they’re stuck in a box or being saved for a project that’s “good enough,” what’s the point of owning them?!

So part of being organized is making sure your materials are visible enough that they stay in your awareness and therefore get used! That doesn’t mean everything has to be out on display. But it does mean thinking about accessibility: clear bins, open shelving, labeled drawers, etc.

I Love Drawers for Organizing

Drawers are my ride or die because you want your materials to feel available to you at all times. If you have to move three boxes to reach what you want, most of us will be too lazy to do it. And the flip side of things being easy to pull out is that they have to be easy to put away. If putting something away requires too much effort, like if you have to stack things just right or rearrange a whole drawer, you’re not going to do it. At least, I’m not going to do it.

So, let things be a little messy inside the system. A drawer doesn’t have to be perfectly arranged to be useful. It just has to contain the right category of things.

The easier it is to reset your space, the more likely you are to keep it usable.

The Goal of Organizing: An Infinitely Usable Art Studio

In my opinion, the goal of organizing is to achieve a usable studio. Not a perfect studio. Not a beautiful studio ready for a magazine feature. A usable studio.

Because when your space is super functional, you sit down and can start making right away. You don’t lose time looking for things. You don’t feel overwhelmed before you begin. You simply get to work! And when it’s easier to start, you start more often, which means you make more art. It’s a snowball effect with one good thing leading to the next!

If your space has been getting in your way, you don’t have to overhaul everything.

1. Pick one category.
2. Give it a home.
3. Label it.

See what changes because small shifts in how your space functions can have a surprisingly big impact on how often you use it. In the end, that’s what matters!

So, here’s to making more art with more joy! Thanks for stopping by!

The post If You Can’t Find Your Supplies, You Can’t Make Art: 3 Organization Tips appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

          

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• This is spot on Julie….my work space looks almost exactly ... by Peggy Joyce

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You may recall that last week I posted this video:

Here are all the art supplies that I used in the video. There were a lot and I think I caught them all? Let me know if I missed any!

Pens & Pencils

As far as art supplies go, these are your most direct way to respond to what you see. They’re great for quick sketches, exploring shapes, and building ideas without a lot of setup. Virtually all of them can also be layered or altered later.

• Colored pencils
  • Prismacolor Premiere
  • Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils
  • Prismacolor water-soluble graphite pencil
  • Blick Studios
  • Derwent Chromaflow
  • Uni Posca
• Varsity pen (fountain pen, water-soluble ink)
• Ballpoint pen – I like Bic pens a lot. They don’t leak and they last a long time.
• Fine-Tip Sharpie
• China marker (Listo) — The Listo grease pencils/china markers are the BEST! I buy the refills and just pop in a new “lead” when I need it!

Markers & Paint Pens

Markers and paint pens create bold, immediate marks and can vary from fine lines to thick strokes. Some are water-soluble and can be manipulated, while others are permanent, making them great for layering and contrast. Every artist should have a few markers and paint pens in their art supply arsenal!

• Permapaque markers (dual tip: chisel + bullet)
• Uni Posca paint pens
• Koi coloring brush marker (water-soluble)

Crayons

Crayons are a highly underrated art supply, but they are excellent for adding color, texture, and expressive marks. The difference between water-soluble and non-water-soluble options allows you to either keep marks crisp or blend and transform them with water.

• Neocolor I crayons (non-water-soluble)
• Scribble Sticks (water-soluble crayons) – I prefer Neocolor II crayons (water-soluble crayons), but I couldn’t find them on the day I recorded the video.
• Inktense blocks (mentioned as an option, but not used in the video)

Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint is versatile, fast-drying, and easy to layer, making it ideal for experimentation. It can be used thick or thinned with water or gel medium for more transparent effects, and it mixes easily to create a wide range of colors and values. Because it dries quickly, it encourages working fast and building up layers without waiting long.

• Golden Fluid Acrylics – These are some of the specific colors I used in the video:
  • Carbon Black
  • Phthalo Blue (green shade)
  • Cobalt Blue
  • Yellow (benzimidazolone yellow medium)
  • Transparent Iron Oxide
• Liquitex Basics white paint

Paint Application Tools

Different tools change how paint behaves and looks on the page. Brushes, palette knives, and sponges each create unique marks, encouraging experimentation with texture, edge, and application. You can splurge on expensive brushes or get away with cheaper ones. It’s simply a matter of finding the ones that work for you. (I’m a brush abuser, so I tend to buy less expensive ones. This is probably the one art supply I don’t splurge on!)

• Paintbrushes — I used these types of brushes:
  • Small round brush
  • Large flat brush
  • Filbert brush
• Silicone paintbrush
• Palette knife
• Cosmetic wedge sponge

Paper (as Substrate & Collage Fodder)

The surface you work on affects everything—from how materials behave to how free you feel to experiment. Using scrap or “underpaper” helps keep the process low-pressure and encourages risk-taking.

• Underpaper – I use Sulphite Paper as my underpaper.
• Collage paper – I paint my own, but you can use whatever you have on hand!
• Deli paper
• Copy/Printer paper

Cutting Tools

Scissors and craft knives allow you to create shapes directly from paper, shifting your thinking from drawing to construction. Scissors tend to produce softer, more organic edges, while a craft knife gives you precise, clean cuts and the ability to cut interior shapes. Using both encourages you to explore different kinds of edges, forms, and visual effects.

• Scissors – I like Fiskars.
• Craft knife (and even though I didn’t use a cutting mat in the video, you really ought to!)

Adhesives & Mediums

Adhesives make collage possible and can also affect the final look of your work. Different glues and mediums vary in strength, finish, and suitability depending on the weight of your materials.

• Glue stick (UHU preferred)
• Soft gel medium (mentioned as ideal for heavier paper)
• Matte medium (decanted into bottle)

Other Tools

These supporting tools help with setup, application, and process. They may seem secondary, but they make experimentation easier, cleaner, and more flexible.

• Palette (or palette paper)
• Water container (to clean brushes) – I like to use old jars
• Stencils — the one I used in the video is called Big Flower. It’s from the line of stencils I designed for Joggles.

Final Thought

These are all supplies that I love and use and highly recommend. You don’t need all of these art supplies to do the exercise. The goal is to use whatever you have and explore how it works, letting curiosity—not materials—drive your process.

Let me know if you have any questions and thanks for stopping by!

The post Mixed Media Tool Box: Art Supplies Mentioned appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

         

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That’s exactly what this art exercise is about.

On World Art Day, I hosted a live online Zoom class where we explored how to take one object and draw it in as many different ways as possible. It’s fast, messy, low-pressure, and incredibly revealing.

The Premise: One Object, Many Ways

All you need for this art exercise is:

• One object (a cup, plant, shoe—anything!)
• Some paper (even “bad” paper is great)
• A variety of art materials you already own and love to use

From there, the goal is simple: Draw the object over and over again—without worrying about making a “good” drawing.

Instead, you’re asking:

• What shapes do I see?
• How else can I look at this?
• What happens if I change materials?
• What if I simplify it? Exaggerate it? Ignore accuracy entirely?

Start With Shapes, Not Perfection

The first step is to break your object down into basic shapes. Forget details. Forget realism. You’re simply noticing:

• Circles
• Ovals
• Lines
• Curves

And then you draw that.

Not the cup. Just a version of a cup. That distinction matters. Because the moment you stop trying to “get it right,” you open the door to exploration.

Speed Is Your Friend

In the video you can see that in just about 10 minutes, I created 10 different drawings using 9 different materials.

That’s the energy you want.

Quick.
Loose.
Unattached.

The faster you move, the less time you have to judge what you’re making and the more interesting your ideas become. Remember, it’s just an art exercise. It’s not a masterpiece. Have fun and just play!

Let Your Materials Lead You

One of the most important parts of this exercise is switching materials often.

Try:

• Pen + water (to see what bleeds)
• Markers (thick vs. thin lines)
• Paint (big brush vs. small brush)
• Crayons (water-soluble vs. not)
• Collage

Each material changes:

• How you see the object
• How you interpret the shapes
• What feels possible

This is how you start to understand your supplies—not by reading about them or watching videos where other people use them, but by using them in play.

Change the Way You Look

Don’t just draw the object one way.

For this art exercise, try:

• Looking from above
• Turning it sideways
• Letting parts disappear
• Focusing only on the silhouette
• Ignoring the “correct” perspective

You can even draw it in ways that make no logical sense. Have fun and don’t get caught up in the drawing part. Keep it playful.

Explore More Than Just the Outline

Once you’ve drawn the basic shape, you can also explore:

• Patterns on the object
• Shadows and silhouettes
• Color mixing (can you match what you see?)
• Texture
• Collage shapes inspired by it

At this point in the art exercise, the object becomes a starting point, not a destination.

This Is Not About Results

Let me say this clearly: These are not supposed to be good drawings.

They might not look like your object at all—and that’s okay. The goal is to:

• Generate ideas
• Learn your materials
• Build confidence
• Stay curious

Because when you focus too much on results, it’s easy to feel like you’ve already failed before you’ve even begun. But when you focus on process, everything becomes useful.

Art Is an Iterative Process

One of the biggest takeaways from this art exercise is that art doesn’t happen in a straight line. It’s iterative. One idea leads to another. One experiment leads to the next.

You keep going.
You keep playing.
You keep responding.

And eventually, something clicks.

Final Thoughts

This kind of art exercise is deceptively simple, but it’s packed with information.

You’ll learn:

• What you like
• What frustrates you
• What materials excite you
• Where you want to explore more

And best of all? You’ll have a page full of ideas you can come back to later!

If you try this exercise, I’d love to hear how it goes for you.

And if you’re looking for more technique-based explorations like this, you might enjoy the My Art Practice Technique Vault, where I dive deeper into materials, processes, and creative experimentation.

Thanks for stopping by!

The post A Mixed Media Art Exercise You Need to Try appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

          

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What is the MAP Technique Vault?

The MAP Technique Vault is a steady online source of ideas for your art practice, whenever you need it. There are five categories of lessons you’ll receive immediate access to:

• Creativity Sparks
• Art Materials
• Art Techniques
• Studio Vlog
• Q&A Livestreams

In addition to the vast library of content, you’ll also get 1-2 new videos each month that you’re a member.

Creativity Sparks Are Meant to Ignite Your Creativity

Creativity Sparks are short videos that are meant to do exactly what the title says: spark your creativity. It’s an idea, a technique, a prompt for when you’re just not sure what to do or are feeling a bit lost. Here are a few examples of the videos you will find in the Creativity Sparks archive:

A small creative nudge can interrupt overthinking and get you moving before doubt has a chance to take over. Sometimes all it takes is a prompt or spark to shift you from hesitation into action, where ideas can actually begin to grow.

Understanding Art Materials is Key to Artistic Success

Understanding your materials isn’t just technical—it shapes what’s possible in your work. When you know how a material behaves, you can make more intentional choices instead of reacting to surprises or limitations. That knowledge builds confidence, expands your range, and allows your ideas to come through more clearly because you’re working with your materials, not fighting them. Here are a few examples of the lessons you can find in the Art Materials section of the MAP Technique Vault:

Art Techniques Help You Solve Problems

Understanding art techniques gives you a language for making. Techniques offer different ways to approach a surface, build an image, or develop an idea so that you’re not starting from scratch each time. Here are some of the Art Technique videos that are currently available as part of the MAP Technique Vault:

The more techniques you have at your disposal, the more options you have for solving problems, pushing your work forward, and finding the approach that best serves what you want to express.

Studio Vlogs Offer Insight

Studio Vlogs offer a window into how ideas and techniques actually unfold in practice. By watching decisions, adjustments, and even mistakes in real time, you see not just what to do, but how an artist thinks through the process. That kind of behind-the-scenes insight can spark new approaches and help you apply techniques more fluidly in your own work. Here are some of the Studio Vlogs currently available to members:

Q&A Livestreams

The deep archive of Q&A Livestreams give you access to a wide range of artist questions and challenges, many of which you may not have thought to ask yourself. By hearing problems articulated and worked through, you gain new perspectives, practical solutions, and ways of thinking that can shift your own approach. Check out some past livestreams:

Topics covered in livestreams are entirely dependent on the questions asked by members. Some are technique questions. Some are philosophical questions. Some are questions about art supplies or sourcing. All questions are welcome!

In Conclusion

MAP Technique Vault offers a rich archive of techniques and prompts, along with new lessons released 1-2 times each month to keep your practice moving.

Come when you have time. Explore at your own pace. Leave with something to try.

You will receive access to and new lessons from the following categories: Creativity Sparks, Art Materials, Art Techniques, Studio Vlogs, and Q&A Livestreams. There are currently 224 archived videos that fall into these categories, with more being added every month.

Each lesson has a comments section where you can ask questions and share photos of what you’ve made.

Let me know if you have any questions!

The post MAP Technique Vault: For Those Who Want A Library of Art Tutorials! appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

         

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What is Sketchbook Revival?

It’s an eleven-day online creative challenge (April 11–21) featuring 30+ hands-on sessions with artists from around the world. Each day, you can dip into lessons on:

• Drawing
• Painting
• Collage
• Mixed media
• Sketchbook play

…and so much more. Some of the workshops that I’m excited about are:

• Jane Davies: Visual Prompts
  • I love Jane’s work and she always offers simple doable prompts.
• Sarah Matthews: Australian Piano Hinge Book
  • Sarah is great and this is one of my favorite books to make. In fact, it’s one I teach people to make and would charge you a lot of money to learn, so it’s super cool that you’re getting to learn it from Sarah for FREE!
• Debbie Mackinnon: Fast & Loose Mixed Media Sketchbook Pages
  • I haven’t heard of Debbie before (another great reason to join the class — you find so many new-to-you awesome artist instructors) but I love anything that involves fast and loose mixed media.
• Este MacLeod: Play with Patterns
  • Este’s work is beautiful and patterns are always a favorite for me!

There are so many more sessions to choose from if these don’t interest you. Each year I find that there’s one or two sessions that simply blow me away! And it’s a good reminder that you don’t have to do everything. You don’t have to keep up. You just have to show up.

Why You Might Need This (Especially Right Now)

If you’ve been feeling:

• Stuck
• Uninspired
• Too busy to “get back to art”
• Overwhelmed by where to start

Sketchbook Revival gives you:

• A structure (so you don’t have to figure it out)
• A community (so you’re not doing it alone)
• A spark (so you actually begin)

What’s in the Lesson I’m Teaching?

My lesson is called, “Your Sketchbook Is Full of Ideas.”

Personally, I don’t tend to use my sketchbook for finished art. Rather, it’s a place where I collect ideas. I write, I draw, I think, I wander, I play, and I collect things. It’s one of the reasons I tend to refer to my sketchbooks as “studio notebooks.” (As a side note, if this is an idea that intrigues you, I have an entire section of My Art Practice dedicated to the studio notebook.)

So, in my session I’ll be showing you how I go from a little sketch to a finished piece of art — all with the help of a simple formula that you can use over and over again! Here’s the piece that I make in the class video:

If you’ve ever struggled with…

• understanding how to use a sketchbook to fuel finished art
• getting started on a work of art
• feeling like you’ve “run out of ideas”

…then you’re going to love this session.

The Best Part? Sketchbook Revival is FREE.

You can join and access all the sessions at no cost HERE. There is a VIP option if you want lifetime access and bonuses, but you absolutely don’t need it to participate.

VIP is for you if:

• You don’t want to feel rushed
• You know your schedule is unpredictable
• You tend to fall off when things feel overwhelming
• You want this to actually stick, not just be a one or two week burst

One thing you should know, there are three opportunities to buy the VIP package, but the price keeps increasing over time.

• When you first register for class, you can upgrade to VIP for $47.
• During the challenge, you can upgrade to VIP, but now it’s $97.
• And then after the challenge is over, you have one week, one last chance, to decide to upgrade to VIP, however the price is now $197!

You don’t need the VIP, but if you think you’re going to get it, do it earlier rather than later!

Join Before It Starts

The event starts this weekend, so SIGN UP and get ready for an art adventure!

Remember: You don’t need more time. You don’t need better supplies. You don’t need to be “ready.” You simply need to begin. And this is a really easy way to do it.

Thanks for stopping by!

The post Sketchbook Revival (FREE Online Workshop) Starts on Saturday! appeared first on Balzer Designs Blog.

         

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