Monoprinting

TIME TRAVELER | Online Class

| Marsha.
Time Traveler - Online Workshop Kalbach Koopsen Valk

I’m beyond happy to announce I’m part of this very special workshop – Time Traveler!

I’m teaching along with my amazing friends Nathalie Kalbach and Birgit Koopsen in this three-week online workshop that goes on sale today and begins on August 17th.

Become a Time Traveler with us! With this course, Nat, Birgit and I will help guide you through space and time, finding inspiration from different eras in history.

Each teacher has chosen a time and will show you mixed media techniques and design motifs inspired by their modern take on that period.

The goal is to create three different handmade book projects using Gelli® plate printmaking techniques and favourite mixed media techniques unique to each teacher.

You will get three different artistic perspectives and oodles of fun and creative ideas to try.

Sign up TODAY for Early Bird pricing: Today, 5 through 8 August 11.59 EST this course is just $89 USD. From 9 to 17 August 11.59 EST Time Traveler will be $99 USD. And then, from 18 August the course will be its regular price of $139 USD.

Check out the promo video below:

Time Traveler will begin on 17 August and will run for three weeks, with a new video publishing each day.

There will be a total of 21 videos, over five hours of video in total, as well as supply lists and additional lesson content in the classroom to help you along the way.

All the videos are downloadable and available to you to enjoy at your own pace.

Here are some of the topics covered in this workshop:

  • Mixed Media techniques
  • Gelli Arts® gel plate printmaking techniques
  • Bookbinding techniques
  • Tips and tricks for translating inspiration into art
  • Creative ideas to take to all your artmaking, art journaling, cardmaking, and beyond!

Sign up HERE for this one-of-a-kind take on creating personal, expressive mixed media art in book form from three talented teachers.

Time Traveler - Online Workshop Kalbach Koopsen Valk

A to Z StencilGirl® Art Journal Collaboration & Challenge

| Marsha.
StencilGirl® Products A to Z Collaboration and Challenge

Hi there! Hope you are doing well!

From about March until now I’ve worked my way through a handmade journal as part of the StencilGirl® Products A to Z Collaboration and Challenge organised by StencilGirl® columnist Tina Walker.

For this challenge, all of the participants were asked to fill a journal with an entry for each letter of the alphabet.

Marsha Valk StencilGirl® Products A to Z Collab and Challenge - B

The idea I had for this journal was inspired by a book that I read and loved about 15 years ago: ‘Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life’ by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

I’ve kept a journal like it before years ago, in a small address book that I had accidentally purchased. I used to keep it in my bag to write down ‘random stuff’ per letter on my train commute to and from work.

A lot of it was overheard conversation, observations, small things that caught my eye or that were on my mind. Sometimes I added little sketches.

I wish I could have had all of that this time around, however, it turned into a home edition of an ‘A to Z of Ordinary Things’ due to you-know-what.

Marsha Valk StencilGirl® Products A to Z Collab and Challenge - M

As this was a collab for the StencilGirl® Talk Blog, the only stencils we were allowed to use were stencils by StencilGirl® Products. All of the other materials I used were my own choice.

Watch the video above for a quick flip through of the journal!

Tina’s column about the collab is up on the StencilGirl® Talk Blog today.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Marsha Valk StencilGirl® Products A to Z Collab and Challenge - V

Please note that I’m also a columnist for the StencilGirl® Talk Blog, so though I did not receive any compensation for participating in this collaboration, the majority of the stencils I used to fill the pages were previously given to me or purchased at a discount!

The Stencilfied Journal 2019

| Marsha.
Marsha Valk | The Stencilfied Journal 2019 - Prompt 5 Stairway To Heaven

The Stencilfied Journal is a 24-week StencilGirl® Collaboration Challenge hosted by the fab Tina Walker. Each Monday from January to June, Tina has revealed a song prompt for us to play with (using stencils by StencilGirl® Products).

Marsha Valk | The Stencilfied Journal 2019 - Prompt 6 Thank You

This round wasn’t as successful for me as the first round during the summer of last year. Which is a shame, because I use song lyrics in my art journal all the time and, I immensely enjoyed the six prompts I did end up doing!

Marsha Valk | The Stencilfied Journal 2019 - Prompt 7 Counting Blue Cars

I figure it has something to do with my schedule at the beginning of the year and the fact that song prompts require more (mental) steps than last year’s ‘doing, not thinking’ type prompts.

Marsha Valk | The Stencilfied Journal 2019 - Prompt 8 Beautiful

I may, or may not, do a couple more of the prompts. I’m certainly not abandoning this little journal. I still love the pocket size, and I want to see it filled to the brim just like last year’s!

Marsha Valk | The Stencilfied Journal 2019 - Prompt 10 Another Brick In The Wall

Tina has written up a farewell post on her blog, with some of the stunning pages the other participants created. Visit her here: The Stencilfied Journal 2019 – Tina Walker

Marsha Valk | The Stencilfied Journal 2019 - Prompt 11 Cat's In The Cradle

Please note that though I am a columnist for StencilGirl® Products, this is not a sponsored post. I participated in this collab because it’s fun and I think Tina is thebombdotcom!⠀

n*Studio | Hex Marks The Spot

| Marsha.

It’s my turn on the n*Studio blog today! Which means that it’s time to share last month’s project with you here.

Hex Marks The Spot

Last month Nat’s Creative Squad was asked to use the Hex Set Large rubber stamps and, to think about what we treasure.

You can read the story behind this page and, a step-by-step description of how I made it here on Nathalie’s blog: Hex Marks The Spot – Marsha Valk

Food For Thought

While you’re there you may also want to have a look at my lighthearted take on this month’s prompt: Food For Thought – Marsha Valk

Gelli Arts® & DecoArt® Collaboration | Summer Fun

| Marsha.

Hi there! Gelli Arts® has teamed up with DecoArt® for some ‘Summer Fun’, and I’m here today to share the video I contributed to their blog collaboration!

For the collab, each of the participating Gelli Arts® Artists was gifted a box of DecoArt® Americana Premium paints and mediums to play with.

The theme ‘Summer Fun’ made me think of summer days in the yard and of vacations abroad.

Marsha Valk | Gelli Arts® + DecoArt® collab: Summer Fun mixed media collage monoprint

How-to

I’ve recreated a photo I found in Elle magazine. I started by sketching it on computer paper; then I scanned the sketch to reverse it, and to print multiple copies.

I used the multiple copies to cut several stencils of the scene, each to use with one or two print colours. The stencils (and cut out masks) also helped with printing multiple layers.

I mixed the DecoArt® Americana Premium paints to create colours that (kind of) matched the original photo, and I created texture plates by applying Texture Medium to scrap pieces of cardboard with a Gelli Arts® mini printing tool.

The ‘Summer Fun’ theme also reminded me of colourful dresses, so I decided to use another photo from the same magazine as a reference to draw a lady onto computer paper.

I painted her head first. Then I used Matte Medium and gel printed tissue paper to collage the multicoloured dress.

Once the collage was dry, I pasted the lady onto the gel printed scene with the same Matte Medium, and then I enhanced the print with shadows and added details using paint markers and coloured pencils.

Preserve summer memories

As mentioned, I used photos from a magazine as a reference to create my gel print, but you could also use a personal photo as the jumping off point instead. Wouldn’t it be fun to record a summer memory this way?!

Visit the Gelli Arts® blog to see what the other participating artists have created.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful summer (or winter)!

Materials used

Gelli Arts® 12” x 14” gel printing plate
Gelli Arts® 8” x 10” gel printing plate
Gelli Arts® mini printing tool
4” roller

DecoArt® Americana Premium Mediums Matte Medium, Texture Medium, White Gesso
DecoArt® Americana Premium Acrylic Paints Burnt Umber, Cadmium Orange Hue, Carbon Black, Cobalt Teal Hue, Dark Grey Value 3, Dioxazine Purple, Phthalo Green-Yellow, Primary Cyan, Primary Magenta, Primary Yellow, Pyrrole Red, Quinacridone Magenta, Titan Buff, Translucent White

Please note that none of the links in this post are affiliate links! However, if you use the code MarshaV at check out on the Gelli Arts® website, you get 10% off an order over $20, and I earn a small percentage of the sale.

Stencils

StencilGirl® Products Letters on Box stencil by Daniella Woolf
AALL & Create Stencil #9 by Autour de Mwa, Stencil #12 by Autour de Mwa, Stencil #32 by Carol AndCo, #36 by Aida Domisiewicz

Other

Magazine (Elle)
Computer paper (A4)
Cardboard scraps
Paper (A3)
Tissue paper
Craft knife + cutting mat
2” roller
Scissors
Black pen
Pencil
Paint markers
Coloured pencils

n*Studio | Pastel Dreams

| Marsha.

Marsha Valk | n*Studio: Pastel Dreams art journal pageYou may have noticed that I’ve rejoined Nathalie Kalbach’s Creative Squad and, it’s my turn on the n*Studio blog today! Which means that it’s time to share last month’s project with you here!

Pastel Dreams

Last month the n*Studio Creative Squad was asked to go pastel with our colour palettes and to create with Nat’s Large Floral Tile stamp set.

Marsha Valk | n*Studio: Pastel Dreams

The pastel theme reminded me of Mrs Prysselius, one of the characters in the old Pippi Longstocking films.

In the Dutch translation of the Astrid Lindgren books Mrs Prysselius is called aunt Pastellia, so that’s the name she goes by for me.

You can read the full story and watch the step-by-step video here on Nathalie’s blog: Pastel Dreams – Marsha Valk

Marsha Valk | n*Studio: Feel The Rhythm

While you’re there you may also want to have a look at the video I did for April: Feel The Rhythm – Marsha Valk

Hex Marks The Spot

And, last but not least, my Creative Squad project for June is available right here: Hex Marks The Spot – Marsha Valk

StencilGirl® Products & Resketch Color Journal Collaboration

| Marsha.

Marsha Valk | StencilGirl®: Resketch Collab JournalHi there! I’ve got a special post for you today!

In February and March I worked my way through a wonderful little Resketch journal as part of the StencilGirl® Products & Resketch Color Collaboration organised by StencilGirl® columnist Tina Walker.

Marsha Valk | StencilGirl®: Resketch Collab Journal

For this collaboration, all of the participants received a journal gifted by Resketch. I chose the 3.5 x 5-inch journal.

Marsha Valk | StencilGirl®: Resketch Collab Journal

To fill the journal we were only allowed to use ONE colour + black and white. I chose ultramarine.

Marsha Valk | StencilGirl®: Resketch Collab Journal

And, as this was a collab for the StencilGirl® Talk Blog, the only stencils we were allowed to use were stencils by StencilGirl® Products. All of the other materials I used were my own choice.

Watch the video above for a quick flip through of the journal!

Marsha Valk | StencilGirl®: Resketch Collab Journal

Tina’s column about the collab is up on the StencilGirl® Talk Blog today and to celebrate she’s also hosting a GIVEAWAY!

We are giving away a random selection of Resketch journals AND a $25 StencilGirl® gift certificate to ONE LUCKY PERSON!

Make sure to comment below to let us know you’ve visited and let us know what color your journal would be. Visit each artist(s) blog for more chances to win!

Anna Friesen
Cynthia Silveri
Jenny Petricek
Tina Walker
Amie Seahorn
Michele Kosciolek
Erin DeCoste
Lisa Dobry
Josefine Fourage

We will pick ONE winner on April 29th, 2019 so watch this space to see if you are a winner! (Comments due no later than April 28th midnight EST).

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Marsha Valk | StencilGirl®: Resketch Collab Journal

Please note that the journal featured in this post was gifted to me by Resketch. I’m also a columnist for the StencilGirl® Talk Blog, so though I did not receive any compensation for participating in this collaboration, the majority of the stencils I used to fill the pages were previously given to me or purchased with a discount!

StencilGirl® Column | Create Themed Monoprints with StencilGirl® Stencils

| Marsha.

Marsha Valk | StencilGirl® Column: Themed Monoprints

There’s a new column up on the StencilGirl® Talk blog!

In it, I share a video of me creating these monoprints inspired by the film ‘Isle of Dogs’, a Van Gogh exhibition and a couple of recent personal projects, using StencilGirl® Product stencils designed by Mary Beth Shaw, Nathalie Kalbach, Carol Wiebe, Daniella Woolf, Andrew Borloz and Rae Missigman.

Go to the StencilGirl® Talk Blog to read the column and to see the complete list of stencils, masks and materials used!

Have a wonderful week!