Halp...

This thread contains resources to help you understand Skullgirls and FG's in general http://skullgirls.com/forums/index.php?threads/beginner-resources-thread.242/ it's also got a link to the General BnB compendium, which has simple BnB's for every character that generally work on every character (I don't play Val so I dunno if there's specifics related to that)

EDIT: Herpa derp how could I forget? Go through the in-game tutorial if you haven;t already. It's IMO the best tutorial ever made for a fighting game.

As a fellow beginner myself I practice:
1 midscreen combo
1 corner combo (though if you can find a combo that can work both midscreen and in the corner fine I don't think you need it really, just to optimise)
1 throw combo

From there you want to watch solo Val videos (there's a player at Salty who plays solo Val but I can't remember his name for the life of me) and see how they're playing. What actions they are taking? If they're, say, throwing blades at a certain time, go back and watch it again to see what spacing they're doing that at, and make a mental and/or physical note of it. How are they moving across the screen? As far as combos and resets go they're the easiest to see but at a lower level the hardest stuff to ignore and IMO they should be ignored, because learning the neutral game as a beginner should be a bigger concern than learning combos (I say this as I practice not hit confirming and movement with Filia but some swag WingZero combo...) then again you should probably still make little notes of resets that tend to work.

Oh yeah, also play a lot. See what you do works (hits a lot of times) and what you do doesn't work (doesn't hit as often, you get punished for it, etc)

I don't know Val well enough to suggest a second character, although the game's pretty well balanced and you can basically make any two characters work, especially at a lower level. The more you play the more you understand what you like to play as and what your character's weaknesses are and you'll try to find characters/assists that help alleviate those weaknesses.

From a beginner to another, good luck!

PS: Don't forget to ask questions when you come across things you don't understand.

So you're looking for a more universal combos?
If that's the case then learn to convert from her airdashes and you can land these:

From a standard low hit starter:
c.LK > c.HP >j.HP > airdash j.MP > j.HP > j.LP > j.MP > j.HP > airdash j.MP > j.HK > s.LP (3) > s.MP~MP > c.MK > s.HK (3) xx H Bypass xx EKG


If you get a jump-in or crossup with j.HP
j.HP > s.LK > c.hp > j.HP > Airdash j.MP > j.HP >j.LP > j.MP > j.HP > Airdash j.MK > j.HK > dash s.LP(3) > s.MP > c.MK > s.HK (3) xx H Bypass xx EKG Flatliner

I would say start off with a character who's design or concept you love, since it will make them alot easier to learn, and then spend some time in that character's tutorial and after that in the training room. Familiarize yourself with their moves and how they hit what they hit. Then, just whenever you have time, hammer through arcade mode with that character. You'll learn alot by doing. Also, if you're on PC, look for beginner or casual lobbies, although they may end up being traps set by infinite Filia combo-ers. If you're on PS3 or 360, you probably won't find any matches at all. Of course, this is just what I did, and I'm still just okay at the game, so take it with a grain of salt.