Made by Joey Challenge #67, The Alphabet Challenge and others

Made by Joey Challenge #67

"Dugwud" Monotangle

This has become my default grid string when I can't think of anything else. It's been a lazy "weekend". I've been trying really hard not to give in to a cold, so I've been doing a lot of drawing and napping, so it's been a prolific 36 hours tangle-wise but I've pretty much accomplished nothing else.

 Diane & Carolien's Alphabet Challenge~VWX

Vitruvius, Wud, X

4"x 6" 

Rapiograph pen, water color and Aquarelle watercolor pencils

I'm becoming rather fond of stacking strings since I discovered the "Stacked and Tangled" Facebook group via Jane Monk's One Tangle group. I did this last night while watching "Boyhood", a beautiful film by the way.

Stacked and Tangled

I don't know the name of some of the patterns. The top two are Ninna 2 & Ninna 3 and the bottom pattern is Purk. I've taken to penciling in a simple wavy stacked string and then scrolling through the photos on various FB tangle pages, picking a pattern that appeals to me and doing my thing with it.
I recently discovered the Facebook group Zentangle Artist Trading Card Swap and started this set for the next swap. I'm really excited about sending my art out into the world and the anticipation of goodies in my mailbox.

Thanks for stopping by! Your generous comments always make my day.

That's New to Me Challenge #26 & Diva Challenge #224

TNTM Challenge #26

explore a new "N" pattern

&

Artist Focus on Neil Burley

I was super excited by this challenge for a couple of reasons. First, I'm a big fan of Neil Burley's work so it was the perfect prompt to truly focus on a few of his patterns. Second, "Rokpool" is one of my favorites and finally, there's a raffle going on and the chance to win a copy of his book. Fingers crossed.

All, but "Rokpool", are new to me. I started with "Nave" in the center, surrounded by "Talbert", "Intertwine" goes across the top, then "Liberty 100", "Rokpool" and "CB5". I've been trying to slow down and really focus on the Zen of the tangle and each deliberate stroke so when this challenge came along, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to do that. Neil's patterns are beautifully intricate and precise, much inspired by architectural detailing. I spent a good deal of time last night drawing out the steps and practicing some patterns then this morning I eagerly began a tile.

Well, this pretty much went off the rails from the get-go, when I realized I'd started Nabu off center. I screwed it up in so many ways I started to take notes.

I didn't start over, I just delegated this to a practice sampler to work out the kinks. Once I completed the patterns, I went back in to vary some line weight and try to fix some mistakes...but as there are no mistakes in Zentangle, only opportunities, I decided to "make it work".

I am the Diva Challenge #224

Monotangle "Tipple'

This is what I was looking at as I was reading the challenge this morning:

Later on I was on my way to yet another cafe and passed the paint store. Well, at the risk of being too literal, it had to be done.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your generous comments always make my day!

It's a String Thing #98

It's a String Thing Challenge #98

string: 090

patterns: Mel Mel, Curl & Cruffle

I've really been slacking on my String Challenges, which really bums me out because these tend to be the challenges that teach me the most. They're a lot of work and the pay-off is the most gratifying. The problem tends to be timing as this challenge isn't issued until Tuesday afternoons and that's about the time my tangling time dwindles since my weekends are Monday & Tuesday.

Anyhoo, here's #98 featuring Adele's new pattern Mel Mel. It looked simple enough-a loopy petal. Well... I had a heck of a time getting the six loops to kiss and then end at the beginning...and look pretty. I just had to give in to my own organic loopiness and let it be.

I also bite off waaaayyy more than I can chew within the confines of tangling time. Between the challenges and the Facebook groups I follow and try to participate in...well it's a juggling act sometimes, but I love it!

A stacked tangle of sorts just for fun

I recently joined the Facebook group Stacked and Tangled. This was one of the watercolor wash tiles I'd created for last weeks Diva Challenge which was to incorporate color. The colors were laid in a frame like formation and then blotted with a paper towel. The string sort of emerged within. The photo doesn't show it well at all but there was some really interesting light and color stuff happening right in the center and I didn't want to cover it. There was also a partial circle where the paint was lighter so I highlighted that area. It looks like an eclipse.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your comments always brighten my day.

Diane & Carolien's Alphabet Challenge: STU

Catching up with the Alphabet Challenge. The challenge for me was the use of Tripoli. I love the way I've seen it used by others, but I just can't get it right. It starts off well but it quickly devolves into a hot mess. I really should have practiced more first.
I thought it might be fun to look at all of the challenges together. My approach from the get-go was to create a series of larger format pieces (4x6) that I might print into note cards some day.

Thanks for stopping by! Your generous comments always brighten my day.

Diva Challenge #223, That's New to Me #25 & Made by Joey #66

 I am the Diva Challenge #223

"Umble"

I'm back to using up some "tiles" I'd cut out of various cardstock a while back. The Diva's challenge this week is to use the old/new official Zentangle pattern, "Umble".  Within the bands of "Umble" I used a variety of patterns whose names escape me except for "Sandswirl" in the middle

That's New to Me #25

"F" patterns: Frost Flower, Florez, Footlites

For this weeks TNTM Challenge I used one of the watercolor wash tiles I'd created for last week's Diva challenge, again letting the colors determine the string. I chose to use "Frost Flower", a new pattern by Karry Heun that was just published on Tangle Patterns today. I also used "Florez" by Cookie and "Footlites" by Carole Ohl.

Made by Joey Challenge #66

"Cornerz" Monotangle

This weeks Made by Joey Challenge is to create a monotangle using the pattern "Cornerz". To change things up a bit, I broke out the white gel pen on a cardboard colored tile I'd cut out of some scrap cardstock I found at work.

Thank you for stopping by. Your generous comments always make my day.

Diva Challenge #222, Made by Joey #65 & That's New to Me #24

I am the Diva Challenge #222

Colors of the Rainbow for Pride

I did watercolor wash backgrounds  on several tiles and just stared at them until the strings inherent in the color variations began to emerge.

I picked one and started with Crescent Moon, then Diva Dance wanted some space, followed by something I can't remember right now, then Narwal dropped by, followed by another pattern I can't remember and finally Black Pearls.
The next one went quickly. I was noodling around on Facebook, while watching TV and on one of the many tangle group pages I belong to, I began scrolling down the posts and began picking a random pattern for each layer. I neglected to write the pattern names down but one of them I know is PeaFea (the top layers on the red & orange).

Made by Joey #24

Alphabet Monotangle~"B"unzo

I like this pattern when others do it but it's one of those I never use because I can't get it to look clean. Nor was I able to find a way to get some variety in it. If it wasn't for the crutch of my colorful watercolor page, it would have been totally boring. I stole the split Bunzo idea from something I saw on Lily Moon's blog.

That's New to Me #24

"Richardson" & " Pines"

This pattern combo sounds like a law firm or a TV cop show. The challenge this week was to explore a new pattern beginning with the letter R. There was also an artist focus this week on Lila Popcheff. I'm using Neil Burley's pattern "Richardson" and Lila's "Pines". I really enjoyed this challenge. I wasn't familiar with Lila Popcheff's blog and was delighted to find so many great patterns there that I'd never seen before. I've bookmarked several for future exploration and New to Me challenges. I also love Neil Burley's website and his amazing patterns which are very architectural and challenging. I embellished "Richardson" quite liberally.

Thank you for stopping by. Your generous comments make my day.

Alphabet Challenge, It's a String Thing #96 & Made by Joey #64

Diane & Carolien's Alphabet Challenge~PQR

Paizel, Queeries & Rozy

.

This one was a toughy. It didn't really come out as I'd hoped. I've been approaching this particular challenge in a postcard sized format in the hopes of generating a set of note cards. For each challenge I choose a border, a central and a background pattern and work in that order, then determine the colors last. I started with the Paizel border, which was really relaxing and enjoyable to draw. By the time I got to the Queeries background it started to fall apart and then the colors got muddy. Anyhoo, not my finest hour(s) but as I'd already invested so much time I finished it and committed to it by leading off with it here. 

I got a lot of challenges done this week at the expense of everything else, but that's how I roll.

Made by Joey #64

Alphabet Monotangles~Arukas

I started a new watercolor page in my sketchbook but I think I got a little heavy handed with it. I think I'll complete the page with some bold contrasts.

It's a String Thing Challenge #96

String #92~Neuron, Nuwave, Nvelope & Nipa

This string wanted to morph into Nvelope. So I let it. Ooops I just noticed I wrote the wrong challenge # on the page. Back to a simple white page.

Thanks for stopping by. Your lovely comments always make my day.

Diva Challenge #221,That's New to Me #23 & The Alphabet Challenge

I am the Diva Challenge #221

"Beads of Courage"

This weeks challenge brings awareness and is a tribute to Beads of Courage,  an Arts in Medicine that supports kids with chronic or life threatening illnesses and their families. Instead of rewarding children with stickers or lollipops when they face a medical hurdle or procedure, they receive a glass bead that represents that part of their medical journey.

That's New to Me #23

a new "D" pattern and artist focus on Genevieve Crabe CZT

I chose "Dekore" by Kari Schultz and "Classe" by Genevieve Crabe CZT, both new to me and completing this watercolor page in my sketchbook

...and finally:

Diane and Carolien's Alphabet Challenge: MNO

Mi2, Nymph & Ollove

Thanks so much for visiting. Your generous comments always brighten my day!

A few more challenges

That's New to Me week #22

"A"lien Crest & Margaret Bremner's "Croon"

This was really an exercise in covering up mistakes and proving that there are no mistakes in the world of Zentangle. Alien Crest was new to me (as was Croon) and looked simple enough. I practiced it a little and then got down to business. It quickly became a hot mess. If I'd been working on a tile I probably would have started again, but it was the first "tile" on a fresh watercolor page in my journal so I muddled through. That's where the spiderwebs came in and then the light/heavy line work. It worked! Yay me!

It's a String Thing Challenge #95

String #96

N'zeppel, onamato, yincut & bublz

I've been MIA from the String Challenges lately. This was a fun one. I love the ST challenges because I have to really work at getting all of the designated tangles into the string. It's always a challenge and I always feel victorious when I finish one, but sometimes I just don't wanna work that hard.

Diane & Carolein's Alphabet Challenge & Made by Joey #62
Jemz, Knightsbridge & Lotus Flower

I'm way behind on this challenge, but I took on an ambitious task with these ones because I'm doing them in a larger format and attempting to complete a series of  note cards. This one was inspired by a Made by Joey Challenge from a few weeks back to create a card fit for a queen, in honor of Queen Elizabeth's birthday. I chose JKL patterns with a regal flair.

Thanks for stopping by. Your generous comments always make my day!

Diva Challenge #220 & Made by Joey #63

 Diva Challenge #220

Continuing on with my water colored journal page, here's a tangle pattern called "All Boxed Up" by CZT Alice Hendon, this weeks "UMT" challenge at I am the Diva. I like using stacked strings when no string is determined by the challenge. Coincidentally, Alice is also one of the admins of the Stacked and Tangled Facebook group.

Made by Joey #63

celebrating June using string #006 and any "J" patterns

I chose a couple of new patterns, "Jax" and "Japan Diamonds" to fill the last "tile" on my journal page for this weeks challenge at Made by Joey.
It was a creative and coffee fueled morning at the cafe. My favorite way to start my day off.

Thanks for stopping by. Your generous comments always make my day.