Thursday, January 7, 2016

Made by Joey #94 & It's a String Thing #126

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Joey starts off the new year with a musical theme and the promise of series inspired challenges. She provided the string (a musical "flat" note) and the pattern "Retro". She also posed the question "Do you listen to music while tangling?" I wish I did, but the answer to that is...uhmnn...not really. If I'm at the cafe, there's music playing, but when I'm at home, I have the TV on. I may or may not be actually watching it and usually I just pop in a DVD I've already seen and just listen to it. My favorite is watching "Poirot" and "Downton Abbey" DVD's from the library. This week, I'm house sitting and have Cable and internet;-) though a limited number of art supplies. I'm flipping between the Cooking Channel and the Food Network, currently engrossed in a Master Chef Canada marathon.

String #126
patterns: Popcloud, Phroz and 4Fun

This week's String Challenge...hmnnn... well there's a reason these are called challenges. I could not wrap my pen around the zen this time. I did this yesterday, a rainy day off, coffee and nothing to do but draw. It was the perfect scenario. This took me 3 attempts. Ironically, "4Fun"? it was not. I could not get that third pattern to work. Though it's not necessary to use all of the patterns, it's a personal challenge to make sure I do it. "Phroz" gave me grief because I didn't have the right pens. I've been  using and loving my old art school Rapidograph technical pens for the past year. The two finest tips finally wore out and I sent them off to be replaced. Hopefully they'll come back soon. I miss them.

One of my Facebook groups (Tangled and Journaled, Too) has prompted a pattern a day challenge where we can either draw the daily prompt pattern or one of our choice. The idea is to create a pattern reference library in any format we choose. Ideas for storage include journals, Rolodexes, index cards & boxes or plastic sheets in a binder. Last year I started something of this ilk and ultimately abandoned it. I made a bunch of Twinchie/Bijoux tiles from a stack of watercolor pages I'd used to practice watercolor washes while testing out all my colors. I started by doing little illustrations on the ones where the colors inspired scenarios and then started making pattern cards that I keep in slide sleeves:

Currently I'm continuing this in my multimedia sketchbook and plan to cut them out and keep them in the slide sheets.
This is a super quick and easy way to collect patterns. Just one a day. I can do that. This is actually one of 10 pages I've done so far. I get a little OCD sometimes;-)


Thanks so much for visiting my blog. Your thoughtful and generous comments make my day!





5 comments:

  1. Your "Joey" challenge is lovely with the black and brown! As for your String Challenge, BRAVO!!! I could never get my head around it and just "moved on" ;) Great idea of storing your tiles in the slide sleeves! I've started a sort of cards-on-a-ring thing, but prefer relying on the internet web!

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    1. Thanks Jennifer! I quit this particular string challenge several times but I'd missed so many last month I decided to persevere. I have to challenge the perfectionist in me and embrace the imperfect from time to time;-)

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    2. Good for you, although I don't see much evidence of imperfections on your blog! Remember: no mistakes in Zentangle! Only opportunities!

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  2. I just finished my Joey tile and see yours now: it's looking great! Love the brown colour and the Retro tangle that can be found in several places. I like :-))
    Haven't started the String challenge yet, but it looks like a real challenge. Makes me curious, I hope I can find some time to do it. Thanks for sharing your struggles, we all have them from time to time...

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  3. Love both of your tiles. I also did not get the Zen feel for the IAST challenge. Love your 4 fun just peeking out.

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