String Challenge #138

It's a String Thing Challenge #138

Pattern: "Citrus"

I managed to squeak in one more post for the month.

This week Adele challenged us to use her new pattern "Citrus" as either a string within which we could add patterns of our choosing, or to just use as a  pattern on it's own.

I have a stash of postcard sized watercolor splashes left-over from a recipe card project and this one was perfect for its citrus coloring and splashes. I trimmed it down to tile size and used a sepia micron for the string and then a traditional calligraphy pen with brown ink (which is a very rusty red) for the fills and then dark french grey Prismacolor pencil for the shading.

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Diva Challenge #261 & Made by Joey #106

Diva  Challenge #261-Stacked Bijou

This week's challenge was presented by guest blogger Jane Reiter, CZT who asked us to create a bijou (2"x 2") tile as the central focus of a stack of tiles, grading in size and to use colored paper or cardboard to which we would add border patterns.

I pondered this for a good part of the day while going about my business, planning my paper scrounging and drawing time. I didn't really feel compelled to pull out boxes and drawers to see if I had paper to start measuring and cutting. When I got home from work (very late), I had every intention of starting in the morning and put on a DVD to chill for a bit before bedtime. I got the brilliant idea to grab a piece watercolor paper and paint a faux stack to frame my little bijou (a left-over from my Christmas refrigerator magnet project). I figured I'd just set up the watercolor before bed and then draw this morning...

HA! This took me forevvvvvvverrrrrrr.

faux stacks-a scan of the 6" x 6" base.

Made by Joey #106

Roman Numeral Series: VI

patterns: Emingle, Prestwood, Mooka, Rokpool, Dex

For this week's challenge Joey asked us to use patterns of our own choice with a specific interest in what we chose for the top and bottom bands. I thought I'd continue on with some borders and grid patterns discovered whilst creating swap tiles recently. Not a big fan of grid patterns previous, I landed on a few that I really like: "Emingle "& " Dex". I love "Prestwood" as a border as well as "Oybey" (used in the Diva tile).

Here's the series so far

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Happy Easter

For Adele Bruno's "It's a String Thing" Challenge 137

patterns:Zenith, Warped Eggs and Mel Mel

I found an old sheet of a watercolor practice page in colors that are generally not in my repertoire but surely had Easter splashed all over it. Perfect for this little piece.

Loopy Group for the Tangled & Journaled: Too Swap

 Done!

I mailed off this packet of tiles yesterday...a month early! So it'll be awhile before I get a packet back but I'm happy it's done because it sure was fun. I'm really loving the "Renaissance" look and all of the new patterns and techniques I was able to work through. I admit it got a little tedious toward the end but the repetition I forced upon myself brought a whole new element to my style. I tend to avoid grid patterns but the way I set up the string put grids in one corner and an organic or free floater in the other corner. I wanted to work on drop shadows there. I love how the tan tiles are such great hosts for white pen and pencil so each tile had a white focus(enhanced by a little colorful shading) in the loops. I mentioned in a previous post that I was highly influenced and inspired by Margaret Bremner's Renaissance tiles. I really studied her shading technique (the loopy string idea came from one of her blog posts) and think I managed to capture it yet enhance my own style without changing it.

Now on to the next swap...or two.

Happy Easter and thank you so much for visiting my blog. Your thoughtful and generous comments inspire and delight me!

Diva Challenge #260, Made by Joey #105 and a few more swap tiles

Diva Challenge #260-Shattuck Monotangle

on a watercolor ATC using Rapidograph pens, 

Prismacolor marker & Prismacolor pencils

white gel pen

The challenge is to use only one pattern-Shattuck, using as many variations of that pattern as you want. I may have cheated a little by adding sort of Mooka-ish channels to the design, but that's how I roll.

Made by Joey Challenge #105

Roman Numeral String Series: V

patterns: Pais, Coil and Puf

on a watercolor ATC using Rapidograph and Micron pens

Prismacolor marker, Prismacolor pencils

and white gel pen

Joey gave us a "High Five" string using Roman numeral V and a couple of interesting patterns to factor into it. "Coil" is a new one for me though I was tinkering around with it for a minute last week for the Tuesday Tangles feature at one of the Facebook groups I belong to: Tangled and Journaled: Too. The purpose is to learn one new pattern a day prompted by a list of 7 patterns posted every Tuesday. I start it in my dot grid sketchbook, then I'll do a Bijou sampler of each pattern in my multi-media sketchbook and then cut each one out and put it in my pattern reference binder. Anyhoo, I spent a great deal of time this morning trying to figure out how to get "Coil" around a corner.

 

Yesterday's Tuesday Tangles

These following tiles are for a swap for the same group. I posted the first tiles in a previous post, these are the next 3. I made "Renaissance" tiles with looping strings, using many (but not exclusively) Tuesday Tangles.

"Loopy 4"

Fed R

Beadlines

Raindotty

Caviar

Florz

Inapod

Crescent Moon

Tipple

 "Loopy 5"

Yang

Black Pearls

Beadlines

Crescent Moon

Tipple

Bubblz

"Loopy 6"

Tipple

Kiss

Beadlines

Fed R

Raindotty

Striping

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Made by Joey Challenge #104 & String Challenge #136

Made by Joey Challenge #104

Roman Numeral IV String

patterns: 4 Corners, 4 Fun & 4 Mom with a little Tipple & Mooka

Yes, I managed to cram all three (plus 2) patterns into this little ATC, even though we were asked to "use at least one" of the "4" patterns.

It's a String Thing Challenge #136

Pi String

patterns: W2, Pokeroot, Tripoli and 3-loops-6

This weeks challenge honors Pi & Pie. It was National Pi Day earlier in the week. I see pie crust, cherries and slices of pie in the pattern choices, though I'm still trying to figure out how the 3-loops-6 fits into the Pi/Pie theme. It must be something mathematical...not my strong suit. This was one of those tiles that started out with a very different picture in my head and somewhere along the line it slipped out of control. I blame "Tripoli". I wasn't going to use it. I have a love/hate relationship with that pattern, then I decided I would try to morph it. That did not work. I thought about ditching it many times but I persevered hoping I'd have that "Aha!" moment when I'd reign it all in...I finished it anyway, for better or worse.

I made up a couple of watercolor tiles for the Diva's Touch of Irish challenge and this weeks Shading Zentangle Facebook group watercolor challenge (which I've yet to do). This is what the above tile looked like before.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. Your thoughtful and generous comments always make my day.

A Touch of Irish~Diva Challenge#259

This week we're called upon to create a tile with "a touch of Irish". I never use green and the thing is I really love it, especially with purple and turquoise.
I googled images of Celtic Knots and this stood out. "Oybey" and "Tipple" were the patterns of choice.

Here's the framed ensemble piece I started a while back. I'd created 6 tiles from the 9 x 12 inch watercolor piece. I then went out in search of  square frames. I found 2 at the Goodwill. The mattes had some pencil marks I had to figure out a way to mask, but the frames were both in great shape. I gave the mattes the old watercolor wash/splatter technique.

I really like the way these came out. I'm going to give one to my niece for her birthday in April.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog. Your thoughtful and generous comments inspire and delight me.

Works-in-Progress: Swap

This was the first tile starting with a simple looping string.

"Tuesday Tangles and Other Faves"

using only patterns from my reference binder

The first 4 tiles using a loopy string drawn with a terra cotta Prismacolor pencil

line work starts with the calligraphy pen dipped in brown ink

this needs time to dry so I'm working on a few at a time

These are tiles I'm creating for a swap for the Facebook group Tangled & Journaled: Too. The parameters are to use standard 3 1/2" tiles and use only tangles (patterns). No doodling.

These swaps are always a lot of fun for me, but mostly I use them as an opportunity to explore and enhance my toolbox. I've been assembling a pattern library (2 inch tiles in a binder using slide sleeves) prompted by the groups Tuesday Tangles weekly challenge to add new patterns to the repertoire, but I'm also collecting patterns I've used before but never remember to use . 

When faced with creating 10+ tiles (or ATC's)  for a swap, I start by finding a theme and then explore variations of that theme-generally something that I want to perfect.

I've been exploring Renaissance tiles lately, so I want to keep working on this. In its basic form it starts with a tan tile, using black, brown and red pens for line work, graphite and brown pencil for shading and then white pencil and gel pen for highlight.

I started with my hand painted watercolor wash on a 9x12 sheet of watercolor paper. This is the link to a previous post with the "How to" tutorial.

I decided to pick an artist whose technique I really admire and try to replicate some of the elements I feel I could use some improvement on. Margaret Bremner's work is incredible and her Renaissance pieces are exceptional. I love how she shades and how she uses strings. I'm using her looping string approach, mixing my microns with calligraphy pen  and Rapidograph technical pens for line work, using only patterns from my pattern library and finally, l want to improve drop shadows.

I posted the second photo (above) on the groups Facebook page yesterday and then I was asked to submit a photo for the banner art this week. How cool is that?

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Diva Challenge #258, Made by Joey #103 & It's a String Thing #135

Diva Challenge #258

UMT-Rautyflex by CZT Katharin Bendel

This weeks challenge is a Use My Tangle where the Diva's tangle pals and followers submit patterns of their own creation to be shared and explored. This one was described as a "High Focus" pattern.  That it was. I filled two pages of my sketch book practicing this. I immediately saw an opportunity to include "Zonked" within it. Zonked came up as last weeks Square One focus. I'm still trying to master that one.

Made by Joey #103

Roman Numeral String Series III

patterns: Buttercup, Fescu & Tipple

This was a fun ATC to draw. My theme for this series is to use "Renaissance" inspired watercolor ATC's using brown and black ink

It's a String Thing #135

clover leaf string

pattern: Lucky

I'm not too crazy about this one. It got a little busy.

Square One; Purely Zentangle

"Yuma"

This week at the Facebook group Square One: Purely Zentangle, the focus pattern is "Yuma", and dedicated to Mothers. The groups administrator lost her mother last week. This one's for you, Ma.


As ever, thank's so much for visiting my blog. Your generous and thoughtful comments delight and inspire me.

Diva Challenge #257 & Made by Joey #102

Diva Challenge #257

Oooooh Shiny!

Guest blogger Amy Broady's challenge was to add some shine, gleam or glint to your piece this week. Specifically: metallic. hmnnnn...I was not quite sure what to do about this. My toolbox does not contain ready-made metallic or glitz or glimmer. I suppose I could have attempted to dig up a sequin or rhinestone, but I really don't like gluing stuff on my tiles. I dunno...I'm weird that way. I couldn't help but think about my art school days when my teachers would insist we learn to paint metallic with highlight and shadow. I have a background in theatrical costume design and painted a lot of glitz back in the day. That was then...

...this is now: I created another "Gem" piece. The attempt was to achieve shiny within the gem and convey the illusion of a burnished/antique-y metallic setting. I had already set out to draw in the museum cafe and had a limited amount of tools with me. I yam what I yam;-)

Made by Joey #102

String: roman numeral II

patterns: Japonica. Hi C's & Flux

This was a fun challenge. I'm sticking to a theme of using brown ink on my hand painted "Renaissance" ATC's...hoping for a fun little series for the 15 weeks of roman numeral strings.

Square One: Purely Zentangle

featured pattern: Zonked

Zonked is another one of those patterns I have a love/hate relationship with. I love how it looks when done by more capable hands but I have the hardest time getting the rounding clean and seamless. For such a simple pattern it's quite the beast. This one came out better than any other attempts I've made at it once I really focused.

The key is 100% Purely Zentangle. This works so much better when using a tile, rather than a sketchbook (which I use mostly for the Square One pieces), so you can easily turn the tile as you sloowwwly and Zen-fully work. I had to tear the page out and cut it down to tile size so I could work this one a little easier.

I'm also trying to document these pieces before shading so I can submit to Eni Oken's Shading Zentangle page. For anyone who's not familiar with this group, I encourage you to check it out. It's a great learning tool.

Anyhoo, thanks so much for visiting my blog. Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me.