Three Challenges

Diva Challenge #254

"Valentangle"

"Heartbox" by Helen Williams

More hearts! This is the third tile in a heart series I'm creating for the Zentangle Artists Trading Card Swap group on Facebook. I started off being very curmudgeon-ly about the whole heart thing but they're starting to grow on me. I really had to hold myself back from filling in the hearts. I couldn't decide what to do. I put it away last night and looked at it again this morning. I decided to go with less-is-more...for now.
I'm a huge fan of all of Helen Williams work, but her heart patterns are exquisite. I'm going all OCD on "Heartbox" right now. This morning I was all a-gog scrolling through Adele Bruno's "It's a String Thing" challenge entries from last week. There were so many beautiful tiles based around this same string. It was so inspirational. For anyone not familiar with  "It's a String Thing", I urge you to go in and check it out. I love how she posts all the entries for the week in one lovely gallery show and she takes the time to comment on each and every one...usually 40+ submissions.

Made by Joey #99

Yin/Yang string

This was a fun one! I'm back in my watercolor ATC zone so I adapted the string to fit within the format. I really didn't intend for this to venture into the henna world but once I got going it took on a life of its own. I just realized that I got the Yin/Yang string line backward:-P

That's New to Me #50

"K": Kollide by Kim Winebrenner 

& 

"Kay-Tee" by Davor Planinec

artist focus:

Margaret McKerihan's "Tada"

I lovelovelove "Tada"!"Kollide" and "Kay-tee" are both new to me and I love them too.


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

Diva Challenge #253, Made by Joey #98, That's New to Me #49 & String Challenge #130

Diva Challenge #253

"Molygon"

I made up a new batch of watercolor ATC's thinking I might be a bit more efficient. I really enjoyed the back to basics black and white sketchbook series but those seemed to take me such a long time and never did get the "It's a String Thing" challenge done. It could be that I'm a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to the whole Valentines Day themes that are beginning to pop up. I'm not a hearts and flowers kind of girl...

That's New to Me #49

New "V" pattern: Viaduct

Heidi Sue Whitney's "Hitched"

...although I managed to turn "Hitched" into a flower. It was totally unintentional. "Hitched" is not new to me. I believe it came up in one of the Diva's UMT challenges way back when. I like it a lot  because it has so much potential for variation. "Viaduct" is a new one. It's a great bold pattern. My white gel pen is giving me grief though.

Made by Joey #98

"Cayke"

I started off intending to fill the entire space with variations of "Cayke", but something in the watercolor background compelled me to create the swirl that became "Marasu".  The rest just sort of took on a life of its own.

String Challenge #130

String #150

patterns" Luv-a", "Heartbox" & "Join"

also "Heartstrings" & "Marasu"

This weeks string challenge was just the kick in the butt I needed to get into heart mode. I'm participating in a swap that fits similar parameters and I've been putting it off.  I made a set of watercolor tiles last week along with the ATCs hoping that would light a fire...it didn't. Anyhoo, one down, ten+ to go.

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

"The Elegance of Limitations"

Diva Challenge #250

"Bringing it Back to the Old School"

This weeks Diva Challenge was right up my alley after weeks and weeks of bountiful new patterns, gems and other artistic eye candy I've added to my To Do list.

This week we're to get back to the basics of Zentangle~one white tile, one pen, one pencil, one ceremony~"The Elegance of Limitations" in the words of Rick Roberts. I love that. It's so much more Zen than "being crippled by choices", a term I use when I'm overwhelmed. I started by cleaning up the work space, purging my pen bag and putting all of my tools away into their multiple organizing bins and shut them up in the closet. Armed with my pen, pencil, tile and tortillion I hit the cafe.

I decided to approach all of this weeks challenges in this manner.

The most important part of the challenge was not to over think it. I created a simple string using Margaret Bremners "Rope" string. I focused on one section and started with Crescent Moon, one of my "Mac 'n Cheese" patterns. I took my time, being focused and deliberate with each stroke.
Continuing on:

This week "Made by Joey" provided the "sharp" string and Knightbridge. After a holiday hiatus "That's New to Me" is back with "Q" and Barbara Finwall as the artist focus. I love her pattern "Gnarly" I just need to get better at it.

It's a String Thing Challenge #127

Lily Moon's string #127

patterns: Puchong, (O), Zonked & Printemps

...and finally, this weeks string challenge. This was probably the most Zen of all the tiles. It's a little busy but I thoroughly enjoyed doing this one, mainly because I was treated to an official tile (they really do make a huge difference). There were several sections to the string and after a little practice with the two patterns that were new to me (Puchong and (O)) I picked a section and plunged in with Printemps.

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

Playing Catch-up

Aquafleur tree

"It's a String Thing" Challenge #121

 & 

Diva Challenge #246

The week of challenges commenced with the Diva's guest blogger, Dilip Patel's prompt to create a monotangle tree and Joey's "Zinger" monotangle. 

I had many ideas cooking but no time to execute. Then came Adele's string challenge to create an "Aquafleur" tree using Carol Ohl's beauty as an example. I was blown away by the beauty of Carol's tree and began a couple of ill-fated attempts at it. I've never used "Aquafleur" before. I love it but it is extremely labor intensive and requires much, much practice. It wasn't until I was well invested in this one that I realized the tree is lopsided;-)

Made by Joey Challenge #89

"Zinger" monotangle

One of my first ideas was to make a "Zinger" tree. My original attempts on tiles and ATC's did not go well, as I kept starting with the tree and getting cramped and badly balanced zinger's in the end. I went back to the drawing board, so-to-speak. I picked up the sketchbook this morning and tried drawing the zinger's first. Much better.

From last week:

Diva Challenge #245

"Hollibaugh"

It's been a super busy month and there's no sign of let-up until after the new year. Cafe time has been bountiful with swap tiles I'll share in a separate post. So here are some challenge pieces I've been trying to catch-up on:

Diva's "Hollibaugh"...got a bit over-shadowed by those dang gemstones that are all the rage over on many of the Zentangle inspired Facebook groups.

Made by Joey #88

"Yuma" monotangle

I couldn't resist a touch of gemstone on this one too.

That's New to Me #45

Explore a new "I" tangle:  "IX" by Zentangle HQ

Artist Focus: Sue Clark's "Cheers"

I did this in my little homemade sketchbook.

One of a series of nine ATC's I made for the Zentangle: Tangled & Journaled, Too Facebook Groups.


As ever, thank you for visiting my blog, Your generous and thoughtful comments always make my day. I'm playing catch-up as well with my visits and comments to your blogs too.

Wishing all of you the Happiest Holiday Season ever!

That's New to Me #44 & It's a String Thing #117

TNTM #44

explore a new "M" pattern: Marble

Artist Focus: Kathy Barringer's "Antique"

It's a String Thing Challenge #117

Adele's new pattern: Sand

I don't like the way this is scanning but the photo's not so great either. Not sure which is the lesser of two evils.

This was my practice page in a little handmade sketchbook I made the other day. I fully intended to create a real tile because I really love this pattern, but time ran out and ....well. that's a total lie,.. I went all ADD with this:

Works-in-progress

As if I don't have enough to distract me from the few obligations I have in my life, I added another Zentangle ATC swap to my plate for the FB group Tangled and Journaled, Too.

I've been seeing so many beautiful renaissance tiles out there and decided this would be a great excuse to explore it as a series for the new swap. I was initially inspired by Antonine's beautiful insect series she posted for her Throwback Thursday challenge #5: Unusual.  

I started by creating a set of ATC's with my version of a renaissance watercolor background wash. I'm still working on the Black & White Niuroda series for my other swap group,  so I just played around with it on the little trimmings from my ATC cuts, auditioning every brown drawing tool in my box figuring out how to shade it.

I'm using a brown gel pen, Micron Sepia 01 & 05, Micron brown (it's actually rust) and Prismacolor pencils Henna & White.

I'm calling this one finished... for now. I'll probably do a final drop shadow.

Anyhoo, thanks so much for visiting my blog. Your generous and thoughtful comments always make my day.

TangleBomb Monday

Diva Challenge #241

Stones and Ceremony

This week's challenge was put forth by guest blogger, Paula Bramante. The inspiration for Stones and Ceremony comes from cairns, man-made stone formations/markings placed by travellers in out-of-the-way places. added to by multiple passers-by. as well other stone formations that are ceremoniously placed. There were several examples and inspirational photographs of stone mosaics. 

I started with an ATC I created awhile back that had a stone like feeling and I began drawing a stone spiral based on a garden mosaic photograph I found on Pinterest.

Made by Joey #84

"Undu" Monotangle

I love drawing "Undu". This one came up in a previous String Challenge and I also think I used it before on a TNTM piece. It's so relaxing to draw.

That's New to Me #43

New "U" patterns: "Unme" by Debra Castaldi & "Use" by Elena Hadzijaneva 

Artist Focus: Elena Hadzijaneva's "Join" and "Hypnotic"

Inktober day 26

There were a whole bunch of new patterns I felt compelled to explore this week and I was delighted to find an old fave amongst the small collection of  Elena's patterns: "Hypnotic". The rest are all new. I'm playing a little catch-up here with my Inktober dailies.

Antonine's Throwback Thursday #4

revisit an old love
Inktober Day 25

When I started my tangle journey, around 2 years ago, one of the first patterns I learned and loved was "Crescent Moon" and my favorite thing to do with it is weave it through a string. I made several Valentines that year using it on a heart string then filling it with black pearls. I haven't done that since. This was such a fun and relaxing entry for Inktober too.

Square One: Purely Zentangle

W2 with a little Nymph and other doodly-do's

Inktober Day 24

I'm still not over 'Nymph". I love that pattern. I went a little OCD on W2.

It's a String Thing #115

String #116

Patterns: Fandance, Swarm & Cruffle

Inktober day 23

This was last week's String Challenge that I finished at the 11th hour.


Thanks for bearing with me here. As ever, thank you for leaving such generous and thoughtful comments. I'm always inspired and delighted by the journey they lead me on.

"You can't wait for inspiration, you must chase after it with a stick "

I don't know where I heard or read that quote but I've been carrying it around with me for years.
Sunday, I spent a lovely day at the California Academy of Sciences looking at all sorts of natural beauty, inspired by the vivid colors I saw everywhere.

I'd also brought along a little sack of works-in-progress should the muse arise. It did whilst sipping a glass of wine and pondering the vivid blue table top.

I'm creating several ATC's for this month's Zentangle Artists Trading Card Swap. The theme is Everything Autumn. I've been waiting for a reason to use leaves. I started this about a week ago, collecting, pressing, tracing and stenciling.

I made my watercolor wash backgrounds,  laid down leaves and hand cut stencils from those leaves and did a final spray of color. I cut the ATC's and started tracing leaves and drawing the string of veins. 

It was at this point I saw This post on The Diva's Weekly Challenge Facebook page and it all came together. I loved the technique she used to tangle within the leaves and incorporated it into my framework.

This morning, The Diva's Weekly Challenge #240 was posted and I was delighted to see those leaves appear as this week's challenge because I was already there.

Scanning my artwork has proven to be an exercise in patience.

Diva Challenge #240

Autumn Leaves

ATC

Here's another one:

More challenges:

That's New to Me # 42

New "P" tangle: Neil Burley's "Pearl Drops"

Artist focus: Sayantika Ray's "Woodlock"

Made by Joey #83

"Ta-Da"

Another white on black for me. I love this pattern and diggin' the dark side. I love the technique Laura linked to in last weeks challenge where you go back over the white with black. I'm also exploring the black gesso technique for the next Zentangle Artist's Trading Card Swap.

As ever, many thanks and much gratitude for visiting my blog and leaving such inspiring comments.

Diva Challenge #239, Made by Joey #81 & That's New to Me #41

Diva Challenge #239

Munchin

The challenge this week is the pattern Munchin with the optional additional challenge of using a black tile. Yikes! The idea of black tiles jerked me out of my comfort zone way too early this morning when I opened up this weeks challenge at the cafe. I was thoroughly comforted though by the Diva's own confession that she's not a fan of the black tiles either. For the time being, I only had my sketchbook and a few pens and pencils with me so I put the black & white thing on ice for a bit and went ahead with the plan to sketchbook this weeks challenge using my 2 new Inktense pencils. 

Munchin was not on my fave list. I toyed around with it a couple of weeks ago when it came up on Square One: Purely Zentangle and was not really gelling with it. Thankfully, the Diva linked to Molly Hollibaugh's video of her doing Munchin on a black tile and that turned the whole thing around for me. Once I got home I tore up a black scrapbook page and went to work. The gel pens really vex me though. I finally got my rhythm with the lines but my circles got all skippy. Fortunately I was able to black out some of the uglier bits.

Diva #239

Munchin Inktense Inktober

The first attempt

Made by Joey #81

Striping

This was not my finest hour.

That's New to Me #41

Zonked for a new Z tangle

&

Twistee by Livia Chua for the artist focus

I love how Zonked looks when others with a steadier hand do it but I can not get it looking nice at all. I have a problem with rounding and can never get it seamless. I really need to practice this one more. Twistee was fun.

Inktober Day 11

I saw this pattern somewhere recently and I can't remember the name.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your generous and thoughtful comments always inspire me.

Diva Challenge #238, That's New to Me #40 & Made by Joey #81

Diva Challenge #238

UMT: Tri-Bee by Beate Winkler

Last week I went to Blick to pick up a new sketchbook and discovered that they sold individual Inktense pencils. I have more colored pencils and watercolor pencils and markers than one person could use in a lifetime. I graduated from art school over 20 years ago. A couple of my Prismacolor pencils still have an .80 price sticker on them;-)

Anyhoo, I reigned myself in and allowed myself 2 pencils. Blue & Brown.

That's New to Me#40~Knyt

I love "Knyt"!

Made by Joey #81

"Rosewood" montotangle

They don't call these challenges for nothing.  Rosewood is a lovely pattern but I was having a really hard time seeing it in a monotangle as there doesn't seem to be much room for variation. I tried it on my watercolor ATC's without much luck, so I went into the sketchbook and made it shading practice and yesterdays InkTober page.

I bought a small (4x6) sketch book this time and attempting daily InkTober entries, though not posting them regularly. I'm having some technical issues so it's proving difficult to post anything timely.

I've been a little ADD on my theme but the idea is: Use What I Know. Turn off the internet, put away the pattern references and draw...then shade. I traced a tile onto 5 or 6 pages, assigned each a random pattern (mostly from Square One) and I'm using the bleed from the previous page...and draw the pattern from memory. ie: one of them is "Windfarm" not right on top of my head. If I screw up I've invented a new pattern;-)

Thank you for visiting my blog. Your generous and thoughtful comments always inspire me.

It's a String Thing Challenge #112, Made by Joey #80 & That's New to Me #39

It's a String Thing Challenge #112

String #112

Tangles: Minline, Puffle & Kisses

Last night I sat down at my drawing table with my dinner and a Criminal Minds marathon on TV. I was not all that inspired to draw but started noodling around in my sketchbook trying to plan out this week's String Challenge. Then got to work. I wasn't all that thrilled with how this one was going. The last thing I added was the "Flux" within "Minline" when the larger empty spaces were not content to be left alone. Then, I thought "hmmmm...this Flux could use a little shading"...two hours later I called it finished. With my recent discovery of the Shading Zentangle Facebook group, it seems every tile is now begging in depth attention to shading. I wish I'd had the forethought  and capacity to take a before pic, but my cell phone camera does not like incandescent light.

Made by Joey Challenge #80: a monotangle using Neil Burley's "Queeries" pattern

&

That's New to Me Challenge #39: explore a new "I" tangle~"Itsy Twisty"

These came about after I finished the String Challenge-I was on a roll last night. I didn't get to bed until after midnight.


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

Diva Challenge #236, That's New to Me #38 & Made by Joey #79

Diva Challenge #236~"Tangle Unexpected"

The idea is to tangle on something other than your traditional paper. I shall admit to cheating right off the bat because this wasn't entirely "unexpected".  I'm always picking up interesting postcards and coasters that make me think "ooooh, I could tangle on this sometime" in anticipation of challenges of this ilk, but this is the first time I've ever done it. The glossy surface was both nice to draw on but some of the wetter parts took longer to dry than expected so I had a few smears.

I knew this had tangling potential from the get-go.

That's New to Me Challenge #38

explore a new "Z" pattern

"Zag V" by Helen Williams

I'm on a bit of a Helen Williams kick this week after receiving her eBook " Three Little Rules", so when I started searching "Z" tangles, "Zag V" jumped out at me and I knew I had to get to work. I love this pattern and I shall use it often. The Facebook group Square One: Purely Zentangle is focusing on "Meringue" this week, and though I've yet to create a tile for the group, Helen's tutorial has me flinging "Meringue" everywhere I can.

a work-in-progress piece from Helen's eBook.

Made by Joey Challenge #79

"Pea nuckle"

Oh boy, this challenge really vexed me! I've attempted to practice "Pea nuckle" before because I love the way it looks, but I ALWAYS give up because I can not get it right. This is a hot mess under the shading and my watercolor ATC also masks a multitude of errors. I watched Ellen Wolters You Tube video and though it made much more sense, I still had trouble with it. I'm hoping to get another go at it.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your generous and thoughtful comments always inspire me.