Challenges

I am the Diva Challenge #268

a bit o' black

This week we're to amp up the dramatic by adding more black. What a brilliant concept! I am constantly needing to remind myself of certain basic certainties~"Contrast equals interest". When  I was in grad school one of my art teachers used to say this all the time. 

This particular tile was a half formed study piece I started a couple of weeks ago in preparation for a swap I'm working on for the Facebook group Zentangle Artist Trading Card Swap. The rules are to use only black ink and graphite on a standard white tile with a small pop of color. We're also to use one of our initials as the string and to use patterns that start with that initial. I wasn't too crazy about this one and set it aside after only just creating the line work. I resurrected it as a practice piece for this challenge fully intending to create one I was happier with...then I changed my mind. Though it's not balanced as well as I'd like (I should have left Munchin alone), it's a perfect representation of how I teach myself technique. One of the techniques I'm exploring for this swap is to utilize graphite in the drawing rather than just as shading..."Graphite is the New Black" as they say at Zentangle HQ (which is why the above tile ended up in the reject pile).

Made by Joey #113

Roman Numeral String series: XIII

Patterns: Chemystery, Cruffle, Verdigogh, Ipso and Garlic Cloves

And sticking with my theme for Joey's challenges...yet another cluster of patterns on color in color:-P There's waaaay too much going on here, but that's how I roll.

Just for fun

Patterns: The Fab, Artoo, Fubu, Caviar, Tipple

I started a new sketchbook this week. I was very excited to use Margaret Bremner's new pattern "Skye", so this is the very first page of the book. I love this pattern and I've decided it must be the star of my forthcoming series of ATC's.

The latest swap requires us to use a biggified pattern as a string, use that same pattern again within the string, plus two more patterns. These are to be ATC sized and the use of color is fine. Goody!

So for this swap I'm going blue...completely inspired by Margaret's amazing work-Blue Skye.

It's a String Thing #144

Skye & Antidots

Finally, my Skye practice paid off!  I was delighted to see Skye featured in this weeks IAST challenge.

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

Diva #267, MBJ #112, Square One: Batumber and IAST#144

Diva Challenge #267

DuoTangle: Drupe & Pokeroot

The challenge is to use only two patterns and as many variations (tangleations) of said 2 patterns as one can reasonably incorporate. This is my attempt at morphing patterns. I'm trying to teach myself some new tricks. I used a watercolor tile I made a few months ago for a St. Patrick's Day challenge somewhere. It's not in my normal color palette and it got a little murky in the shading zone but... it is what it is;-)

 

Made by Joey Challenge #112

Roman Numeral String Series: XII

A Monotangle of Knightsbridge

I'm not super thrilled with this one, but I like it more than I did last night. I probably shouldn't have tried to work on challenges while trying to finish season 4 of "Game of Thrones". I'm a little ADD;-)

Square One:Purely Zentangle Facebook Group

Pattern of the week: Batumber

Adele Bruno's "It's a String Thing" Challenge #144

patterns: 4MOM and Hollyhock

Adele created a cursive M string for this belated Mother's Day themed challenge. I tweaked the string a tiny bit and used a handmade "Renaissance" tile.  "Hollyhock" was recently published on Tangle Patterns. I love it!


Thanks so much for stopping by. Your thoughtful and generous comments inspire and delight me;-)

Diva #266, MBJ #111, Square One:Ruutz & #IAST 143

Diva Challenge #266

Use My Tangle-Crux by Henrike Bratz

It's UMT Monday at the Diva's Weekly Challenge, where she uses patterns submitted by other CZT's and Zentangle enthusiasts. I'm trying to embrace grid patterns in an effort to gain a bit more control over my precision. This is not easy for me. I look at the work of others out there and I'm amazed at the steady hands. I marvel at the composition and contrast that can be achieved by really taking ones time to execute precise and  deliberate strokes. I've done it and I can do it and I enjoy doing it but, it is so far out of my comfort zone. Clearly, I didn't do it here. I fell back on my "wonky grid net".

Made by Joey #111

Roman Numeral String Series: XI

patterns: Zippa, Susa. Vache 1 and Shons

Joey's challenge was a challenge this week. She gave us 4 patterns. Zippa (bottom right corner) and Susa (at the top) are two patterns by Neil Burley. I love his work. His patterns are so architectural and lovely, but many of them are extremely high focus, which I find to be the best kind of challenge. The biggest challenge was getting these patterns to work within the small segments of the string. I bring my own challenge to this by using an ATC rather than a standard tile size AND though it's not required, I use all of the patterns;-p  I used a previously made watercolor ATC in Springy pinks and peach tones and started the initial line work with a traditional calligraphy pen and brown ink (very reddish). Shons is the middle pattern. It wasn't until I was finished and started turning the tile around that I realized it reminded me of some tribal art I saw recently at the museum here.

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Square One: Purely Zentangle-Eni Oken's "Ruutz"

with "Mak-Rah-Mee" and a little Tipple fade out.

I've been meaning to try this pattern ever since Eni introduced on her Facebook group Shading Zentangle. This is right up my organic alley. Actually as I look at this now (and I realize the scan doesn't really do the shading justice) I could go in and deepen the shadows more. Lately, many Facebook posters have been utilizing graphite technique from a new instructional book called 14 Shades of Grey. I've not seen the book and I can only guess that it references the variation of graphite lead weight. I believe Zentangle HQ recently coined the phrase "Graphite is the New Black". I love it because it really does add a whole new layer to traditional black and white tiles. 

It's a String Thing Challenge #143

patterns: Sandswirl, Swarm, 'nzeppel and Tipple

Tan tile using a black Rapidograph technical pen, sepia and brown microns,

graphite, white Prismacolor pencil and white gel pen

This week Adele provided a string inspired by the entry to an art gallery building where she lives (It's also the header on her blog). I loved the Art Deco style lines of the string so I decided to embrace the string rather than make it disappear. These patterns are all known faves for me so this was kind of a no brainer. Though not terribly creative, it was thoroughly Zen.

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

Rainy Wednesday

Diva Challenge #264-Stripes

patterns: Maeby, Oybey, Snails, Wud, Kisses and Golven

This is the latest set of watercolor ATC's I made. I started with a brown and rust wash then splattered with blue. Here's the link to my watercolor tutorial from a previous post. These are some of my favorite ribbon patterns along with a new one, "Maeby" by Julie Beland. I love Julie's patterns, they're so whimsical. Snails came up in this weeks Square One challenge.

Made by Joey #110

Roman Numeral Series: X

patterns: Diva Dance, Ticking, Showgirl, Wedge and Snookums

This one was a bit of a challenge as I wasn't too crazy about the string-it was too symmetrical for my taste but that's why they call these challenges;-) I like the way it turned out even though I'm much too reliant on the crutch of color.

Organic swap

for the Facebook group Zentangle Artists Trading Card Swap group

This is a swap I just finished. I was so inspired that I completed these first 4 ATC's in one evening. The parameters were just to create Spring themed ATC's using organic patterns. I started the page below in my sketchbook a few weeks ago on one of the several watercolor sheets I dashed off before heading out on a road trip with my sister and nephew to Newport Beach. I started a few organic patterns in the top left corner. We stopped in Pismo Beach for some cave kayaking and I was inspired by the kelp beds we were paddling around in.

I've talked about my love of swaps in previous posts. I always try to teach myself something new by studying the work of artists I admire. The repetition of creating 7-10 ATC's or tiles secures those new techniques in my toolbox. 

When the word Organic came up I immediately thought of the work of Sharla Hicks. She's the queen of organic ZIA's. The rest just developed from there. I had also seen some examples of works called Tints on Tan on Cris Letourneau's blog, in which she reviewed a kit and tutorial on adding color to tan Renaissance tiles. I don't really know what that kit involves but by looking at the work on Cris' blog I played around with colored pencils and grey tone Prismacolor markers. I have the colorless marker blender which works beautifully on the Prismacolor pencils. As you can see, I borrowed quite liberally from Cris' work. Thanks Cris!

Sketchbook-playing with organic patterns

Eventually, I will give this to my nephew as a birthday present. The cave kayaking was my sisters birthday gift to him so I thought he'd appreciate the inspiration.

I started writing this post whilst having my morning coffee at the cafe, when a burst of rain and a sketchy internet inspired my burst creativity to attack this week's It's a String Thing challenge.

The challenge was to use Quib as the string and fill with variations of Echoism. I only meant to practice in the sketch book then go at a regular tile. I may still do that. Maybe.

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

Diva Challenge #264 & Made by Joey #109

Diva Challenge #264

String Theory-Spring String

patterns: Striping, Pokeleaf, Beadlines, Tipple and Whyz

This weeks challenge was to create a spring string. Last month I'd created a series of tiles for a swap based on this same idea, calling it my Loopy Series. I already had some of my hand painted "Renaissance" tiles on hand.  I never did make an extra one for myself so this mornings challenge presented me with that opportunity. 

What I really like about doing these angled coil strings is that it creates nice spaces for combining grid and organic patterns and these go really fast (now that I've done 11 of them). For another upcoming swap the theme is Back to Basics and we're to use one of our initials to create a string and then use patterns starting with that letter. I've been adding more M and W patterns to my library and just this morning I discovered Whyz and started playing around with it. I love how it came out.

Made by Joey #109

Roman Numeral Series IX

patterns: Mooka, Zinger, Gingham, Betweed, Ragz, Mei and Demi

Joey continues on with the Roman Numeral String Series and presented us with 7 patterns (using as many or as few as we like). She presents her strings on a standard tile format but I've been using ATC's...so getting all of those patterns (because that's how I roll) in this smaller space was tricky but...there it is;-)

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

Diva Challenge #263 & Made by Joey Challenge #108

The Diva's challenge this week is to create a globular grid within a sphere and then tangle away. This was not an easy task for me and had many failed attempts at creating a grid that wasn't too wonky or too small. I traced my circle from a 4" coaster in my sketchbook. I liked that it gave me a little extra room so I decided not to use an actual zendala tile and just chose to keep it simple with black pen and graphite.

Made by Joey's Roman Numeral String Series continues with VIII and the patterns: 'Nzeppel, Crescent Moon, Fandango & Marnie. I did this on a pink watercolor ATC using brown calligraphy ink, black pen, grey marker and white Prismacolor pencil with a touch of white gel pen.

Later that day:

Happy Peaches

I created this ATC prompted by a new feature at the Facebook group Zentangle Artists Trading Card Swap. One of the new admins, Sarah Kitty Harrison, created a new pattern called "Rainbow Bridge" to kick-off "Fortnightly Friday Fun".

Much later that night or very early this morning:

It's a String Thing Challenge #140

Patterns: Hollibaugh, Copada and Pokeleaf

I started this late last night after I got home from work. I was assembling my drawing tools to bring with me to the cafe this morning and was pondering what I might need for Adele's challenge. I started to draw a few lines and before I knew it, it was 1:00 am...




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Diva Challenge #262 & Made by Joey #170

Diva Challenge #262: Use My Tangle~"Fassett" by Lynn Mead

I managed to get an early shot at a couple of challenges this week. I've got a lot going on in the next several days so I figured it was now or never so I kept it pretty simple. I just created a couple of new sets of watercolor ATC's for an upcoming swap celebrating Spring. I messed up on one of the strips as I cut them down and ended up with 4 cards that were 1/4" short on the length so I figured this was the perfect opportunity to use them. 

The Diva challenge is to use the pattern "Fassett". I've had problems with this pattern in the past because I made the mistake of working too small. This worked out pretty great.

Made by Joey #170

Roman Numeral String Series: VII

Patterns: Queen's Crown, Nipa, Gotcha & Zails

Joey's challenge provided the string and 4 patterns that we were asked to use at least one. HA! Well I always challenge myself to use them all, for better or worse. I'm not super crazy about this one...it got a little overworked but that's how I roll;-)


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