Diva Challenge #244/#243, Made by Joey #87, String Challenge #119

Diva Challenge #244

Tripoli Triptastic

Hmmmmm....Tripoli. This could have gone so many ways...for me it's usually off-the-rails. This is one of those patterns that works better in the hands of others. I started off slooooowwwly, really concentrating on the space between the lines and it was going okay until I started shading. I don't hate it but don't love it either.

Diva Challenge #243

A Tiny Taste #1

A Tiny Taste #2

This is a little catch-up from last week. The challenge was to leave more blank space than filled. This got me thinking about creating a series of labels. I'm going to try this again in just black and white.

Made by Joey #87

Xplode monotangle

The black card was an ATC I made awhile back whilst practicing the application of black gesso onto white watercolor paper. Xplode seemed to demand a trip to the dark side.

String Challenge #119

String # 11

using Adele's pattern "100", "Bublz" and "Ripples"

For this week's "It's a String Thing" Challenge, Adele's prompt is inspired by the 100th anniversary of Coca Cola, hence the bottle shaped string and the chosen tangles.


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

Antonine's Throwback Thursday #6~Reflection

I just got back from a road trip to Oregon. I brought my tangling gear with me but there was just no time, so I'll probably be playing catch-up with this week's challenges into next week.

Antonine's TBT challenge struck a chord: Reflection and thinking about a piece that made you feel good and since this one was already in my toolbox, at least I could check one challenge off my list. 

I immediately remembered this Square One challenge. The pattern was Gneiss and it was one of the first pieces I ever posted. I was not all that crazy about the challenge as I started it.

I do not have a steady hand and really cannot draw a straight line to save my life. I remember being frustrated at not being able to achieve the precision and consistency of linework I was seeing in the work of others. I created and tossed several tiles before I got to this. I remember looking at the almost finished piece and being really unhappy with my rounding. After dealing with the fear of messing it up, I plunged in and started to scribble. It was then I explored and embraced my sketchy/squiggly internal aura technique. and I remember how pleased I was with the results and how it gave me confidence. 

From the road:

"Reflection"

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

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.

Diva Challenge #242 and other stuff...

Diva Challenge#242

"Gourdgeous"

I've been noodling around in the sketchbook a lot this week. I had already been playing around with "Gourdgeous" over the weekend when the pattern was published on tanglepatterns.com. I created the one above this morning when I randomly pulled out one of my trusty old watercolor ATC's and just let it flow. Both "Verve" and "Gordgeous" came on my radar over the weekend and it all morphed together for my Inktober entry that day. To be honest "Gourdgeous"... it's not my favorite pattern. I practiced it A LOT before I had anything worth sharing.

"Verve" & "Gordgeous" with a little "Diva Dance"

for Shading Zentangle 

Made By Joey Challenge #85

"Verdigogh" Monotangle

I had some ATC's left over from last months Zentangle Artist's Trading Card Swap and Verdigogh seemed  like an appropriate fit.

Some of the  ATC's sent out into the world via the ZATC "Everything Autumn" October Swap

These next two tiles are my start to this month's Zentangle Artists Trading Card Swap. The November theme is black and white, using only patterns that start with N. I took a page from the Diva challenge from a couple of weeks ago where Laura used black gesso swiped over an old tile. 

Zentangle Artists Trading Card Swap

November~Black & White N tangles

The theme of my approach to this month's swap is Niuroda November with a touch of 'Nzeppel.

Square One Purely Zentangle

&

 Shading Zentangle 

Pattern Focus is "Verve"

Throwback Thursday #5

for Antonine's Tangles

Fun with a tangle

I think this was a Square One challenge focusing on "BB" (I never labeled anything back then).  I remember being pretty uninspired by the challenge at first and had many fits and starts until I stumbled upon "Pots 'n Pans" and it all came together. I remember having a lot of fun with it and I still enjoy looking at it.

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.

It's a String Thing Challenge #114

Challenge #114

String #114

Teenos, Ta-Da & Ahh 

This week's challenge represented a celebration of 14, Adele's Birthday, her 14th pattern, Tangle Patterns 14th grid pattern...you get the idea. Is it just a coincidence that all of these patterns reminded me of fireworks? 

Anyhoo...in celebration of Adele's birthday and my first black & white tile created without an arm-twisting prompt....WOOOO-HOOOO! HaPpY hApPy BiRtHdAy AdElE!!!

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