Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Challenges

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).


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!



16 comments:

  1. Gorgeous shades of poppy in the middle tiles!! and that blue!! I quite like the munchin with the extra black. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  2. For the Diva's challenge, I like the black pearls coming out of Mooka, it is a nice dramatic tile but I also like your tile for Joey but my absolute favorite you show us this week is the one just for fun: a real beauty!

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  3. I love what you did with the black pearls, very elegant.

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  4. Hi there, I like your work, it's beautiful. And, I like your blog itself. It looks great! I am just in the process of setting one up, and I am finding it to be quite a challenge in itself! But I'll get there with time...lol

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    1. Thanks Karen! I look forward to seeing your work.

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  5. Another week of beautiful art, you are so productive. Your Diva tile is different than your usual style. I like it but I like your coloured projects more.

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  6. I so enjoy seeing your lovely work each week. It was fun to see your new sketchbook, and the start of your blue pieces.

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  7. Beautiful, Michele! I love the way you made Mooka curl in the corners of your Diva tile! Your Joey tile is creative as always, but I think your 'just for fun' tile is my favorite. It looks so peaceful, in harmony, with pretty details. Love it!

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  8. All of them are great and i like your pearls by the Diva

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  9. Like others, I love the black pearls.

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  10. Absolutely beautiful pieces this week! Especially I like the last tile ... it´s gorgeous and very elegant. Interesting to see your sketches. Thanks for sharing!

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  11. All beautiful tiles, I especially love your Joey tile and your It's a string thing tile. I really like how you've added shadow under your verdigogh and chemystery to give it a 3-D look. And I love the use of the white gel pen on your string thing tile.

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  12. I like SKIE too. I especially like your third tile !

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  13. I haven't quite gotten the hang of Skye just yet. I try to follow the step-outs but then my brain tells me to put loops where loops shouldn't be and then the tangle goes all over the page. Oops. :P hehehe

    How clever of you to tilt the string of Joey's challenge and use Garlic Cloves as the "X".

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  14. Very nice pieces all of them :-) I love the one for "made by Joey" with this wonderful colour! And your string-thing tile is also great - so elegant. Lovely work :-)

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