Diva Challenge #277, Made by Joey #123...and other tangle-y stuff

Diva Challenge #277-Running 'round in Circles

5 1/2" x 8 1/2" sketchbook zia

I started this several weeks ago on one of the drippy watercolor pages I'd created before my 4th of July weekend holiday. I was experimenting with a new red ink and dip pen. The coffee rings came about a third of the way in, as I was setting up ATC's for the last few Joey Circle String Challenges. I tangled a little more within the coffee rings and off and on for about 2 weeks because this one has really been my go-to relaxation piece. Laura hit the nail on the head about how soothing circles are to draw. I'm using most of my mac 'n cheese circle-y, swirly patterns...

Made by Joey Challenge #123-Circle String Series

pattern: Pearly

...and yaaayyy....more circles! I naturally wanted to follow the string line with Pearly. After laying that down, I pondered the next move. I added a little drop shadow and pearly highlights and pondered some more. Then, some more. I decided to leave it as it is.

Diane and Carolien's Weekly Alphabet Challenge

#67 Q-O-K

Quib, Ocee, Organic, Kiasom

Works-in-Progress for the Travelling Tangles Project

This latest batch of happy mail arrived over the weekend. I haven't had a chance to work on them yet but I wanted to show the lovely card that was sent to me by Ria Matheussen who reached out to me to do an independent Travelling Tangle. She did a beautiful abstract watercolor and inserted it into a standing frame note card and sent me the watercolored Renaissance zendala to complete. Ria, thanks so much for the gorgeous art. I'll post the results of these pieces next week.

For anyone not familiar with the Travelling Tangles Project, it's a Facebook group masterminded by  Singapore CZT, Stephanie Jennifer. It's a collaborative swap where members exchange incomplete tiles, ATC's or zendalas for the other to finish. It's truly addictive, a little bit challenging and a whole lot of fun. My last several posts feature the results of my collaborations since I got hooked on this group last month.

3 ATC's I'm about to offer up for swap

What I'll do is post this pic on the Facebook page and ask if anyone wants to swap, the first 3 responders will get them and they'll agree to send me something in return. It's great because you're in control of  how many or few you want to do. Stephanie also organizes a themed monthly group swap.

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

It's a String Thing Challenge #154, Diane & Carolien's Weekly #66 and more travelling...

It's a String Thing Challenge #154

Adele's looping string

Patterns: Leaflet, Cat-kin, St. Johns Cross and Zen Bud

Diane & Caroliens Weekly Alphabet Challenge #66: U-#-X

Undiala, 4 Rosie, 2S, Xplozen

Diva Challenge #276/ #2

Tangle on the Move 
on the BART train July 4, 2016

I completely forgot that I had this going in my sketchbook from my trip to San Diego over the 4th of July weekend. I'd done a few drippy watercolor pages in my sketchbook before leaving home. This is the page I worked on while on the train home from the airport...a much smoother ride than the bus!


Travelling Tangles Project completed yesterday:

This is my finish to Michele Beauchamp's gorgeous start...

...travelling all the way from Australia

This is my finish to Trish Griswold's lovely start...

...having made its way from New York

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

A Few Challenges and MoreTravelling Tangles

Diva Challenge #275

Give Peace a Chance

Peace is the dominant topic in our challenges. In our art, in our country and in the world. I'll try to keep the chatter to a minimum as I've been pretty busy this week.

I scanned my Peace sign zendala on top of a note card I'd received from one of my Travelling Tangles peeps. The strip of washi tape felt right with this piece.

Made by Joey #121

Circle String series with coffee-there's a Peace sign in there somewhere

pattern: Organic

Joey's string this week was a Peace sign too. I took a few liberties with this one.

Diane and Carolien's Weekly Alphabet Challenge

B-H-T: Beloved, Hi-C's, Target

...and my latest Travelling Tangles:

Ragged Ray sent me this lovely abstract of the Golden Gate Bridge and a beautiful hand tangled note card. The white layers of fog were a happy accident;-)

In carrying on the theme, I added some "Undling" hills and "Eureka" clouds

This amazing tile was sent to me by Susan Rink Olsen. A beauty just as it is, yet...

...more is more! well, it's a requirement in any case;-)

Timing was perfect as I was finishing up my last two tiles, this batch of happy mail was in my mailbox yesterday...you may recognize the handiwork of the incomparable Michele Beauchamp in my little pile of happiness. Stay tuned!
I know many of you visit by way of the Diva challenges so here's the link to my last (non-Diva) post featuring more travelling tangles including the one Shelly finished off for me.


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

It's a String Thing #152, Diane and Carolien's Weekly #64 and more Travelling Tangles

It's a String Thing Challenge #152

patterns: Lenche and Kitl

I still have several watercolor tiles and ATC's I'd set up for all of the patriotic themes that came up for last weeks challenges. Adele's challenge introduced me to two new patterns, both by regular IAST contributors. "Lenche" is by Anita Westin and "Kitl" is by Ragged Ray who also is one of my Travelling Tangles peeps. I'm sharing a collaboration below. Apologies for some of the unfortunate photography. I haven't been able to make it to the library scanner this week and my cell phone cam is very persnickety when it comes to close-up and night time photography.

Diane and Carolien's Weekly Alphabet Challenge #64 A-Y-K

Adente, Y-Flip, Kiss and Kisses

The latest addition to my pattern library. The artwork on the left is the work of Ragged Ray. She sent me this beautiful hand drawn note card along with her tiles.

Let's Swap! #4~Tangled and Journaled Too Facebook group

I just finished up the 9 ATC's for one of my groups. I'm using patterns from the groups weekly Tuesday Tangles feature where we're prompted to add a new pattern a day to our repertoire. I'm also using 4 of my Fave 5 patterns: Mooka, Tipple, Pokeleaf and Printemps . 'Nzeppel would be #5 but I didn't end up using it.

Now, on to this weeks Travelling Tangles:

I created this tile and sent it off the incomparable Michele Beauchamp...

She finished it so beautifully, didn't she?

This is a tile sent to me by Shawna Martin

I finished it with Ruutz and Leaflet

This tile was sent to me by Ragged Ray

I finished it off with Cee-a-mosa, a little Fescu and some stippling.

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

Birthday Weekend

Diva Challenge #274: Show your colors

Fireworks!

Tada &  Ahh

This is Red White & Blue week! The Diva is travelling in the US and asking us to show our country colors. I've got a swap in progress with the same patriotic theme and since my birthday was the 4th of July I'm just about finished creating a series of Fireworks! ATC's. I just got back from a lovely long birthday/holiday weekend in San Diego. I  made a little art along the way.

Made by Joey #120

Coffee Ring Circle String Series

pattern: Girdy (with Tipple)

I'd left the last of my pre-coffee ringed ATC's in the hotel room on Monday morning, so I just noodled around over my morning coffee with what was handy and came back and made the real ATC later..

Joey 120 at the hotel

warming up

I'd pre-washed several pages in my sketchbook before leaving home. I spent several hours each morning over coffee in the lounge waiting for my sister to wake up...

...and finished this over the course of 3 mornings.

Diane & Caroliens Weekly Alphabet Challenge R-V-I

Ruutz, Vortex & Intwine

I got head start last week on this weeks D & C challenge. I'm creating a series of ATC's using only patterns in my reference binder. I received a very pretty hand tangled note card from Ragged Ray, one of my Travelling Tangles peeps. That's a bit of her artwork on the left. There were several lovely travellers in the mail when I got home. I'll share them soon.

4th of July at the Torrey Pines Hilton

a birthday gift from my sister (and the beach towel too)

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

Challenges, Travelling Tangles & Inspiration...

Diva Challenge #272

Black White and Red all over

I'm using two new patterns here. Lily Moon's new pattern, Andromeda (at center stage) and Rainking (bottom left)

 Made by Joey #118

Circle String Series #3: Coffee ring string with Maryhill (and Tipple)

The challenge was to use Maryhill but not in the center.

Diane & Carolien's Alphabet Challenge #62: N-W-L

Nebel, Wud and Lokomotive

I'm only using patterns from of my library for the D&C challenges.

Adele Bruno's "It's a String Thing" Challenge #150

"150" string with Adele's patterns: Xav, Isa, Teenos and Uncorked

Travelling Tangles Project: 

a collaboration with Stephanie Jennifer 

My latest swap obsession. Stephanie (the mastermind behind the TTP) sent me this gorgeous watercolor tile with the pattern "Ginili" drawn with what appears to a white pen with a slightly raised thickness to it:

I was a little a-scared because this was so pretty just on its own and the dominant white was out of my comfort zone. It turns out she uses a Uniball Signo broad tip pen. I can't even remember the name of the flower-ish pattern I ended up using, but it had the same feeling as Ginili and I think I used enough white to compliment Stephanie's design but not overwhelm it. This is such a brilliant project and a whole new leap for me. I'm going to have to seek out family sponsorship for my international postage habit LOL;-)

These next two (on the right) came all the way from Germany from Sabrina Kirjavainen:

I find I have to sit on these awhile before I dive in. This last one is probably the best example of how I chase down inspiration. I wanted to add some bit of color without going crazy and after noodling around the blogosphere, I came across a Lily Moon piece that inspired the border (no one can really touch her but one can at least reach). She'd had a looping band (far more cleanly executed than mine) going through her piece and...well... there you have it. My little tipple balls with the pops of color were stolen long ago from her work...thanks Lily Moon;-)

When I was in college I had an art professor who would say "Good artists borrow, the best artists steal". I touched upon copying in a previous post. 

Copying is study. It's how you practice and teach yourself technique. You'll eventually gel with something and make it your own. I copy fragments of work all the time. I mean, isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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

       

Diane & Carolien's Alphabet Challenge #61: D-C-A

Challenge #61: D-C-A

Dot Grid, Cloudfall & Aloha

 One of the Zentangle centric Facebook groups I belong to has an ongoing challenge they call "Tuesday Tangles". It's an effort to acquaint ourselves with new patterns and if so inclined, create journal art using collected patterns and create our own pattern library in any format we choose.

The admin posts 7 patterns and links to the step outs each Tuesday that ideally are drawn one each day.

This is how mine works:

I start with a template of 2" squares, add patterns that I like, some from Tuesday Tangles and others I just call "Other Faves". I don't collect step outs. Once I've practiced a pattern and then put it in the book I can usually remember how to draw it.
When the page is full, I post a pic at the group and then cut them out and put them in here:

I also keep trimming from larger watercolor works and make 2" tiles from those as well.

My idea for doing Diane and Carolien's challenges are to use patterns from my library and exercise the restraint I blogged about in my previous post to let the paper shine through.

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

Made by Joey Challenge #116, Diane & Carolien's Weekly #60 and IAST#148

 Made by Joey #117

Circle string by Joey

patterns: Flux and Tipple

Joey has commenced with a new series of challenges based on circular strings. As with my last series, the Roman Numeral Set, I'm going to continue on with these watercolor ATC's I've been painting using renaissance tiles as my color inspiration. I'm also, as always, inspired by coffee.

This was Monday morning as I read Joey's challenge for the first time. I got right to work;-) I only just now got the brilliant idea to make coffee ring circles next time.

Here's the round-up of the Roman Numeral challenges:

These next two ATC's were created for a group activity at Zentangle Artists Trading Card Swap on Facebook. Every other Friday one of the admins (2 are UK based hence the Fortnightly) posts a focus pattern and invites members to participate.

Fortnightly Friday Fun Event at

Zentangle Artists Trading Card Swap Group on Facebook

focus pattern: Cubine

Cubine off-the-grid

Diane & Carolien's Weekly Alphabet Challenge

#60: B-P-U

Batumber, Boomerang, Unme, Pokeleaf, Undling

This just in: a spontaneous ATC along with my morning coffee.

sAdele Bruno's "It's a String Thing" Challenge #148
"Fengle"

I was playing with my watercolors yesterday, trying to venture out of my color comfort zone. I'm also venturing into a new swap project. Stay tuned;-)

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