Diva Challenge # 142: " Comfort/Danger Zone"

When I saw what the Challenge was I had a pretty good idea of what direction I would take. I agree with Shelly Beauch's comment that there may be a lot of black tiles. Interestingly enough, I used a black tile with both challenges this week.  The challenges for me with this, more than the black tile, is using color and I have never used a zendala tile without a template. A couple of months ago I read a post by Alice Hendon about free hand zendalas. Like a number of things, I had plans of trying it but never got around to it. This was the push I needed. If you want information about the process, you can go to Alice's blog, The Creator's Leaf to check it out. There are two posts. The previous link goes to the first post. Here is a link to the second one. I did not follow all her steps but it was helpful in starting. If I have time I would like to do one one the white zendala tile and make it solely organic. I was not at a place where I could take pictures of the process at different steps, but you can probably get a general idea of what the template looks like from looking at the gold outlines. I was surprised by how easy the template came together. It was a little harder deciding what tangles to use in each space. The markers were used primarily for fill although I did use it for the Zander variation section. Well enough rambling. I really did enjoy doing this even though my anxiety about how it would turn out was a little elevated. I was pleased with the process and the result. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Rosetta, Tipple, Paradox, Mooka, Zander Betweed, S-pattern flower.

I thought I had put this in the original post, but after reading it more closely it must have been a "senior moment". I used Sakura Gelly Roll Metallic pens. The fill was done with Permapaque Opague Pigment Markers, Metallic Plus Set. Sorry I left this out earlier.

I chose this photo because it did show the colors a little better. Since it was taken with flash, it is almost too bright. I liked the way the center rosetta looked and this was the best representation. 

I am anxious to begin looking at what others have done. I have not looked at them, mostly due to time, as I do not think there would be as much influence as with other challenges. 

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Zendala Dare #78

I know that Erin was excited about this template but I have to admit, I was not so much. When I first saw it I did make the association with a spider web and I thought Erin's first one was great. I however just hit a wall. As I looked at it I did not see how I could use tangles in the space provided. I decided to use a black tile so this would limit it also as the gel pens do not make as thin a line. In line with the season, I did add a little spider in the center. The rest was just lines and arcs. I did use a gray Fabrico marker to do some shading. I do not have one of the new soap stones yet. I am not totally disappointed with the result, but definitely did not get as much enjoyment doing this as I usually do. Enough rambling, it is getting late and I need to get to bed. Here is what I finally ended up with. I hope you enjoy it.

I really cannot identify any tangles that I used.

It is early in the week so there are not a lot of things posted yet. Would encourage you to visit The Bright Owl often during the week to see what others have done. I know I am. I am curious to see how others handled this template.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #141: Duo Tangle - Fengle/Quandry

This week's Diva Challenge is to use only the tangles Fengle and Quandry. I have used both of them before and I like them both. I am just not sure how well I can make them play together. I have a fondness for Quandry as this was the tangle introduced at CZT 10 training which I attended. I also like them both because while there is a symmetry to them they are also forgiving in that they do not have to be exact.

I finished with the tile and looked at it after I shaded it. It looked okay but I felt that there was something missing. Was not sure what but I thought about adding color. Since I was not sure how it would turn out, I decided to take a picture so I would have something to post it I did not like it. I decided to post them both. I will let you decide. I am comfortable with both of them. I hope you enjoy them.

The shading did help this one.  

Next is the one with color.  This was done with generic colored pencils. For the quality of the pencils, was pleased with the way that they turned out.

I thought the purple and yellow looked good together.

If you have not all ready done so would encourage you to go to I am the Diva and look at the things that others have done. I only looked at a few, but the ones that I saw where great. 

Thanks for visiting. As always comments are welcomed, encouraged and appreciated.

Go Tangle!!

Zendala Dare #77 - Random Acts of Zentangle

This is not going to completely comply with Erin's challenge. I do not have a smart phone and do not typically walk around with my camera. Besides it is not a small version. I also am  not sure when I will be able to drop it off. My plan is leave it a local coffee shop or a book store, but I will not get there until later in the week.  It really depends on which I go to first. It may be too late to post so I am doing it now. Here is a picture of what I did.  I hope the person that finds it enjoys it and I hope you do too.

Tangles used: Beads, Ennies, Shattuck, Flux, S-ploration pattern

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated. 

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #140! : "Monotangle, Pointillism style!"

My initial response when I saw this challenge was to take a pass. That did not last long but I have to admit even when I started on it I did not like that I was thinking too much. I thought more about what tangles that I wanted to use or what it would like like than I usually do. Once I got past that it got a little easier. My first tile I decided that I wanted to do something that was either organic or free flowing but was not exactly sure where to start. I had used this technique before to shade tangles but never to create everything on a tile. I was a little apprehensive about starting. I finally did and then just let it flow. The first one was what I would consider a traditional Zentangle® tile. I used tangles but used the pointillism technique. After I got past the initial apprehension it was fun to do. It was more time consuming and at times did not feel as much of the relaxation as I do when I am doing a tile because I was still thinking too much about if I was "doing it right" .
Here is the first one that I did. I hope that you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Phicops, Squid, Antidot, Boing(variation), floral pattern was from the S-ploration activity posted earlier. Used 03 and 05 Microns to do. 

Although I was pleased with the result of the first tile, I still was somewhat inspired by Laura's more free form version. I really wanted to try something. This was harder to get started as I had no idea what to do. When all else fails, return to the basics. What I did was start by doing a frame. I did not do a string but started to work off the the frame and worked a piece/section at a the time. Doing this brought out all my apprehensions and anxieties about doing art. Probably the most difficult section was the spiral. I admire people like LeeAnn and Shelly who do such great jobs in this style. I decided to keep it simple. I did not use tangles, but used basic lines. Once I got started it came together much easier. This is what I came up with. Hope you enjoy it. 

If you have not looked at the other things that have been posted on I am the Diva, would encourage you to do so. I have to admit when I saw that LeeAnn was the first to post, I did look at hers as I figured it would demonstrate her usual fabulous style. I was not disappointed but it also set a high standard. My anxiety cranked up a few notches.

Thanks for visiting. As always comments are welcomed, encouraged and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #139: UMT v XXI "8s Parte Dos" by Jane Eileen

This was quite the challenge. I remember when I first saw this tangle. It looked interesting and had plans to do it but never quite got around to it. Sorry that I did not. I like the tangle but it will take a lot more practice before I can do it and feel the "Zen". This was work to do this tangle. I got lost a couple of times but decided to push ahead. I do not like to throw out a tile and as in Zentangle® fashion, there are no mistakes, only unplanned opportunities. This was actually a fun one to put in variations and shade. If you follow my posts very often you know that I do not say that often. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Featherfall, Scroll feather, the flower is one from the "S-ploration" exercise I posted about earlier and of course 8s Parte Dos.

Now I plan to spend some time looking at all the great pieces that others have submitted. I only looked at a few before. Will have more time to view slowly and take them in. If you have not all ready, go to I Am the Diva to look at all the pieces submitted.

Thanks for visiting. As always comments are welcomed, encouraged and appreciated.

Go Tangle !! 

Zendala Dare #76

Not getting to this weeks Dare too late. Was intrigued by the template when I first saw it. Decided that I wanted to do something a little different. Was not sure what, but did not want to do my usual thing. Was hard not to fill in all the spaces. Had thought about doing things and fought the urge. Did not change the template a lot but just added something simple.  Probably also worked more at perspective than usual. Am pleased with the result and enjoyed doing it. Hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Tipple, Shattuck, Meer, Fiore

Have not looked at the other things posted on The Bright Owl but plan on doing so during the rest of the week. Would recommend that you do likewise.

Thanks for visiting. As always comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #138: "Fun with Borders"

I must live and work in a really dull place. I know that this weeks challenge was to look at things around you that could deconstruct and be borders. Most of what I looked at was pretty boring. What I chose to do is to do combination. The dots are from my laptop. It is where the speakers are. I have a curtain rod in my office that has horizontal lines and reminds me of Zander. What I chose for the rest were tangles that I like and use a lot as borders or strings. Was not feeling real creative so just decided to put them in descending frames. This is what I came up with. Hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Hibred, Demi, Zander, Scrawls, 

If you have not all ready, would encourage you to do to I am the Diva, to look at the creative pieces that others have done. I have not looked at many yet but plan to look at the ones that have been submitted. 

Thanks for visiting. As always comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Zendala Dare #75

Very interesting template for this week's dare. I liked it but it was a little more challenging than I anticipated. I have not looked at a lot of the others yet, but those that I have looked gorgeous.  Here is what I came up with. Not thrilled with the shading, buy that is a common occurrence. I hope that you enjoy it.

This is the first I have used the black pearls in a while. Over all was pleased with the way that they turned out. 

If you have not all ready done so, would encourage you to go to The Bright Owl to look at the other pieces of art.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!