There was something else that was unique about this challenge. I have no other art training other than Zentangle®. Before that it was only the mandatory classes that I took through elementary school. I have known people that who can form an image in their mind and they translate it to paper. That does not describe me. Over the almost 4 years I have been tangling there have been times when I was doing a challenge or just working on a tile that before I started, I would have some of idea of what I hoped/wanted it to look like. Was not really pre-planned, just a concept of what I wanted at the end. I know that seems a little contrary to the whole Zentangle process but not really. I learned to enjoy what the result was. I also learned to not make any judgments about a tile until it was done. It was not always what I envisioned but it did not mean I did not like it. Sometimes, I liked it better than what I had envisioned before I started. Well, this tile was the only one that I can remember that the end result really was like what I envisioned. I will say more about it after the picture. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.
Shading is always a challenge for me even when I like the result. It is particularly a challenge when I am trying to shade any color or in this case the brown micron. I have tried a number of things but never was all that pleased with the result. This was done with a layering of Prismacolor pencils. I probably tried about 15 different combinations before I came up with this. This is probably the best one that I have come up with. It is first a layer of Goldenrod, then White and lastly Burnt Ochre. I then used the blending pencil to smooth and burnish it. As I said, I was pleased with the result.
I have only seen things that have shown up on my blog reader and that is not many. Looking forward to seeing a number of great tiles. If you have not done so, go to I am the Diva and check them out. Try it your self even if you do not post it.
Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.
Go Tangle !!
Really nicely done and great shading!
ReplyDeleteI do understand that you're pleased with this result. It's very beautiful Donald and has great shading!!!
ReplyDeletebeautiful tile, i like the shading
ReplyDeleteLike you, Donald, I find it hard to work without at least the beginnings of a preconceived idea and, also like you, my finished piece rarely meets my hoped for result. This one is lovely. The spiral, never easy, is very well done and your choice and use of colour is very effective. I like this a lot.
ReplyDeleteI've learned something new from your post---that there is a Prismacolor blending pencil! You put it to excellent use in this tile. Like you, I think many of us end up places we didn't expect when we start a Zentangle tile. The trick is to learn to embrace the new place--not always so easy for recovering lawyers such as myself. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful tile with its wonderful effect of shading! A blending pencil is really a great tool!
ReplyDeleteA wonderful Tile, Donald. Love the flow and the liberated Tipple mixing it up. Very effective. Well done
ReplyDeleteThis is very nice. I love the "bubbles" in there, and your description of layering colors to shade is something I'll have to try out for sure. I WILL go get me a blending pencil at Blick. Today!
ReplyDeleteYour level of art training is the same as mine. In fact, I only picked up sketching a few years ago, and zentangle captured me whole about a year ago. Do you feel more adept now that you've been at it a while? I know I do.
That depends on the day. Joking aside, I do feel more adept at tangling and also the shading.
DeleteFirst, Donald, the fact that you say you are untrained as an artist tells me you are a true talent! Your work is always beautiful! This tile is really wonderful. Your shading creates such nice fat curls in the spiral and somehow creates a metallic-like sheen. How cool! Then, you go further and let it all spill out at the ends leaving these delicate little fragments at the end. Your vision was perfect here!
ReplyDeleteI love the ends that spill out too. It is beautiful, how lucky you are to have a vision of what you want. That is what I struggle with.
ReplyDeleteAs I said what I envision is not usually what I end up with. That is okay. I have learned that it does not have to and to tangle you do not need to. I think it is a part of our nature though to think about it.
DeleteA bubble bath - this is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy your Tipple tile, lovely work!
ReplyDeleteI like your tipple tile! Very nice composition and wonderful colour. I like the tipple circles flying in the air at the end :-)
ReplyDeleteThis works so well from so many perspectives - the shape is lovely, what's not to love about a spiral full of tipples; the various sized circles create good contrast and your colour and shading is just perfect! Axxx
ReplyDelete