Diva Challenge #330: "Zentangle Plates"

This week's Diva Challenge is courtesy of Jeanette Clawson. She is a graduate of CZT #27 although she has been tangling for a number of years.  You can read about her story here on The Diva's blog. She explains a little about what lead her to this art form.  Like many, it was a tool in dealing with things.  It isn't that tangling is the only one that can do this but I think its portability makes it easy to use anywhere.

The basis of her challenge is her love of mandalas.  When she was at the CZT seminar they discussed tangle plates, which is really a mosaic or arcs and when you put 4 tiles together, they form a plate.  You can get as symmetrical and as intricate as you want.  She did 4 tiles but indicated that it was not necessary to do 4 for the challenge. You could do only one.

I like mandalas also and have about 100 that I have done over the years.  I have not done the mosaic style of this challenge.  Was not sure that I was going to participate due to time and I knew that I would not be able to do 4 tiles.  My intent was to do one tile.   It is similar to the stripes challenge that was done a couple of times.  Well when I was ready to start, I found out that I did not have a full size tile. I had some Bijou tiles. I only had two of them. Which I decided to use. So mine is a "broken plate".

As a time saver, I decided to do the same tangles on similar rings.  Here are the two tiles that I completed.

Tangles used: Tipple, Cubine, Hibred, Meer, Bird on a Wire

Shading done with HB pencil

Here are the two together to form my "broken plate" ( see the jagged line along the bottom?)

I have only seen a few of the pieces posted. Those are ones that show up in my feed list.  I plan on trying to look at them over the next couple of days. Would strongly recommend that you go and look when you have the chance. You can do so by clicking here on I am the Diva.  

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

Go Tangle !!

ZIA Variation on Aloha

When I did the Diva Challenge using Aloha I had mentioned that I was working on something that I was going to use a variation of it in. I finally was able to complete it.  This is a picture mat for a 5x7 picture.  It will fit in an 8x10 frame. I used a blue 01 micron. Did not do any shading on this. I could but I like it enough without it that I am going to leave it.  Have really enjoyed using Zander lately. Works great as a border or as a string.  Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.  I enjoyed doing it.

Tangles used: Aloha, Zander, Tipple and Flux.   

If you are not familiar with the tangle Aloha, deconstructed by Suzanne Fluhr you can find it here, as well as on tanglepatterns.com . 

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

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #328: Guest Blogger, Suzanne Fluhr - Use my Tangle (UMT)

Got something done a little earlier this week as I was home a little more due to having a lithoripsy done.  Gave me something to do, although I could have probably worked on a number of other projects as well.

The firs Challenge of the month is typically a UMT Challenge, and Suzanne kept with this format choosing her tangle Aloha. You can read about it's origin on her blog here. It is a fun tangle to do and is versatile.  I chose to use it along with some other tangles to create an organic themed tile. I thought about using a grid tangle in the background. Was more an decision of convenience that anything else.  Was thinking of something like Florz.  Aloha can be used as a border. If I get it done soon, am working on a mat for a 5x7 picture. May use Aloha and some similar tangles on this as well.

 I first had contact with Suzanne on line through the Diva Challenge.  She participated in them in spite of her anxiety about her ability and then she also decided to go to Providence and attend a CZT seminar.  It is interesting to see the progression of her work over this time period and now she is a guest blogger.  Congratulations Suzanne.

Anyway, here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Aloha, Flux, Boing, Ahh,  and a few Zingers

Shading done with HB pencil.

I have not had a chance to look at all the things posted so far.  I have seen a few that have appeared on my reading list.  Would strongly encourage you to go to I am the Diva and take some time to explore all the great art that is submitted. This seems to be versatile tangle and think that may see a variety of things.

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

Go Tangle !!    

Diva Challenge #327: " The Diva Dancing in Lisbon"

This week's Diva Challenge is courtesy of Henrike Bratz. She is from Germany and attended one the recent CZT seminars after tangling on her own for a couple of years.  She had recently been to Lisbon and took some pictures of different patterns that she saw. One she entitled the Lisbon fragment. You can see her step outs and variations here. You can see more of  her work on her block at this link. She coupled it with Diva Dance as that tangle was one used in the first Diva Challenge that she participated  in.  She gave the option of doing a duotangle or adding other tangles to the tile. The Lisbon tangle is one that is nice to look at but for me, it requires a lot of concentration.  Maybe it is because it is new to me but it is probably not one that I will use when I just want to get focused and lose myself in the repetitive strokes.  I also think that it is a tangle that looks best when your lines are very consistent.  Mine usually are not but it turned out okay.  Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Lisbon fragment, Diva Dance, Finery

Shading was done with HB pencil and Sakura white Gelly Roll pen.

This is the first time that I used the dots like this in a tile. I had seen others use it and wanted to try it. I think that since my line work was not as consistent and some of the grids are a little wonky, this helped with the overall tile.  I usually do little shading on Diva Dance. 

If you have not all ready done so, would strongly recommend you visit I am the Diva to look at some great pieces of art.  I have not had a chance to look yet but am hoping to do so over the next couple of days. You can go there directly by clicking on the link above. 

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

Go Tangle !!