Diva Challenge #211: Unchallenge/Challenge - Flux

Was not sure what to label this post as usually I just use what The Diva puts on her blog. For a brief time it looked like there would not be a challenge this week due to medical complications for her youngest son. She chose to use the recent Zentangle® post on Flux. So that became the Challenge. I remember the two different ways of doing Flux in my CZT seminar. I taught both versions in my basic class as a way to reinforce there are no mistakes and step outs are a guideline to doing a tangle. Most people get a chuckle that the developers of Zentangle have two different ways of doing Flux. Kind of relaxes them that what they do does not have to match what I illustrate. I explain as like different fonts that you might use on a computer. some fonts have commas and quotation marks that look like Maria's Flux. Others look like Rick's version. Both get recognized as the same thing. That is the same for both versions of Flux.

 I enjoy flux and use it quite a bit. I tend to do Rick's version as it just seems to flow better for me. I did try a  little different form of Maria's version and I felt better about it. As with a number of tiles, although it is decreasing, the most difficult part of this tile was the shading. Part of this is that there was not a lot of white space. My first reaction was that the tile was too busy. It is more appealing the more I look at it. Anyway, here is what I came up with, I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Flux, Tipple, Fescu, & Zinger

Shading was done with 2B pencil

Got this done a day earlier than I usually do. Hopefully I can spend some time looking at the other tiles posted this week. Strongly encourage you to look at what is on I am the Diva. Would also encourage you to try it yourself. Join in and post what you come up with. The people that post and look at the pieces of art are pretty supportive of everyone.

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

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #210: "Spiralstring - that's the thing"

This week's Diva Challenge was interesting. I like spirals, but do not use them much. It usually is when there is some type of prompt. That was this week's challenge - use spirals as a string. I do not usually look at what others have posted before I do mine. I did know that I wanted to go to Shelly Beauchamp's blog to look at her page on spirals. I enjoy her work but her spirals are awesome. In the process, I ran across Cris Letourneau's piece. She had posted it on one of the FB pages that I follow. Hers was also pretty awesome. As I looked at them, they had different ways of doing the spiral. Now I had a dilemma on my hands. Which style was I going to use. I decided to one of each. I did not copy the patterns they used and I did not use color as Cris did in hers. Besides the tangling, the color in her spiral added so much to the piece.

After deciding that, my next challenge is that I realized that I did my basic spiral structure in the opposite direction of theirs. Mine were in a clockwise direction and theirs were counter clockwise. Not a major issue but did take a little to work out direction of some of the lines.

Then came the really big challenge. Deciding on what tangles to use and completing the tile. Choosing the tangles was not a major issue. But as I began the tile, I experienced a real reinforcement of needing to send my inner critic on a hike. I began tangling and while working on the first spiral, had to deal with an issue that I do not usually encounter. I very rarely have not finished a tile once I started but when working on this, I seriously considered ripping it up and starting over. The thought kept going through my head that this was not going to work. I was finally able to listen a little more to the other side to just keep going. I could decide later what I wanted to do. Honestly, it was not until near the end of the tile while working on Dansk that I began to feel more comfortable with the tile. It was not until after adding Flux, Fescu, and Zinger and then working on the shading that I finally was pleased with this tile. I did not think about taking pictures until later. When I thought of it, not sure that it would have shown so much of the process of change as really took place, plus I did not have a camera with me. Maybe some other time.

Being pleased does not mean that there were not things that I can see that I would do differently if I were to do this over. It is in no way perfect. It does not have to be. I like the result. When I was done, I actually felt pretty good about what I had created. When doing these challenges and working on tiles, that is what it is about for me. I guess it is a lesson that maybe we all need to revisit periodically. Focus on one stroke at a time and the process, not what it looks like.

Well I rambled on long enough. I hope I did not bore you too much. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Dansk, Sanibelle, Tipple, Flux, Fescu, Zinger, Orbs, Cubine, Betweed, and Chard (variation)

Shading was done with standard pencils. 

If you have not all ready visited the Diva's blog would encourage you to do so. You can do so by clicking here. I am  hoping to get a chance to see them over the next few days. Try it your self even if you do not post it to the site. It would be great if you did. Would be just that much more to enjoy.

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

Go Tangle !!  

Diva Challenge #204 : "Valentangle"

This week's Diva Challenge is a little different than some have been. Due to Valentine's Day being this Saturday, the challenge was to use hearts in some way or use the colors red, white, or pink.  I did something that I have not done before. It has been a busy couple of weeks so I was not sure if I would be able to do anything. I had wanted to do the Square One focus tangle, Well because it is a fun tangle to play with. I have used the same piece for different tangles before but never in this way. The criteria for posting on the Square One Facebook page is that no color can be used. So I completed the tile and posted it. I then added color to it. I thought about doing some hearts but decided not to. Could not really think of a way to do it. Probably, in true Zentangle® fashion, if I had added something to the tile it would have been okay. I was comfortable leaving it as it is. Here is what I came up with to add the color. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Well, Ahh, Fescu (variation)

I have not had a chanced to look at any of the other tiles posted. I am looking forward to seeing what others have come up with. If you have not all ready done so would encourage you to go to I am the Diva and look at the great pieces of art that others have created. Would also encourage you to try it yourself, even if you do not post it.

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

Go Tangle !! 

Square One: Well

Was not sure that I was going to get anything done this week. I like this tangle and enjoy playing with it in a free form ala Helen Williams style. You can see her work at her blog a little lime. Thought about doing a monotangle but decided to add a few other things. This one was fun to do. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Well, Ahh, Fescu (variation)

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

Go Tangle !!

Square One: Ahh

Interesting prompt this week at Square One. This is a tangle that I almost see as an embellishment rather than a main tangle. Kind of like a role player on a basketball team; important but  not the star.  So this ended up being a pretty traditional use of Ahh. If I feel so inspired I may try another one. I am sure that there will be many unique ways that people will use Ahh. But, there is nothing wrong with using it for what it is. Just like there is nothing wrong with what someone does on a tile, even though it may not look like someone else's. Enjoy what you have created. Learning from others does not mean you have to compare yourself negatively to them or their work.  Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Ahh, Fescu, Antidots, & Roxi

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

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #197: "New Official Tangle - Arukas"

The Diva is back after a couple of weeks of guest posters. This week she chose to make the focus of the Challenge the new tangle released by Zentangle® headquarters. It was developed by Molly in appreciation of the many things that Sakura has done for, and with Zentangle.  I had recently used Arukas in a prompt for Square One. I also taught it in one of my classes so I was familiar with it.

I did want to do something different. I felt like I had gotten into a little bit of a rut in the type of tiles I did.  I think I was successful and probably for people who have seen more of my work, would agree. I really wanted something that was more free flowing and just doing different things. I was not trying to fill the entire tile. I just wanted to let things flow where they wanted to. While I felt I was successful with doing something different there are somethings that I am not sure about. Over all I am pleased with the results, I want to keep working on things like this. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Arukas, Purk, Betweed, Mak-Rah-Mee, Mooka, Tipple, Fescu

Have not looked at what others have done this week. Hoping to have some time during the rest of the week to get to see them. Would encourage you also to go to I am the Diva and look at what others have done. I would also encourage you to try it yourself. 

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

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #177: "Truffle by Caroline Broady, CZT

Had another guest poster for this week's challenge. It is by the youngest CZT, Caroline Broady. It is basically a UMT challenge. Her tangle is Truffle.  Do not know that I had seen this one before. I know that I did not use it before. Was a little unsure what to do with it. So when in doubt back to the basics and do not over think it. Put Truffle in first and then just let it develop from there. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Truffle, Diva Dance, Y-ful power, Flux, Fescu, and Zinger

Now it is off to look at what others have posted on I am the Diva. Would encourage you to do likewise.

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

Go Tangle !! 

Diva Challenge #164: "Amanda (Earth) Day"

I was not exactly sure what to do with this week's Diva Challenge. My brain does not tend to work well on these types of challenges. After a little bit of thought I decided what I could do is finish the Organic Garden, ala Meredith Yuhas, that I had started. Was not sure if I was going to get it done or not. I had fun doing this. Still working on the highlighting and shading on the gray paper. Am pleased with the way that this turned out. I hope that you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Sanibelle, Dragonair, Mooka, Flux, Antidot, Poke Root, Poke Leaf, Scroll feather, Ahh, 'Nzeppel, Msst, Featherfall, Wist, Chainlea, Zinger, Angel Fish, & Fescu. 

  

I think I got the names of all the tangles that I used.

The highlighting and shading was done with a white chalk pencil, Prismacolor white wax pencil, and HB graphite pencil

I have to admit that I did sneak a peak at a couple of entries this week before I was finished with mine. Do not think that I was influenced by them. I hope to get a look at all the rest of the entries over the next several days. If you have not all ready done so would strongly recommend that you visit The Diva's blog and look at the other great posts.  

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

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge # 161: "In a Quandary about Quandary"

This is probably going to be a short post. This week's challenge is to use the tangle Quandary. I feel a special connection with this tangle as it is the one that was introduced at my CZT training. I liked it when I first saw it. It has puzzled many though, much like Tripoli, people can get lost in the pattern and also get overly concerned about doing it correctly. I have not had much difficulty with it. I enjoy it. It does have a lot of possibilities and I am sure that you will see many of them in this challenge. This tile may end up serving a dual purpose. It has been quite a week and did not have time to do a tile to send to CBS. Have not decided yet, but I may end up using this one. It will get there later than most of the others but not sure that is as important. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Quandary, Zander, Flux, Fife, Zinger, Fescu

I have not looked at any of the other posts for this challenge but am looking forward to doing so. If you have not done so, I would encourage you to go to I am the Diva and look at the things others have posted. Should be a great show.

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

Go Tangle !!

Playing with Renaissance tiles and white highlights

Have been wanting to use the Renaissance tiles for a while but just have not set down to do it. As much as I enjoy doing the Zendala Dare, not having one this week did give me some time to experiment. It also gave me a chance to practice some techniques and tangles that I will be using in a Zentangle® Garden class in a few weeks. Definitely takes a little planning not only for planning out the different size tangles but what to do.

Besides this I had the opportunity to try highlighting with some new tools. I had used the Zenstone a few times but have not used it a lot. I also received a PrismaColor White wax pencil in a package from my sister. I received it a while ago but had not gotten around to trying it yet. I was pleased with it and like it better than the white charcoal pencil that had used before. I think the Zenstone and the charcoal pencil blend similarly but the Zenstone leaves a smoother effect. Maybe is just a difference in how I am using them. I feel it is easier to completely blend out the charcoal pencil. Not as easily with the Zenstone.  Did not use a white gel pen to do any highlighting on this tile. I was having fun with the highlighting and may have gotten a little carried away with it.

I know that Zentangle is not suppose to be representational but because of doing the class I did start out with ideas of what I wanted to do. I used Pea-Nuckle to create a basket to put my organic tangles in. I have not used it a lot lately, but I really do like this tangle.

Well enough rambling, here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Diva Challenge #152: New Official Tangle Aquafleur

I was able to get both the Diva  Challenge and the Zendala Dare done relatively quickly this week. The Challenge this week was to use the tangle just released to the public by Rick and Maria. The tangle is Aquafleur. It is a fun tangle and it lends itself to many variations. I remember seeing a number of great examples of this tangle when it was first released to CZTs. As usual there were a lot of amazing uses of this tangle. I have not used it a lot but did use it on a card that I made. I will post a picture of this under the tile that I did for this challenge. Since I had the time, and I do not like to only post something that I had done in the past for these Challenges, I did come up with another one. To me this usually has a somewhat organic nature. I have seen some other variations that have not. You can see some examples of this at zentangle.com and A Little Lime. Here is what I did for this challenge. I hope you like it. 

Tangles used: Bales, Aquafleur, Zinger, Fescu, 

Here is the card I made where I used Aquafleur. The other tangles that I used were Zinger, Ahh, Tipple, Joy & Indy-rella.  

If you have not been to I am the Diva to look at the other posts, I would strongly recommend you do so during the week. You will be treated to some great art.

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

Go Tangle !!