Beyond the Basics class: Layered water color background

Do not post much about things that I do in a class but this was an interesting class.  I had introduced using a water color wash before but did not spend much time on adding layers.  Wanted to have them take their time putting down the water color before they tangled on the piece.  Am waiting to see the finished pieces as they were all so different.  One used a lot of small sections of color and used a lot of organic tangles, which is what she enjoys. With her permission may post a picture of it later.  I am showing the piece that I did.  I used larger sections of color and layered the same color on top. Did not try to layer different colors for muted or different effects.  Will post a series of pictures showing the piece as it progressed.  Really did not have a plan when I started. Picked a tangle and just let it develop.  Here is the results.

Thought I had a picture of just the water color but I guess that I did not .  I first did  what I am calling "Semi-crazy" Huggins.  Is not a regular grid but not too much "wonkiness".  I then put in Finery and then Puf.  

Next I added Inapod and then put Paradox around the outside.

I then added Zander in both sections. The next was the Flora variation and then added the Phicops and Zingers to finish it off.

I then added Mooka, Flux, and Tipple.  The Tipple was added and randomly.  Was looking at different orientations when I took this picture.

And here is the finished piece with the last section finished.   The paper is water color paper and is 6"x 8". 

The last tangle is Opsess, one that I did the step out for.

I have a couple of other projects I want to get to but want to do something like this again.  I would like to use smaller areas of color and try more blending like when doing the gems.  That is a time consuming process so not sure when I will get to it.

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

Zendala Dare #107

Did not realize how out of practice I was in doing Zendalas. I have used the round Zendala tiles before but more recently it has not been with a template. It is taking me a little bit of adjustment having a template and deciding how I want to use it or even what tangles come to mind when I look at it. I have to admit that the recent templates have been an additional challenge for me. The template is similar to a string and it is a guide that you can decide how you want to follow. I have tended to not modify the templates in the past. May have to revisit that. Here is what I ended up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Auraknot, Finery, Fassett, and Zenith

Shading done with HB, 2B, and 4B pencils

I was hoping to participate in the Zendala Dare a little more regularly. Have not been able to do so. Will have to examine that as I continue to have a number of other things that are occupying my time. Not sure if some of the challenges lately have been the style of the templates or just my lack of doing them. Am looking forward to looking at what others have done. If you have not done so would encourage you to go to The Bright Owl and look at what others have done. Give it a try yourself. You do not have to use a circle tile to do it. 

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

Square One Focus Tangle: Hollibaugh

This week's focus tangle on the Square One FB page is Hollibaugh. This is an interesting tangle. It is usually one that I always teach in the Basic Class because of the drawing behind technique. Wanted to do something a little different with it.  Not sure when I did this before. Seems that maybe it was part of a challenge or maybe it was in response to a post in one of the FB pages. I like it because it adds a little flair to the tangle. Have been seeing Hollibaugh tangles that people have been doing at  Can-tangle. Not sure exactly what they were doing as there were just pictures with little information. Think that it is doing tangleations and trying to stretch tangles a little more. Because of the way that this is done was also able to include last week's focus tangle, Finery as I was not able to post a tile. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

 Tangles used: Hollibaugh, Paradox, Tipple, Finery, & Shattuck 

Shading done with 2B pencil

Have been a number of interesting things posted on the FB page. If you do not regularly follow this page, would encourage you to do so. You can see some great work and get some inspiriation about things to do. Is not really a site to post questions but can contact the poster in a private message with questions.

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

Go Tangle !! 

Square One: Etude in Ahh

Did not think that I would get to try another tile using Ahh so quickly. Probably just as well as things will be busy for the next few days and I probably will not have much time to do any tangling. This was a fun tile to do. I wanted to do some thing that was not a traditional use of Ahh. I wanted to somehow make Ahh the star. I decided to go bigger with the tangle and then do things inside. I called it Etude in Ahh as one definition of etude is a study. I know that it is generally used in relation to music but I figured it still fit. I also thought about doing the background all in black but decided to try something different. I aura-ed a pencil line around the different variations of Ahh and then used a blending stump. Had not done this much pencil shading before. Overall I am pleased with the results. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

I included a few other tangles with Ahh. They are Betweed, Finery, & Tipple.

Shading was done with a 2B pencil.

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

Go Tangle !!