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 !! 

A Challenge Piece that did not get completed in time

I have not posted or participated in any challenges for quite some time. I won't bore you with any of the details/reasons for this. There were a couple of recent Diva Challenges that I wanted to participate in. One I did not even start. The other I just did not complete during the week of the challenge. Since I had not posted anything for a while, figured I would at least put it here since I finally got it done.

I combined the two challenges to come up with this piece. The first one that I wanted to do was the Tripoli challenge. I enjoy this tangle even though it does present certain issues. The second came from a FB post regarding the difference in how we may tangle depending on whether it is for a class or just for our own enjoyment. There were a number of folks who indicated they thought there were significant differences. I do not know if I would say that there are significant differences, but there are some. When doing for my own enjoyment/relaxation I tend to use tangles that use simple repetitive strokes and I do not have to refer multiple times to a step out. I also tend to fill most of the tile. I do not think about if it is cluttered. I also tend to try some new or different things when I am doing a tile just for me.

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

Tangles used: Poke Root, Poke Leaf, Opsess, Shattuck, Dansk, Tripoli

Shading done with HB pencil

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

Go Tangle !! 

I have been busy and just not goofing off: New stone coasters with Zenith and Organic as frames/borders

I  have not posted much of anything lately or even participated in any of the challenges that I so much enjoy. I have been in what I refer to "production mode".  Doing a lot of ZIAs but not much relaxation in the process. Do not take the time to take pictures of everything. If I remember, will try to take a picture this Saturday. Most days I am just focused on staying warm. The overage temperature at the start of the event has been in the low 30's. One day we had about 5" of snow. We are inside, but the building is being remodeled so is no heat. Some have propane heaters but I am not one of the lucky ones and not going to spend the extra money to get one. Place is not wired to handle electric heaters. Oh well only have two weeks left.

Wanted to post some things that I just finished today. Have done these before but not for a while. They are 4" stone coasters. Have not put a sealer on them yet and will probably also fire them for a short time in a small craft oven that I have. Think this process burns off the dust and reduces clouding from the sealer. Here is a picture of the four that I did today.

Here is a picture of all four that I got done today. I forgot how much fun these are to do. They are about the size of tile so it is almost like doing one of those. Used a Identi-Pen for the tangles and then a gray Fabrico dual tip marker for the shading. Will probably use a light coat of a spray acrylic sealer.  

Did a single picture of this one as I was able to use a  newer tangle, Organic by Sayantika Ray. When I first saw it, thought that it would make a nice frame but as with a lot of tangles, the corners can be the tough part. Was able to work out a way to do this one that I was pleased with. 

I keep saying that I hope that I will be able to get to some of the challenges. I have started a few, but have not finished them in time to post them. When, and if I finally get a chance to complete one, maybe will post the ones that I finished after the deadline.

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

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #235: "String Theory: Stripe"

Things have been busy so have not had much time to participate in any of the challenges that I normally do. It has also resulted in my neglecting my blog and not making many post. I have missed participating in them. When I saw what this week's challenge was, I first thought about skipping this one also. But I realized I really needed a break and do some tangling just to tangle. The challenges have a structure but not as much pressure as when am making something for sale or a display. Kept it simple except for one stripe. I will explain that later. Pulled out a Renaissance tile just for a little variety.  Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Shattuck, 'Nzeppel, Puff, Opsess, and Gingajava

Shading/highlighting done with HB graphite pencil and white Prismacolor pencil. Used a blender on the Prismacolor.

Said I kept it simple except for one stripe. Used a couple of old standards like Shattuck. That is one of my go-to tangles.  I could not decide whether to do large squares or smaller squares with Gingajava. I decided to use the smaller squares. Was too small a space for the detail inside. Oh well, it still turned out well.

Have not looked at any other posts so far. Hope I can get to some later. Have a lot going on until later in the week. Hope I have a chance to look at what others have posted and post a few comments. Would encourage you to go to I am the Diva and look at the great art work. Try it yourself, even it you do not post it.

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

Go Tangle !! 

Diva Challenge #225: Guest Blogger Jen Crutchfield, CZT - Using color

The Diva is having guest bloggers over the summer as she is taking some time off this summer to spend more time with her family. This is the first week of a guest blogger and it is a fellow Indiana CZT. There are, I think, double the number of CZTs in the state from when I got my certification. I think the only area that does not have at least one is the northeast part of the state. But I digress.

The basic Zentangle® format is using black pen and a graphite pencil for shading. that is probably how most start but then they do venture out a little to try something with color. Usually, myself included, if the person does not have much (read any) art background using color is one of those things that causes a little increase in their anxiety. After 4 years of tangling I am more comfortable using color but it is still not something I am totally comfortable with doing. For this challenge I went back and visited one the techniques I first used to add color. This is Maria Browning's embossing technique that she included in her book, Time to Tangle with Color,  and also taught at  Tangle U.  I was not able to attend Tangle U but did talk with some people who did and I also found the brief explanation in her book. before when I used it I used a black tile. I have wanted to try it on other tiles to see how it worked but just have not done it. It seemed to fit well for this challenge. Enough rambling, here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used : Opsess, Shattuck, Bales

The color is done with Irojiten pencils. The colors are Lettuce Green, Lilac, & Sunset Orange.There is about three layers of each color.

The tangles are done using a Signo Uni-ball 207 Micro pen. I use these at work and when they have run out of ink, I have saved some to use for this purpose. It gives a finer line than the typical embossing tool. 

I have not seen a lot of other things posted yet for this challenge. I plan on going to I am the Diva to see the other pieces submitted. Would strongly encourage you to visit the site also and give the challenge a try, even if you do not decide to post what you do.

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

Go Tangle !!

New Tangle, Pattern, Tangleation: Opsess

Those of you that have followed my blog for a while may be familiar with my different posts on using the basic stroke "S" as a basis for tangles. It began about 2 years ago when I was working in my journal.  At the time I did not do anything to do step outs or even name anything. Part of that was deciding what, if any of them constituted a tangle or what was just patterns. Did not really feel like anything was that unique. Here is the page from my journal.

There are 2 on here that I  have used before, but never named. They still remain unnamed. They are the first one in the top row and the fourth one in the bottom row. I used them recently on a bookmark that I posted on Stacked and Tangled and also did a blog entry. Did not get a lot of feedback on it. I came up with a few different variations on the bookmark. To avoid having to go between pages, here is another copy of  the bookmark 

You can see most of the ones from my journal on this bookmark. The one above Knightsbridge was a new variation. After I did it I began thinking about what it would look like if I varied the direction of the "S".Tried a couple of different things and that is how Opsess came about. I did a tile and posted on the Certified Zentangle FB site. Did not get a lot of feedback or comments but decided that it was different. Think the basic structure of the tangle leaves things open for a lot of variation. I have not played with a lot but here is the step out and a few variations.

Here is the tile that I had posted earlier.

The one on the top left was developed at the same time and is a tangleation of Pea-Nuckle. I have a step out of that in process and will post it sometime in the next couple of weeks. 

If anyone knows of Opsess by a different name, please comment on this post or message me. 

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

Go Tangle !!