Zendala Dare Catch Up #20 - #22

Challenge #22
Monotangle: Variations of Arc Flower

Zendala Dare #21:
Tipple, Paradox, Assunta, Crescent Moon

Zendala Dare #20:
 Printemps, Auraknot, Tipple, Crosshatch,
some screws, and Spiky Wire 

I've been playing catch up with Erin's Zendala Dares. I find I start them but need to put them aside for a while and come back and revisit them. I'm not usually satisfied with my first attempt and it seems a little overwhelming, so I set it aside. When I come back to the piece, revisit it, I can dive back in and add shading and some line work and I'm satisfied with the results.

For Challenge #22 I was able to sit down and complete my piece in one sitting. I used the 3.5 inch tile size. Erin asked us to do a monotangle for this piece and I enjoyed taking the basic elements and deconstructing them and using them in a variety of sizes and variations. Arc Flower is a fun pattern and flows easily, thanks JJLaBarbera.

For challenges #20 and #21 I chose the large single Zendala template on a letter size sheet. For all the patterns that need to go into a piece I feel I need the space. It takes much longer but I do enjoy the process. I usually put my piece down for a couple of days and then revisit it, add more contrast and shading. With Zendalas I find I need more time and tend to do more versions. Maybe the process will get a little more refined but I'm enjoying the journey.

I work on a laptop and have discovered that I can use my laptop screen as a light table to transfer the template directly to my paper. I open up my laptop fully and then I have a flat surface light table. I make sure to use a very light touch when I trace so I don't damage my screen. This is the best technique for me because it keeps the organic feel to the template when I'm tracing free-hand rather than printing them out.  I'm a graphic designer and  pulled this technique out of my bag of tricks. For the larger Zendalas I use a heavyweight Velum bristol that works well with this tracing method. This also works on a regular computer monitor but doing the tracing on a 90 degree angle is a little more challenging.

Challenge #86 - Break Free!

This weeks Diva's challenge #89 asks us is to break free of our tile border! To create a tile or ZIA where SOME element of your work goes beyond the border and stretches or expands out. This direction is not out of my comfort range at all. I often go off the grid with my work.

I used Hollibaugh, Tipple, Beadz, Tripoli which morphed into a viney flower with some decorative leaf patterns. 

  

Challenge #85: UMT Margaret Bremmer's Copada

Copada, Zedbra, Dansh, Flying Geese, Tipple,
Spikey Wire, Shard, Crescent Moon, some screws
(a touch of steam punk, of course)

This week's Diva challenge is week #86 and it's a Use My Tangle, first of the month challenge. Margaret Bremmer, CZT's tangle is Copada; a great tangle to let the variations fly. A great way to celebrate Laura's 8th anniversary, Congrats to her, hubby B-Rad and her wonderful kids.

I really enjoy Margaret's style and her process. This week I use some of her other tangles, Zedbra, Dansk, I  also used Crescent Moon, Shard, Flying Geese, and Spiky Wire. My version of Copada incorporates screws (of course!) and daisies giving it the feel of Deelish (by Stephanie Kelton), and some Tipple. I think elements of steam punk are the perfect accompaniment to the beautiful flow of most tangles. Just like in life beauty and the creative process incorporates many different forms and shapes. It all works together. Love it.

I chose to "enhance" my string this week and leave it as white/negative space. Give each tangle lots of breathing space.

I love reading your feedback and comments!

Challenge #84 - String Theory, Blind String, AKA, Steam Punk Central

Original blind string

This week's Diva's Challenge for week #84 asks us to pick up our pencils and paper, close our eyes, and draw a blind string. This was a fun challenge and an opportunity to play with the steam punk stuff I've been working on this weekend.

Since Laura was on a well-deserved vacation last week, there was no challenge. I needed to fill the creative void so I jumped into Erin Olson, CZT and her Bright Owl blog Zendala Dare (lot's of fun). I've been meaning to concentrate on Zendala's more diligently for my classes but haven't had the time. So it's wonderful to add this to my weekly list. Now that my book has been published I can focus on more creative outlets!

I surfed the web for inspiration and I was taken with the Steam Punk stuff I've seen on Sandra Straight's site and begin noodling with it. Very fun, and it definitely was the focus of my challenge this week. I'm not sure if I'm doing the Steam Punk Zentangle style correctly, but it's fun trying.

My completed ZIA with Steam Punk inspired tangling

I incorporated Cruffle, Knightbridge with Cruffle, some screws, nuts, dangles inspired by all the wonderful art I've seen this week, Spiky Wire (my new tangle), and lot's of chains and beads (inspired by my sister Nancy who is a wire jewelry artist. One of my other sisters, Tracy, is also an artist,so it runs rampant in our family! Check out their site links!

I loved the process for this week's challenge; the result is a little busy, but it was a BLAST doing it. Because the style is so new to me I feel the need to fill my ZIA with lot's of good stuff. In the beginning... it's all good stuff (to me :)) Enthusiasm rears it's head, so I have to go with it!

I'm also incorporating the steam punk project  I worked on this weekend. Have I mentioned... I love Steam Punk, metal, nuts, bolts, beads. No one has ever accused me of not being enthusiastic (ad nauseam perhaps) but, I guess that's the function of a blog! Exposed your creativity and craziness to the world. So here goes....

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My initial exploration

I played with a little steam punk Zentangle style this week. What fun, a few screws, Cogs, Wheels, Plugs, Clamps, and Mooka and now, I'm hooked!

I think this will be a continuing process to combine the beauty of the Zentangle tangles with the grunge and metal of steam punk. I've started a study that I'm going to keep and build as I discover new textures and  tools to add to my arsenal.

Below is the initial version that I developed this weekend:
my new tangle Spiky Wire, some metal Mooka, bent wire, gems, chains and stuff. It's new to me and I'm sooooo excited and fixated... Whoopee!

Steam Punk Study Version One: lot's of white space to fill:
Spiky Wire,  Metal Mooka, nuts, bolts, chains, cogs.
gems, twisted wire

Linda Farmer's String #15

Linda Farmer of tanglepatterns.com presents a weekly string for tangling. This weeks string #15. This one is shared by Courtney Frantz, CZT from Texas.

Courtney states, “I drew this string using a photo of an abandoned church as inspiration. I find photographs to be a great source of inspiration when I am stumped for a string. Of course, I don’t draw or outline the entire photo … just take a few basic lines as a starter.”

I tried using some of the tangles from Linda's Tangle Refresher: Tuftid, Warble Eggs, then some Paradox, Tipple, Knightsbridge, and Shattuck.

Check out tanglepatterns.com for more strings and tangles!

Zendala Dare #20

 Fescu, Static/River, Shattuck, Umble
Hurry and NZeppel with tangelations

Added a touch of metallic green for sparkle
Betweed, Printemps, Leaves, Beadz and more...

Mooka Leaves - a Tangelation

Mooka is one of my all favorite official Zentangle® patterns/tangles created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. They introduced this wonderful pattern through a youtube video last year and I was smitten!

Recently the Diva's challenge asked us to combine Mooka with Assunta and I played with some variations on Mooka. I love curves and leaf shapes so it was a perfect marriage with Mooka.

Here is my deconstruction of the tangelation. Hope you enjoy!

So here goes...
Begin Mooka Leaves with the leaf shape; this first “frond” will be a single line stem, this begins your tangle. All other leaves will have the double line stem. Continue the Mooka flow by always making your arms/leaves come back into the form. As with all Zentangle tangles the new strand/form goes behind the others. I added the little tear drop on the end of the leaf but your “leaf” doesn’t have to have any embellishments, just let it flow!

I would love to see what you do with this tangle. Please leave your link information in any comments. Thanks for stopping by!