This little Bijou tile is going into my tangle index book. It shows a hybrid between Well and Florz. I like the way, when it is shaded, it looks like it is woven!
Zentangle drawn on an Official Zentangle Bijou tile using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: florz well fwell
Unfortunately, no time for tangling yesterday. I spent the day putting together kits for teaching classes! I’m really looking forward to sharing Zentangle with new students.
Even after 8 years, teaching still excites me. I love watching the students discover that they CAN tangle and create beautiful works of art, even if they thought they couldn’t. It always surprises and delights.
One of the things I love about tan tiles is the ability to add both shades of grey and white highlights. In addition, these tiles are perfect for both brown, black and even white ink, creating lots of variety. All of these factors, added together take simple tangles to a much more sophisticated level!
Zentangle drawn on a tan Official Zentangle 3Z tile using black and brown, Pigma Micron pens. Shading done with graphite pencil. Highlights done with white charcoal pencil.
If you are in the Phoenix metro area, you can take a beginner’s Zentangle class from me!
Introduction to Zentangle Class with Tandika Star, CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher) Zentangle is a simple-to-learn, relaxing, meditative way to create beautiful art by drawing structured patterns, one stroke at a time. Unlike other art forms, there is no preplanning, experience or mistakes in Zentangle.
In the introduction to Zentangle Class, you will learn the philosophy, method and approach to creating Zentangle art. You’ll walk away with a completed tile, an understanding of the Zentangle Method, the knowledge of how to create several tangles, shading techniques, all needed basic supplies and a resource list that will have you up and tangling and wanting to know more.
We missed celebrating Father’s Day on the actual day because we were in Providence at the CZT30 Seminar. So we celebrated yesterday. One of the things we did was to go to the Musical Instrument Museum . It is one of our favorite places to go because you learn about geography, history, music, and art all rolled into one.
While my husband was walking around looking at the instruments, I spent a lot of time taking pictures of things that resembled tangles. I deliberately tried to find ones that were simple, although I also took lots of pictures of more complex art.
Now, it’s a stroll along the path. This tile is simply Purk. It’s like finding a familiar stone along the way. Comfortable. Fun!
Zentangle drawn on an Official Zentangle Bijou tile using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: Purk
This amazing Zenbutton was created by Amanda! I love the tangle she used around the outside edge!
Zentangle drawn on an Official Zentangle tile, using blue and black, Micron pens. Shading done with colored pencil.
Tangles: Fragment C15 Fragment L16 Fragment B11
This tile has been sitting in my drawer, partially done, for months. I found it when I was looking for unfinished tiles.
For some reason, when I first added the Squirmy tangle to a few sections, I really didn’t like it, and felt like I had ruined it.
When I pulled it out yesterday, I thought, “Why didn’t I finish this? It’s not bad!” So I added more Squirmy and finished filling in all the sections with Hypnotic. I used both Copic markers and graphite for the shading. And added a bit of white pencil highlights.
Sketchbooks.
Do you use a sketchbook? If you do, is it big? A favorite size is 9" x 12". They are great, if you generally draw in a larger format.
But I think a smaller size works much better if you regularly tangle on standard-sized tiles. The reason why is because you can turn the sketchbook easily, just like you turn your tile as you draw. I also like the smaller size because it fits in a pocket or my purse, so I always have one with me!
When you use a grid-type tangle, you don’t have to do it in a perfect grid shape! Here, I wanted to see what it would look like to use Bales, but make a fairly wonky grid, possibly with some perspective to it. So I made part of the lines curved, and varied the distance between the lines, just to see what it would look like.
This type of exercise is good to do every so often. It gives you a lot of good meditation because you don’t have to think that much about the tangle itself… it’s the same throughout the tile. It also illustrates what happens with variations of size and angle of a basic grid tangle. And the end result is an interesting tile!
This beautiful Zenbutton was created by Amanda. I really love all the different fragments that she chose. I think there’s a great balance of light and dark! She’s tried some that I haven’t been brave enough to tackle yet!
Zentangle drawn on an Official Zentangle tile, using a black, Pigma Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: Fragment D1 Fragment K5 Fragment G7 Fragment U3
I’m building a library of tiles done with a single fragment from the Zentangle Primer. Today, I decided to tackle J15, using blue and brown ink. I love the effect this tangle produced when used en masse. The large, interlocking circles receded to stand behind the blue, web-like shapes, so I simply accented the illusion by shading with the appropriate colored pencil.
Creating tiles like this, with fragments, is kind of like discovering buried treasure. You try to visualize what they will look like, but even if you understand the pattern, actually seeing it is still surprising!
Wevuz fever.
She was tired of being grounded because of the illness. She never should have gone to the liquid planet. But watching the merfolk swim, with their beautiful coloring fascinated her. It was the height of tourist season while she was there. So many beings from so many strange places, all sharing the pathogens from their home worlds. Something was bound to happen.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Do a little.
I’m still have a little trouble getting back into the swing of my daily routine. So I did this first thing yesterday morning, just so that I would accomplish something. I find that I can always fall back on the basic tile, that we all make in our first Zentangle class for a comfortable, meditative experience. In this case, I changed it up a little by using a black, 3Z tile. Not everything we create has to be a master work of art!
We are made of stars.
This tile is actually from 2010. It is the first time I drew the tangle Afterglow. I liked the idea of not anchoring just a single iteration and instead, creating many, growing out of and around each other. At the time, I had no idea how to shade it, so I just didn’t.
I am thinking about repeating this tile, but with all the experience I have now added to the design.
SpundalaZ, second round!
Before I get to an explanation of the picture, I want to let you all know why there were no posts last week. My husband and I managed to get the flu, lucky us! We’ve run the whole gamut: aches and pains, fever, runny nose, cough, and general yuck! We haven’t had it in years, so that may be why we got hit pretty hard, but it really knocked me out for the whole week. And I’m still not cured. Yesterday, my nose started running like a faucet. Hopefully, I haven’t caught a different virus on top of what I already had!
Growth.
Yesterday was Memorial Day. It was a federal holiday and a day off of work for my husband. So rather than spend a lot of time working on a complicated drawing, I went with something fun, yet meditative. I like the contrast of the organic, leaf-like tangle on top of an angular, geometric base.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black Pigma Micron pen and a cool grey Copic Multiliner. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Button, button.
Amanda has jumped on the Zenbutton band wagon! She’s done a few others, but this one is one of my favorites so far. I really wanted to share it with everyone so you could see more things that can be done with fragments.
In just a couple more weeks, Amanda and I will be heading to Rhode Island for CZT 30. We’re so excited, and we hope to learn lots to share with all of you here, when we come back. While we are gone, make sure you follow us on Facebook (there’s a link over there on the top, right side of this page!) We will be posting pics of our adventures for you!