Dark Matter...

from A Nearby Planet which means white gel pen tangles on black tiles :-)

During the "One Zentangle® A Day" class I was introduced to black tiles. I did a practice half tile and then a regular-sized one; then it was on to the next assignment.

I thought I would go back and make more!

My first black tile was "okay" but I like this one better.

The white charcoal gave me some more ideas:

I like the lightness and motion in this one. Yay!

Next tile:

Some of these new tangles in white gel pen are very dense.

My fave black tile so far is the middle one.

Shady stuff

I enjoy the depth that comes from shading:

Smudgy graphite-y depth :-)

Completed 3.5" square: a little "landscape" or something...?

Float away

into the zone with a bit of drawing - just a li'l Zentangle® tile and an espresso to start the day:

I love learning new "tangles" :-)

Moonlit tile

The "One Zentangle® A Day" online class ended on Friday. One assignment for that last class was to work with white gel ink on a black tile. The light source, if used, is the moon which means that highlights are used instead of shading. I normally head right into shading an object so I had to change the picture in my head when I used my white chalk pencil :-)

The gel pen I used had an "issue" with laying down a nice clean line, very frustrating. Anyway, this is my practice piece:

I also used some new tangles.

And then it was on to my first black tile:

Think moonlight - not sunlight.

The effect is nice overall. However, I tend to focus on line work and my eyes go right to the intermittent ink flow problem...but I'll get over it!

When I know how I am "being"

"One Zentangle® A Day" class finished today. I haven't begun the assignment because I am working on Lesson 5 tiles.

Here's my 7th tile of the class - using a brush pen:

Even the slightest pressure shows...

I wasn't in the best frame of mind for this one - a bit irritable, a bit impatient. Realizing this is essential because when I know how I am "being" and it isn't what I truly want, I know I have choices. I can either stop and leave it (whatever it is) for later, or let those emotions go.

I let them go - always the most rewarding choice for me. And then creating the tile became very pleasant and eventually a great learning experience.

Glaze and color

Yesterday I completed another assignment for Lesson 4 (Beckah Krahula's "One Zentangle® A Day" online class). It involved the use of a Glaze pen. I have pens of many kinds, but I have never tried one of these. I did a little test piece to check out its properties:

Sakura Glaze pen and Inktense colored pencils on 140# watercolor paper.

Love its "resist" property. I don't think there is another nib size available so this line width is it.

My first 3.5" tile with glaze and color was free form; no string was used because the pencil line remains visible even with the "white" Glaze color - see above. The tangles were mostly organic:

Sakura Glaze pen and Tim Holtz® Distress Ink on 140# watercolor paper.

So then, a lot of possibilities, and I understand there is a clear ink available too. Hm-m-m-m...

Talking to me without saying a word...

Remy's looking at me like this and his expression "speaks volumes".

Bored. Sad. "When can we go walkies???"

Br-r-r-r. We've been in the deep freeze for like what seems "forever"...well, okay, I exaggerate, but for many, many days the "high" daytime temp has been in the single digits. Oy, even Remy doesn't like his tootsies to be in the snow in temps like that. But he still misses "walkies". My sad little Golden.

However, today the temperature soared to 45 degrees (!) and Remy and I were able to get outdoors and enjoy the brisk temperature, slight breeze and beautiful sunshine. He had a smile on his face and his tail was waving like a flag - two signs he is really having a good time. Makes my heart happy :-)

Tangling

Beckah Krahula's "One Zentangle® A Day" online class, Week One, finished on Friday. I am looking forward to Week Two.
I've been investigating all kinds of 'tangles' (patterns) and some of them make me want to grab a 01 Pigma Micron pen and start drawing :-)
Although I'm posting just one tile, my sketch book is filled with practice tangles and tangleations. I had to stop exploring and get down to completing my assignment for class!

This is my tile for Lesson 3:

A mix of the organic and geometric.

These little tiles really are great - the theory being there are "no mistakes" in Zentangle. Also, in theory, a tile should take about 20 minutes to finish. I find that my tiles take longer than that to complete; I don't want to rush the drawing part which means I'll just accept that it takes the time it takes :-)

Addictive

Not to be dramatic, but 'tangling' is addictive, especially because I have always loved patterns and line work.

Here's my third tile:

Why am I making my tangles so small???

For me, one appealing aspect of tangles is that they are the starting point of patterns that can evolve in any direction I choose; and this 'personalization' is absolutely encouraged in a Zentangle®

When you draw one

it just leads to another one :-)

My second Zentangle® tile:

So much fun to learn something new.

 The weather here is snowy with really, really frigid temps. So, I plan to stay inside where it's nice and warm and work in my studio; I will probably draw more of these tiles :-)

My first "tile"

Patterns interest me. In the past, whenever I would chance upon Zentangle® art I always found myself taking a second look.
So I couldn't pass up the chance to take a Zentangle-related class offered through Carla Sonheim's online classes: Beckah Krahula's "One Zentangle A Day". The class is based on Beckah's book of the same name.

Today was Day 1, Lesson 1 and this my first Zentangle tile:

Dizzying :-)

Each tangle (pattern) has a name and for some inexplicable reason I just think that's pretty cool. So I used "Hollibaugh", "Tipple", "Crescent Moon" and "Knight's Bridge" on this tile.

It's really is a lot of fun :-) 

BTW, does anybody see a dog in all of that patterning?

Small stuff

A phrase, a persistent thought, a made-up word could find itself on a small square of paper:

1- inch square.

Not sure why...the challenge of fitting it into a tiny amount of real estate? Oy, does it matter in the end? 

It's just a lot of fun :-)