Sharing the Joy

Although I'm not an official CZT, I facilitated a class at our church a few weeks ago just to share the love of Zentangle. We had a blast!  I had a full class and some that I had to turn away, sadly, because of lack of space!  (Next year, I will know to make more room.)

I think anyone who is interested in sharing with others the joy and benefits of Zentangle and who isn't a CZT could look at doing the classroom pack. That's what I did...It wasn't super expensive and I had more supplies than I needed for the 15 people who registered. (The pack comes with plenty of tiles and supplies for 26 students). I allowed the 15 students I had to keep the pencil, pen and a few extra tiles.  You could limit this, of course, but to me, the whole point was to send folks out to start creating and wanting to do more with the knowledge they learned with me.  I can still do another class next year and not have to buy any supplies : )

I was encouraged that so many people wanted to try the Zentangle method and I hope this encourages others to offer a free session at their church or school. I really feel that Zentangle does so much more than offer a space to be creative.  It's a way to reflect, meditate and just appreciate the beauty around us and within us.

One thing that I was asked was, 'what do I do with my tiles??"  I thought this was a great question as I have quite a few laying around and have pondered this as well.  Here's a good article from Rick and Maria on some ideas for what to do with your tiles...enjoy!

Image from the blogpost: "But, What do You do With Your Tiles?"

Zen Lettering

I'm working through 2 new books...

• A Beginner's Guide: Lettering & Modern Calligraphy
• Hand-Lettering: An Interactive Guide to the Art of Drawing Letters

(You can find both on Amazon!)

I wanted to do something different with my Zentangles this year but wasn't really sure WHAT I wanted to do. I just knew that every time I started with my Zentangles, I got...stuck...

I couldn't find patterns I wanted to try and when I did find patterns, I was frustrated with the way they turned out. I need more structure and guidance to feel free to create.  

As luck would have it, I won a $100 gift card for filling out a survey for one of my professional development orgs.  I'm not sure how I stumbled across hand lettering, but I did and the next thing I knew, 2 books and a pack of markers were in my cart.  Both books arrived over the weekend, along with the markers, and my idea was hatched!

I'm looking forward to embarking on combining my zentagle designs with hand lettering. It will give me a chance to be structured, yet, create something with the patterns I've come to love.  Here's to a new chapter in Zentangling!

Cheers,

A

Exercising those muscles...

It's hard to believe it's been over 2 years since I started this blog!! What happened?? I'm not sure...I started off strong and then just got sidetracked or sideswiped...or maybe a combination of both.  Anyway, I'm back doing what I love and it feels good!

But it hurts a little...like when you start exercising again. I just started working out with a group of ladies on Saturday morning.  Man - they KILL.IT.  I feel great after I'm done but the next 2 days...ugh...my muscles are screaming at me ('Why, oh why did you do that to us?!').  I remember that I used to be a regular Y goer, attending Body Pump and other aerobic classes. I was running several times a week, too. I was a crazy, healthy person...and then, just like that, I just got busy with life - a graduate school program, 2 kids growing fast and furious, a career/job - yeah...

BOOM

It just sort of all changed and now, I'm back to square one. Working myself out and remembering those muscles. 

And that's what I needed to do with my Zentangles.  

I'm setting realistic goals, though.  Maybe not every day will I get to tangle, but I'm getting into the habit of coming into my studio and doing a few each week.  That's a good start.  

So here's to sore body and art muscles!  May I remember how the initial pain feels and keep going so I don't have to start all over again. ; )

Cheers,

A

Day 12 - Landscape with

Perspective, perspective...it's on in how we look at things.  Today I was challenged to create a Zentangle using the principles of landscape drawing - things close look big and reduce in size as you move into the distance.  Okay - I know this didn't really happen in this piece so I need to keep working.  BUT...I'm still really pleased with how the overall design looks ; )

Today I used:
Hollibaugh * Orton * Flux *

Day 11 - Auras & Rounding

This was a fun exercise on Auras and Rounding that I got a little carried away with and ended up creating my own tangleation! 

The Auras are those fun, white lines that create, well, an aura around the pattern. I liked how the book example turned out using Poke Root so I used that and then did it with Flux and Festune.

The Rounding comes when you fill in the nooks and crannies with the black ink of your pen. I did this with Festune and Poke Root, but I've also done this unknowingly on other designs I've created. I like the effect that it has on a piece.

The other new patterns I used were Onamato (between Hollibaugh and the aura of Festune) and then my tangleation using Florz (grid w/ diamonds) and Printemps (Swirls). I'm not crazy/excited about how it came into being but it was fun ; )

I was glad I got to sneak in some Fescu way at the top...that's a tricky one for me to get into my zentangles so I was happy I got to add it!

Cheers,

A

Day 10 - Shattuck & Nipa

I'm a little tired today after getting up at 4:30am!  I was stuck in no-woman's land - toss and turn and try to get to sleep or just get up...I opted for get up, work out and read the paper before the house woke up. It was actually quite peaceful,  however...now I've been ready for bed since 8pm!

So enough about my early risings...Today was about trying to create more depth and use Vega, as well as, Purk in my zentangle.  I wanted to practice some other tangle patterns that I haven't really explored: Shattuck (behind Purk) and Nipa. I'm still figuring out placement of my patterns, too.

That's all I got in me today...g'night!

Cheers,

A

Day 9 - Working with Purk

You may notice that my signature is not normally where it should be...I was looking "at the world's upness" that day! No, not really...I opened my Sketchbook upside down and didn't notice it until I had completed my design - oops!  Well, it was a happy accident and I liked it so much, I left it the way it was instead of taking the photo from the other angle.

Working with Purk is tricky.  I'm learning how to compose my patterns before starting in on the tangle. I couldn't have achieved the shape of Purk if I had started it after I did Crescent Moon and Flukes - same thing with Isodor and Tipple at the botom and Flux at the top.

So I'm learning a bit more about the complexity of zentangling each day! (And thanks to the ghost John Muir for the inspiration of looking at things in a different way ; )

Cheers,

A

Day 8 - Working Ahead w/ Vega & Purk

I realized quickly that working at my art and trying to post on the same day was really stressful! The snow and school cancellations, plus lots going on at work put a bit of a crimp in my tangling each day.

This weekend gave me a chance to work ahead and take a little pressure off my self imposed demands ☺

Today is a practice piece I worked on - Vega and Purk.  These tangles gave me some challenges with trying to make them look 3-D. I think, in the end, I got the results. You'll see more in the coming days as I really want to become more accomplished with these tangles.

Cheers,

A

Day 7 - Tangleation & The Signature Exercise

Day Seven
Here's my Tangleation for today - a combo of Tipple and Crescent Moon. Tangelations are a mixture of patterns with today's task of making my own variation on any ones I liked. I feel like I didn't get a chance to finish this and will probably go back in and fill in the spaces around my Poke Root in the upper lefthand corner.  I really love how the Tipple easily filled in space around my pattern, Flux (the leafy-looking pattern).  That's a fun pattern!

Signature Exercise

I mentioned this exercise on Day One but I couldn't fit it all into one post. As I said in Day 6, she really packs a lot into one day so sometimes I'm finding it easier to do Day 1a and b ; )

This was a really simple, yet relaxing exercise to do.  I played with the shape, size and placement of my initials. I tried to fill my whole page, too. I landed on a few that I liked and then started using 1 in particular for all of my Zentangles. (PS...you can see it above in my Tangleation creation. I use the A for Amy the R from my maiden (and now, middle name) and A for Archambault. Then added the date on that long line.) : )

Cheers,

A

Day 6 - One-Stroke Patterns - Mooka

Day 6
This was a really fun day because the book has me work on one-stroke patterns.  The one in the middle that looks like a monogram is called, "Mooka". I didn't do it quite right, though. Your pen is supposed to never leave the paper and obviously, mine did - oops! But it was still fun... ; )

I find that practicing the patterns a bit before launching into a Zentangle is more helpful, too.  It helps me figure out what I need to do to understand how the pattern is made. The challenge is finding enough time to do both - practice and then do the Zentangle. The author packs a lot into each day so it can be a little overwhelming to do everything in 'one day'.

I used the following patterns from Day 1-5: Tipple, Knights Bridge, Jonqual, Nekton and Printemps

Even though I had felt that I used too many in my Day 4 post, I'm really enjoying mixing and matching patterns as I feel they will fit with my design.

Snowed in again today so I'm sure I'll accomplish something for my Day 7 post in a little bit...

Cheers,

A

Day 5 - Sparkle: Isochor

Day 5
I'm on track now, but had to take some down time on Friday to just recoup from a crazy week. So here's the other Sparkle pattern for Day 5: Isochor.  This one is a little tricky but I was starting to get the hang of it at the end. My lines were getting more curved and they look more like "tubes". I'm still happy with how this Tangle turned out.

Also in this Tangle are previously learned patterns from Days 1-4: Fescu and Nekton. I think that's another thing that I love about Zentangle; I can decide on the fly which pattern I want to work with and adjust as needed.

I didn't restrict this Zentangle to a bordered area, either. Just drew the string and went from there! For me to figure out how to do Isochor, I followed a similar example in the book and it helped.

Okay...on to the next post...Cheers!

A

Day 4 - Sparkles: Printemps

Day Four

The color is a little off on this image...I think I need better light, but anyhoo...

Today was working with sparkles - adding light to areas.  Those swirls are called Printemps and they are also known as 'sparkles'. Who couldn't use a bit more of that!??!

I think I went a little pattern crazy...but it might sleet and then it might snow and then the kids will be home from school...crazy is what I'm feeling...

Be safe on the roads...and, oh yeah, don't forget to buy milk, bananas and bread - WHA WHA WHAAA... ; )

Cheers,

A

Day 3 - Poke Berry, Hollibaugh & Festune

Day Three

I worked on Poke Berry, Hollibaugh and Festune last night for practice and then created this today. Poke Berry looks just like that - little berries - they are up top. Hollibaugh is what's in the background that looks like lattice.  Festune reminds me of pumpkins...or donuts if I'm hungry ; )

Cheers,

A

Day 2 - Knights Bridge, Nekton & Fescu

Day Two

I lost my post from Day Two but here is my Zentangle...not sure what happened...weirdness.

Cheers,

A

Day 1 - The Beginning

Static, Tipple and Crescent Moon

Day One -  This was Sunday. Today is Monday.

I finally got my blog up and running so I'm a day behind but that's okay. No judgement...no pressure. Day Two will happen just not today. Or maybe today but seeing as it's 9:37 and I'm typing up this post, doubtful.

Today's Drawing Exercise
This was Day One's exercise - get to know the materials and the process (I'll outline that tomorrow ; ) and practice these three zentangles in my sketchbook.  The first is Static. I like that one ALOT. It's easy and it makes a really nice, natural shadow. You ge that feeling of depth right away. Second is Tipple. This is a little bit harder for me because my circles are NOT round. But hey, I did it anyway. And third is Crescent Moon. Another favorite of mine because, for me, it's just fun😄!

The other thing I did was took some time to work on my signature. That was a hoot! I recommend this exercise to anyone who just needs to blow off some steam and zone out. I'm going to figure out how to add it to my blog - but probably not tonight. : )

Cheers,

A