Turquoise.
If you ask Google to show you images of turquoise stones, you‘re going to see a very wide range of colors and a large range of markings. This is because these stones are found all over the world, and each location has it‘s own special characteristics.
This stone has long been used for protection against traumatic injuries. It was thought that the stone would shatter, thus warning the wearer of imminent physical danger. It was also used to decorate the bridles of horses, to protect them against broken bones from falls. Among the Native Americans of the Southwestern United States, Turquoise is believed to be a connector of Earth and Sky. It is one of the four “elemental” gemstones of the Pueblos; (the others are coral, jet and abalone shell). This is considered to be one of the Birthstones for December.
Which way?
Here, after drawing the string, I‘ve used ribbon tangles to define spaces that are filled with other tangles. For me, this is a simple way of creating a Zentangle from randomly chosen designs.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Deco Border Dex Isochor Juke Meer Snail Tipple Umble Yincut
Study in Blue.
Dansk is a simple tangle, yet it can be quite effective. Here, I decided to use it as a central motif and as an edge structure.
Note: This design isn‘t completely an original idea on my part. I copied a similar design by Michele Beauchamp, which you can see Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using Zig Memory Writers. Coloring done with Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Polychromos colored pencils.
Just add fish.
This reminds me of the view into a nicely landscaped aquarium. I guess I still have OdySea on my mind!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a sepia, Micron pen.
Tangles: Borbz Coral Pods Quabog Reef Roxi
Leftie-Louie.
This tile was done entirely with my non-dominant hand. That includes the shading and even the date and signature on the back. I was actually surprised at how well it turned out!
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Crescent Moon Echoism Fescu Florz Nzeppel Pokeleaf Tipple
Orbs.
I wanted to do a Zentagle with lots of different orbs. I ended up using Keko in the background, though. I felt that any more orbs would cause everything to blend so much that the individual tangles would be lost.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Apollonian Waves Inapod Keeko Kuke Marbles
Blues.
This tile was inspired by delft blue china pieces. It didn‘t actually turn out the way I hoped, but it‘s interesting in it‘s own right. It was fun experimenting with all the different shades of blue, and the Sand Swirl in the center makes a distinctive contrast with the rest.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a variety of markers with blue ink. Coloring done with Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Poloychromos colored pencils.
Ticklish.
Every time I see this tangle, I think about how ticklish it would be if it was a real feather! This is one of my favorites to draw, with all the curves and swirls.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using Zig Memory Writers. Coloring done with Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Poloychromos colored pencils.
Tangles: Scrolled Feather
In between.
The hedges peek around the garden patches. The tree has been trimmed into a sculptured beauty. We‘ve walked all along the wall and the lizards are beginning to sun themselves. Summer is almost here.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Archer Emingle Flux Hamsix Isochor Vermal Xircus
Elegance.
This tile is unusual in that it doesn‘t have my regular border around it. I wanted to try a very rounded, loopy design because I thought it would appear more elegant with the black and gold tangles.
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Cyme Ennies Ibex Purk Squill Tink Ynix
Inner ocean.
Another one by the sea! This tile makes me think of viewing under the deep ocean on a microscopic basis. From single-celled creatures to tiny plants and even prismatic organic elements, they all seem to float towards a net that was cast from a vessel above.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Angel Fish Black-Eyed Peas Blooming Butter Chillon Locar Tidings Vitruvius Zander
Tidal pool.
I went to a huge aquarium over the weekend. It was so much fun to look at all the animals that came from the sea. From tiny snails all the way up to huge sea lions, they were each so interesting in their own way!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a black Micron pen.
Tangles: Cockles 'N‘ Mussels Marasu Narwal
Knot work.
I love this beautiful tangle because it reminds me so much of decorative Asian knot work. This tangle can be done large, as it is here, or several smaller ones can be added “on top” of other tangles.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a Zig Memory Writer. Coloring done with Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Poloychromos colored pencils.
Tangles: Mak-Rah-Mee
Field mice.
Even though the tangle is called Birds on a Wire, every time I draw it, I think of mice, not birds!
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Afterglow Birds on a Wire Fassett Floo Garlic Cloves Lettuce Farm Msst Quare Waves Wiking
Back Yard.
Is this a view of the back yard from an odd angle? I couldn‘t resist adding the legs to the Worms and hanging the Bulb Lanterns from a hanger. And that gave the tile an outdoor feel!
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Bulb Lantern Fescu Onamato Pods Unyun Worms
Old fashioned.
This tile has several tangles that I haven‘t drawn in some time. And the style is more like what I did years ago than what has evolved since then. Every so often, I think it‘s a good idea to reflect on the past.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a black Micron pen.
Tangles: Echoism Emingle Finery Florz Inapod Quandry Sedgling Static Stiritup
I figured out, right away, when I first started drawing Zentangles that I would need a method for keeping track of how to draw specific tangles.
After a bit of experimentation, I settled on testing the pattern in a small sketch book. I could draw it once or several times, just to see if I could do it, and if I would like working with a particular design.
Then, I created “step-out” cards which illustrated each step in the process. I didn‘t think a lot about the size, just that they had to be around the same size as a playing card. I had a box that I though would hold them all, and I created an alphabetical index for it.
Jetties is a wonderful tangle that can be used as a fill, a focal point, or scattered into the nooks and crannies of a tile. Here, I‘ve made them all different sizes and given the impression of them falling into a pile.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a black Micron pen. Coloring done with distress inks, distress markers and colored pencil.
Tangles: Jetties
Land of two suns.
Whenever I look at this tile, I see plants growing on an alien earth; a planet with two suns.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a black Micron pen.
Tangles: Bales Betweed Eke Evoke Pepper Warble XYP
Silliness.
Every once in a while, I think my brain falls into some kind of alternate reality of silliness. I wasn‘t sure how I was going to tie all the different random tangles into the string I chose. So I just started drawing with the Btl-Joos… and things kind of evolved from there. The end result was weird but fun!
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.