The Entanglement library has a few grid-based tangles now: Huggins, W-2 , Ambler and Emingle. But we have limited control over the grid: we can affect the spacing in the x and y directions, and we can add some random fluctuations to where each intersection on the grid ends up. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could warp the grid in some more dramatic ways? Yes, I thought so too! So I spent some time adding some more grid options. This turned out to be harder to do than I thought it would be – I ended up having to rewrite big chunks of the Tangle class, then I ended up subclassing Tangle and creating a special class just for grid-based tangles: GridTangle.
Huggins and W-2 have appeared in the Entanglement library! Huggins and W-2 both look like they have been woven but are really just shapes on a grid connected by lines according to a few simple rules. The difference between them is that Huggins connects circles with curved lines, while W-2 connects squares with straight lines.
In this post, I’ll talk about how I built Huggins (once you build Huggins, W-2 is pretty easy to add) and show some examples of how both are used.
Huggins is a favorite tangle for many, many people. Here, I’ve chosen to create it in a traditional manner, with added auras inside each shape.
When this was first drawn, it really didn’t look like much. But the addition of shading and highlighting brings it to life!
Zentangle drawn on black, Strathmore, Artagain paper using a white, Sakura, gel pen. Shading done with Copic Markers and black colored pencil. Highlighting done with General’s Charcoal White.
All dressed up.
This little bijou is a remake of one I did at the CZT seminar. I decided to dress it up a bit by mounting it on a tan tile and adding a few frames. Huggins has become one of my favorite, meditative tangles!
Zentangle drawn on an Official Zentangle Bijou tile using a black and brown, Pigma Micron pens and white, Sakura Gelly Roll. Shading done with graphite pencil and Copic markers.
Bioluminescence.
She was fascinated by the lamp next to the sofa. She could see the creatures, slowly rotating around some central point. As their bodies moved in they became brighter, while the outer ones dimmed. She wondered what they fed on to create this scintillating glow.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: Echoism Huggins Molygon Onamato Shattuck
While this isn’t an exact negative of yesterday's Project Pack exercise , it’s almost there.
In this case, the tile is a standard, 3-1/2" square and the basic tangle, Huggins, isn’t the crazy version. I also changed up the highlight area in the center of each Huggins element a bit.
I’m finding that doing the black tiles is actually also improving my regular shading. Either that, or the agility of my brain is getting better at switching between the two types.
Christmas market.
She loved this time of year. Even the cold weather didn’t bother her. There were so many things to choose from: exotic fabrics and trims, fancy jewelry and decorations, beautiful baskets and ceramics. Even the colorful awnings and tents brought her joy!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: Bales Criss & Cross Dyon Huggins Mooka Quipple Sez Shard Striping Tidings
Ownership.
What we give away could be given back, or kept until we are imprisoned by it. She tossed the ties on the floor and walked away.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: Aura-Leah Huggins Jonqal Lokomotive Mr.E Palrevo Papyrus
Garden view.
When I looked out of the window, I realized that all of the plants were bare stems and pods because of the hot days of Summer!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: Huggins Sedgling Squid
Leaves.
Take a close look at the string used for this Zentangle. Do you see it? I traced around a leaf template to create the basic string. The Ennies at the bottom left was added because I felt it needed something there, so it‘s in addition to the leaves.
Zentangle drawn on olive card stock using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Courant Crescent Moon Cubine Ennies Flux Holey Huggins Isochor Tipple
Divided.
The string used for this tile had multiple spaces that allowed for quite a few tangles. I tried to place the random patterns in an interesting way. But looking at it all these years later, it feels like this one needs some stronger contrasts. It‘s a bit too even.
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Ammon Cogwheel Dex Flukes Huggins Hurry Ibex Sampson Sedgling Swarm
Spiders.
Everytime I see this, I think there is a spider lurking about, waiting for her eggs to hatch.
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Aah Afterglow Black Box Black-eyed Peas Centipede Hibred Huggins Munchin Poke-Root
Joy.
This Zentangle makes me happy every time I see it. I like the balance, and many of the tangles are on my list of favorites.
Zentangle drawn on official Zentangle tile using a black Micron pen.
Tangles: Beedz Bumper Cadent Emingle Fescu Flora Huggins Marasu Nzeppel Pinwheels Sh-Rock
Woosh!
That‘s what comes to mind when I look at this Zentangle. It‘s a simple string and a reasonable amount of tangles, but the movement is strong because of the pointed area and strong Strircles tangle.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a black Micron pen.
Tangles: Huggins Nekton Neuron Schway Strircles Twisted Ribbons Warmth
Plenty.
That‘s how many tangles there are in this image. First of all, there‘s my favorite Inapod. I just love this tangle because it‘s easy to draw, kinda funky, and looks dramatic. Then all the rest of the tangles really shouldn‘t work together here, but they kind of do, and the shading lifts and individualizes each section.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Amaze Angel Fish Ballot Box Spirals Chads Enyshou Huggins Inapod Puf Stef-Ah-Ni Venetian
Accents.
To me, this looks like pieces of fabric on top of each other, with an accent piece made up of a ribbon rosette and cording sitting in the lower right. I like having some kind of focal point in my drawing but this one isn‘t quite right. It‘s not so much the placement, as the lack of contrast between it, and the tangles under it.
Zentangle drawing done with Micron pen on Strathmore Vellum Bristol .