I like to have a tile that has a complex string with a lot of different spaces. I can sit down and fill an area with a random tangle when I have a few moments. But I don’t have to work on it until it’s done. I just return to it when I have a short bit of time.
That means it may be sitting on my desk for a while before it’s finished!
Finally, a gold and maroon tile from Eni Oken's Crazy Gold Auraknot lesson.
While I liked the idea of this, it turned out harder to do than it looked. I found that the widest marking gold pen that I had was kind of sketchy when used to fill in the solid ribbons. On the other hand, I found one with a very fine line that I liked along for creating the patterned details.
Another tile from Eni Oken's Crazy Gold Auraknot lesson!
I am making progress with the lesson. Here, I’ve added the designs to the stripes of the tangle. I stuck with the black and white because I just wanted to get a feel for how to do it.
I’ll finally be using metallic ink on the next one!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil, colored pencil and copic markers.
This week’s I Am The Diva Challenge is “Orbs”. These simple spherical shapes are a fundamental of the Zentangle Method.
For this tile, I chose tangles that are created completely from orbs, with some minor ornamentation. It was really good practice, and got me back into the swing of drawing these shapes with total concentration.
The sepia color was a bit of a happy accident… I picked up what I thought was a black pen and started drawing… So I just kept on going!
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.
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
Dementia is a terrible thing. It steals a person’s mind a little bit at a time… for a long time.
This Zentangle was created by my Mother-in-Law for my birthday in 2010. I was tangling with her very often, teaching her various tangles and techniques. I thought it would be good for her. She had had a heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery. She was on a lot of medication. I thought that tangling would help her by lowering her blood pressure and taking her mind off of her problems.
Brooch.
The brooch was hidden among all the fine fabrics in the second wagon of the caravan. They were concerned for robbers and pirates along the road to the castle. They worked to keep the Queen’s treasures safe all along the way.
I am always fascinated by the end result of using random strings and random tangles. When I start, I have no idea what the finished piece will turn out like. I think it’s one of the things that keeps each Zentangle different from the next. Each one is a transcendent adventure while also allowing for the Zen of simply drawing one line at a time.
Tangles can be used in various ways from filling a background to creating a focal point. Here, I wanted to use Onamato in a circular focal point so that it looked like a Southwestern beaded ornament. The ribbon behind it is the more “normal” way to use this tangle.
I tried to make the “beads” look like a version of turquoise with fool‘s gold inclusions and polished carnelian with a few gold beads in between.
Graphic.
I love this paper! Using a tan paper allows me to add both high and low lights to the various designs. In addition, this combination produces a very graphic effect.
I bought a large sheet of this paper for a few dollars and cut out my own “tiles. This makes using the paper very affordable.
Zentangle drawn on BFK Rives tan print making paper using brown, sepia and black Micron pens. Shading done with Polychromos and Crayola colored pencils.
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
Relaxation.
When I hold out this tile and squint at it, I get the feeling of a daybed, or the corner of a couch in an atrium. It feels like I could snuggle against the pillows with a good book or a sketch pad!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Chillon coral Seeds Evoke Façade Onamato Orlique Prestwood Scena Vega
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using brown, black and sepia Micron pens. Polychromos colored pencils were used for shading.
Tangles: Ambler Intersection Ixorus Knase Lobella Onamato Sand Swirl Snugz Tink
Zentangle drawing done with Micron pen on Strathmore Vellum Bristol .
Tangles: Bales Cadent Flora Onamato Striping