Tangle challenges

The last couple of weeks I've commented about how I've been struggling with motivation for drawing and for participating in challenges. Thanks for all the encouragement I've received and the 'me too's from other Tanglers. Your words and thoughts have made a difference.

Diva #309 - Noom

I did my first tile this morning before looking at anyone else's work, which is unusual for me. I usually have a browse before drawing. My tile is Noom with a touch of Poke Leaf. These Pokes are inspired by some work I saw on the Zentangle App and are much softer and longer stemmed than I usually draw them.

I worked on a second tile after checking out the work of some other Tanglers. Does anyone recognise their work in this tile of mine? I've added Fracas, which always works nicely on a brown tile.

After seeing this image on screen, I've added more shading and highlights. I wanted the Fracas to appear to be deeper in the tile. 

Made by Joey

This week the feature Tangle was Mi2. I remember seeing this one in my first Zentangle book a couple of years ago and not being able to understand it. My reaction on seeing it in this week's challenge was to think that I couldn't do it. However, much has changed in the 3 years that I've been Tangling. That shouldn't be a surprise but it was. Here's my Monotangle.

Other drawing

I'm continuing to experiment with abstract shapes and colour. This week my shapes were inspired by the cut outs of Henri Matisse. Tangles used include my MacNCheese Tangles of Mooka and Tripoli, as well as Aquafleur, B'tweed and my first attempts at Noom. 

Critters

Canberra likes to call itself the Bush Capital. It is a name that suits. This morning on my way home from the gym (a 2 minute drive) I had to give way to 4 kangaroos who were just mooching across the road near the top of my street. People around here a used to having to do this.

My school is now the home of 3 possums - 2 adults and a joey. My school has over 1,700 students and well over 100 staff. It's a busy place, yet this family have decided they like it. Here's photo I took recently. The tree is near one of the busier school gates. The animals were low enough for me to reach up and touch them. I didn't but I was sooooo tempted. 

Finally, here's Arthur not getting enough cuddles while I'm trying to complete today's tiles.

Thanks for dropping by. 

Miss L

Tangling this week

I've been a having an odd relationship with Zentangle lately. Not enjoying the constraints of tangle challenges and not doing much independent drawing either.

Thanks for comments last week. I do see the value of challenges and I do enjoy the connection with Tanglers around the world. Yet sometimes the desire just isn't there. This week's Diva, however, was a timely reminder of why I Tangles and what I like most about it.

Diva #308 - MacNCheese

This week's challenge was all about those go-to Tangles we use without having to think. The Tangles that appear on the tile even when we are focusing on other Tangles. I realised that most of my go-to Tangles are Offical ones. My work wouldn't feel like mine if there wasn't some Flux, Printemps, Mooka, Shattuck, Tripoli or Bunzo, somewhere. Rixty, Hollibaugh, Fengle, Purk, Squill, Florz.

Today's tiles are both variations of the same string. One was a false start which I went back to and continued after nearly tossing in the bin.

Made by Joey

This week the letter was L and the feature Tangle was Lee Lee. I added Land Girlz, Lollywimple variation, and Lenche. I've been doing this challenge in a journal which is made with hand made paper. Boy am I getting sick of this paper. It tears, doesn't blend, needs a very light touch, bleeds even with Micron pens and gets wet too quickly when I add colour.  I will persist. It would drive me crazy to change now and leave the series in the book incomplete.

Other drawing

I'm continuing to experiment with coloured shapes and a background of detailed Tangles. Tangles used were Tropicana, Shattuck, Odee, Bunzo and Pixioze. These ZIAs take me hours to complete over about a week. It's all about the process, the Zen of getting lost in each line.

Thanks for dropping by.

Miss L

Tangle challenges

A question for visitors to this blog: how useful do you find online challenges? What do you do when you have a run of feeling uninspired by them? 

I normally look forward to the various online challenges I participate in. Until recently, I haven't missed a Made by Joey for months, and I've been a regular Diva participant for over 2 years. I've backed off It's a String Thing lately because I don't use strings that often anymore - I find them too restrictive - and there is a time factor involved. I can't do everything all the time.

Lately, however, it's been a real effort to take part. Not sure why or what to think. 

This week I've only made two tiles and both for Made by Joey.

Here's last week's J, which I completed last night. I've used Jelly roll, Jax and Jelly Legs.

Tonight I tackled K. I used Kiss, Keeko, Kitl and Lollywimple. The last one doesn't start with a K but none of the other K tangles suited so I chose one using the last initial of my name, L.

The last IAST challenge I did was something I am quite proud of. I used an Opus tile and experimented with the tangles and with the Mist colours.

Other drawing

This tile was an experiment with deep, intense colours. I had my Vibrant Colour Shading book by Eni Oken with me, my grey Copic markers and my Derwent Inktense pencils. Here's the result. The size is A4. Tangles used were MySwing, Quabog, Mooka and Tripoli.

A weekend away

Last weekend was a long weekend in Canberra. As I don't work Tuesdays it was extra long for me. The Husband also took the Tuesday off.

We spent the weekend at Jervis Bay - my 3rd visit in 4 months and my 5th since January last year. Each time we go we stay somewhere different but all within easy reach of the beach.

Here's my portable art studio. I loved the wooden floors throughout the house, and the big windows that overlooked lush gardens at the front and back. Getting lots of ideas for my dream house that I hope to own one day in the area.

We took Milo the Dog with us. He had such fun last time that we had to bring him along again. The poor boy has arthritis in one of his back legs and he gets tired more easily, not that he would admit to either. 

Here he is at one of the dog beaches. He loves being in the water, running on the sand, chasing tennis balls in the surf and swimming. He is one happy, happy dog boy.

Have a great week and thanks for dropping by.

Miss L

Tickle to Tangle IAST #186

I normally add my IAST tiles to my Diva and Made by Joey posts. But this week I decided to be different.

The challenge was based on the theme of Pi.

Here's my tile - an Opus one today - before I added shading, highlights and more intense colour.

Here's the finished tile.

The colours, other than white (white wax pencil and white gel pen) and grey are all Kaiser Mist sprays in a range of colours. 


Here's how I coloured my tile.

Step 1: I painted the Pi string on the tile with plain water and I sprayed several colours onto baking paper.

Step 2: I placed the baking paper onto the tile and rubbed it, focussing on the pre-wet parts of the tile.

Step 3: I carefully lifted the baking paper off. You can see the Pi shape emerging.

Step 4: I took off the excess paint with a paper towel.

Step 5: I Tangled the tile.

Step 6: I intensified some of the Tangles by using a combination of a paint brush dipped into the Mist bottle and a paint brush dipped into a water and Mist mix. That helped to blend the colours. And then added shade and highlights. 

Hours of work which I'm very pleased with - the process and the outcome.


Enjoy

Miss L

Tangle challenges March

Not much drawing going on this week. The weekend was relatively cool so that meant The Husband and I could get out into the garden and get some much needed maintenance done.

Here's a photo of Arthur supervising us emptying the two giant compost bins. We've ended up with well over 1 cubic metre of compost to spread around the garden and another couple of cubic metres of partially decomposed material that might turn into usable compost in a few months.

Diva challenge

This week it was a duotangle of Marasu and Molygon. Marasu is a tangle I use sometimes and quite like. Molygon, however, is a shape I'm not comfortable with and can never seem to get right.

Here's my first, unfinished attempt. Not good. 

I had another go tonight, which is a a couple of days later. This one I like a lot.

My third tile I started last night and finished this evening. I went back to the step outs and tried to follow the examples more closely. Not very original but sometimes that's what it takes to get a tangle working.

Made by Joey

The feature tangle this week was Icanthis. I added Ilana and Inapod. This week I kept the colour palette muted.

Have a great week.

Miss L