The Diva is back

So excited that Laura is back from her break. I didn't realise how important my weekly date with her was to maintaining my Zentangle practice until the challenges were gone.

Speaking of dates, I am only a couple of weeks away from 2 days drawing with Shelly Beauchamp CZT. This will be my 4th visit with her. Each time I visit we spend time doing the latest Diva challenge. This year, with the Diva on a break, it was looking like that part of our tradition was not going to happen. But no, she is back and I'm happy for her and the Zentangle community she supports.

Challenge 366 - back to basics

There is a Z string in there somewhere.

Half way between challenge 366 and 367

Challenge 367

Have a great week and happy Diva tangling.

Karen

Day at Mogo Zoo

I was lucky enough to have an encounter with the meerkats at Mogo Zoo. Unbelievable experience. Loved it.

Karen

Zentangle

Diva #363 - Laura's Auras

I've been playing around with variations of radial blooms lately, thanks to an Eni Oken video. That theme fitted nicely into this week's Diva challenge. Tangles I used included Fengle, with perfs in the aura, Dewd as a frame and Baton as infill.

Tangle a Day calendar

More radial blooms.

Where the blooms started 

Plus Zen Gems and watercolour pencil backgrounds.

Thanks for dropping by.

Karen

Zentangle

Dropped by the Diva's blog today for the first time in a while. The featured tangle is Somnee which is a tangle I played around with recently in the Tangle a Day calendar.

Here is my Somnee page.

At the time I did this page I was also rediscovering Zen Gems. I've found a different method to create them that is working better for me than my previous method which used a base of grey Copic markers. The link to the method I'm using is on the Zen Gems Facebook Group. Here are some of my Gemy calendar pages.

People who have visited my blog in the past may have noticed that I rarely post these days. I'm still drawing but doing it more for myself than to share online. I'm also drawing less often, mainly doing the Calendar every week or so. 

Anyway, thanks for dropping by.

Karen

Tangle challenges

I have been absent from Diva challenges for a few months, haven't posted on my blog for a few months, and have been doing very little drawing for a few months.

No particular reason for this other than lack of inspiration. I've been drawing pretty consistently for a couple of years. Maybe it's been time for a break? There also hasn't been much going on in my life other than work, so nothing much to blog about either.

Here's my Diva tile. I've kept it simple. The green eye shapes are where my wrinkly knuckles are.

Here's my latest Tangle-a-Day calendar page. I've decided to stay with official Zentangle.com tangles for the time being while I get my groove back. Maybe I'll also stop being overly critical of my work - so many days started but not finished.

Thanks for dropping by.

Miss L

Just drawing

Hi to everyone who has been visiting my blog. Sorry that I haven't been posting much. Like many people in the Tangle world, I have shifted my focus from blogging and Zentangle challenges to Facebook - my own page and Facebook Groups based on Zentangle.

I'm also not drawing so much lately. It's the beginning of the school year, I'm teaching new content and I've taken on a small but busy leadership role. Life is great and I am enjoying the small amount of drawing I do get to do.

Here's a watercolour I made for someone at work. This person has seen qualities in me that I didn't think were there and I am thriving under her leadership and encouragement. 

Tangle a Day calendar

Thoroughly enjoying working my way through this calendar and seeing the beautiful artworks created by others. Here are few days from my calendar.

What a Drag

Recently travelled to Sydney to attend a drag show. Got the chance to meet my drag idol, Alyssa Edwards. She is even lovelier in person than on TV. She is also a whole lot taller in real life.

Thanks for dropping by.

Karen

Just drawing

Getting ready for the new school year. That means drawing something to stick on my desk wall for the new year.

Playing around with Cadent, fine lines and shading.

Continuing with the Tangle a Day calendar.

Karen

Zentangle challenges and drawing

We are in the middle of a heat wave. While the northern hemisphere is getting snow, we are getting heat.  Days and days of high 30s and low 40s. Our backyard weather station (which includes a sky cam - how cool!) has been registering temps of 41 and 42 degrees.  While our house has very good air conditioning, the heat just saps your energy. Even the birds are quiet. This has given me plenty of time for Zentangle. 

Diva #348 - Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day

I kept my tiles simple, adding purple with a touch of blue using a mist spray. However, in the photos the purple has come out grey. Oh well. 

This tile uses Kuke and Florz.

This one uses D'Rua and Flux.

Made by Joey #200

The challenge was to use string #165 and the tangle Exeter. I added 'Nzeppel and Footlites, which are my go-to tangles at the moment. I'm pleased with how my 'Zneppel has been turning out lately so it appears a lot in my work.

Tangle a day calendar

This brilliant tangle calendar is produced by Carole Ohl CZT and features the work of Margaret Bremner CZT.  This is my first time using the calendar and I'm enjoying it. The paper is smooth and the results of the Facebook group page inspiring.

This is one of my pages from earlier this month.

Other drawing - going really, really big this time

During this week's heat I've been working on an A2 sized ZIA. The coloured leaf pattern is inspired by something I found on the Sakura website. I used Faber Castle water colours, random black pens (waiting on a new batch of Sakura microns) and Copic markers for the shading. 

This is my first time using the Copics for shading. I highly recommend them for shading larger works. I found the process much quicker and resulted in a cleaner finish.

Here's my master piece. I'm very pleased with it. It's going in my lounge room soon.

Arthur the Cat got involved too. He is sitting on my computer desk right now, getting in the way of the screen. Mmmm. Love that cat. He'll get bored and move away soon.

Here's an early photo of my ZIA. I do use strings sometimes.

Have a great week and thanks for your comments. They help me improve my art and make my day.

Karen

Zentangle challenges and drawing

It's interesting to read Zentangle blogs are most bloggers that I follow are in the northern hemisphere and in the middle of winter. While the Diva is experiencing temps of close to 40 below, SE Australia is in the middle of summer and we are getting heatwaves of close to 40 above. 

I've been lucky so far to have been on holidays near a beach for most of the super hot days. Back home now and getting ready for a new school year - or I would be if I wasn't drawing.

Diva #347 - string theory - traced objects.

The objects I traced were a cup I use for water colour painting, a stapler, a fidget spinner, and an old tile I use to test pens.

The tangles I used this week are from my new Random Tangle Generator. I created my randomiser by cutting up my 2017 Tangle Patterns guide and keeping all the tangles I know or want to know. The dots on the back mean the tangle is either a grid, organic, ribbon, or complex. The hearts mean the tangle is a Zentangle Original.

Here's my Diva tile. I used: aquafleur, gotcha, star map, betweed, coral seeds, sh'rock and paradox.

Made by Joey #199

This tile uses string #237 and the tangles Didada, Arukas, Crescent Moon and 'Nzeppel.

Other Drawing

I've been doing a lot of Tangling over the past weeks. Mostly Opus tiles or bigger. 

Here's my latest Opus tile, playing with circles and triangles and colour.

I created the ZIA below for my foster daughter and her partner. Their initials are in gold in the corners. The ZIA is on A3 card stock. The colours were inspired by the beach house we were staying in.

Have a great week and thanks for dropping by.

Karen