Evolution Thing-a-ma-gig.

This TIA evolved in a random fashion over the last several days. No String was used, or harmed in the production of this Tangle. What else can I say, it is weird.

The main Patterns used are:
1-Pais
2-Blooming Butter
3-Mooka
4-Betweed
5-Nzeppel
6-Ahh
7-ZipLine (This is my first designed pattern. It was inspired by a printing press part. (Brake Disk Lining in Main Drive Motor of HD 102 6-color 40" sheetfed press.) It can be found on the left edge of the Tangle. It looks like a narrow notched band with regularly spaced holes in it.

Plus several other patterns whose names are temporarily on vacation and won't be back until my memory is repaired.

I'm including both the Ink only, and the Shaded/Colored versions.

You'll notice that the Nzeppel and Ahh are only in the shaded/colored version. This is typical as the evolution thing is a strong force, and can break out at any time there is drawing activity on the piece. 

That's it, Bye.

Diva Challenge #173 Revisit, Reduex, Remix Comfort Tangle

This weeks challenge is by Sharla R. Hicks, who is guest hosting while Laura Harms is in Providence. How cool is that. Welcome to Sharla and thanks for a very comprehensive challenge.

As I'm so new to Tangling, I do not have the history to take full advantage of this challenge's many attributes. I did change sizes from the standard tile size used in my previous Challenge Responses, to 3.5" x 5" tile. I liked working with this new size.

For patterns I used: Horse Chestnut by Lizzie Mayne, and Nzeppel by Maria and Rick. A little of this and that were thrown in to fill things out.

Colored with regular colored pencils. Ink by Sigma Micron 01, 03. The back ground grid was colored pencil only. That was an experiment. I'm still debating if I like it or not.

This was a very fun, relaxing Tile. For the most part, I am happier with this challenge than I have been in the past. These challenges are so interesting and fun it is impossible to not welcome Mondays with a big smile and rolled up sleeves, ready for another, always wonderful, Challenge. Thanks Laura and Sharla.

Visit "I am the Diva" and see what other Artists are doing with this Challenge.

Sunday Night Tangle Party.

Evening Tangling session. Invited some friends to participate. Mooka, Diva Dance, and Ahh by Maria Thomas, JaLousie by Stephani Kukla, Aquafleur Poppy by Helen Williams. Tile Size: 3.5 x 3.5.

This is another one of those designs that occurs with very minimum, to no, planning. Enough said. I hope my meds kick in soon.

Practice Pages for Mookas and AuraKnot Patterns.

So I just had to make reference to the fact that my reference pages were more interesting and better than my submission for the Diva #172 Challenge. Well, it's put up time or head to the "Time out Room."

It's true that I have not worked with either of these really cool patterns before. I carefully watched both of Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts videos on these two patterns. Then I proceeded to practice on a few pages, then went to work on the Challenge. The AuraKnot turned out descent but routine, and the poor little Mookas well, good thing these guys were musically inclined, because they sure took second fiddle to the AuraKnots.

Here are the pages I practiced on. I am now a firm fan of both of these two super Patterns, and want to work with them until I get some really interactive Tangles. I sure understand many tanglers struggle with these two guys, they are demanding, but there are a lot of rewards.

 The last image is from my 6-year old Grandaughter. She liked the Mookas, and drew faces on them.Then she showed her appreciation to Mookas every where, by making a galactic issued Valentine, one of her favorite forms of communication.

Well there you have it. You can decide if the practice or the Final tangles are best. I'm leaning toward the practice stuff, still. (Of course they would have to be redrawn.)

I appreciate everyone who visits my sad little blog. You're all awesome.

Bye.

Diva Challenge #172- DuoTangle, AuraKnot vs Mooka

The Diva has given us a very interesting Challenge this week. We are to only use two patterns, AuraKnot and Mooka. Both of these patterns are by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts. Who are co-indecently hosting their CZT training siminar in Providence, RI. The Diva provided us with two videos by Maria and Rick instructing us how to draw AuraKnot and Mooka. How neat is that. I have not worked with either of these two patterns before, so the two videos were very appropriate and helpful. I seem to have given AuraKnot center stage on this one. Mooka is peeking around the edges. Both of these patterns are very nice, and can be tangleated so easily into a some wonderful Tangles. I was impressed with my first efforts when beginning to practice these patterns. Maria and Rick did such a wonderful job on the videos that learning these two great patterns was a snap. My practice sheets turned out amazing, surprisingly enough. That speaks well of Maria and Rick's ability to design and instruct how to draw their terrific patterns. (My practiced sheets were more interesting than my submission piece.)

Visit "I am the Diva" and see what other artists are doing with this challenge.

Diva Challenge #171-Beads of Courage.

This weeks challenge really hit home with our family. We lost our Eldest son to Cancer in February of this year. A more tragic event, than to see a beloved member of your family, lose his life to a relentless, methodical killer, is hard to imagine. Our hearts go out to all those experiencing their loved ones afflicted with life threatening diseases.

I was unaware of the Beads of Courage program. Anything that can help children face the medical procedures that are ahead of them, is a wonderful thing. I applaud those who created the program, and the facilities that are implementing it.

Our son was a musician and played his many guitars, and keyboards regularly. So to honor him, I have included a Guitar, along with a lot of Beads of Courage. The sound hole is represented by the Tangle Pattern Dekore created by Kari Schultz. The other three patterns have the same initials as our son. His name was David Lee Hunter, so I used Diamond Drops, Leaflet, and Huggins. (Created by Janice Sherlock, Helen Williams, and Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas.)

It's is hard not to feel the emotions behind a drawing based on a close family tragedy. I like how it turned out. Much better than my first idea. It was actually a good idea, but my execution of that concept was wonky, and rather than spend time on it, I just went with another idea.

Other than the emotional component to this weeks Challenge, it was a fun one.

Visit "I Am the Diva" and see what other Tanglers are doing with this Challenge.

Research is good, Practice must follow.

I've been spending a lot of time enjoying every ones responses to The Diva's challenges. I love seeing what is being created. Such imaginative designs and wonderful Pattern evolutions. I thank all the artists for sharing their efforts. You're all so awesome. In addition to participating in the challenges, many are maintaining Blogs. They make available a vast body of information, how-to's, and examples of their creations, and expand our exposure to the vast activity in this unique world. Sherlock Holmes would say, "The game is afoot." If you have a pen in your hand, and one pattern on your mind, you foot is in the "Game."

Well. I am guilty of enjoying this galactic array of resources to the neglect of the job at hand. Namely, learning how to participate intelligently and creatively in this art. Research is necessary to get the learning curve jump started but sooner-or-later there better be Pen and Sketchbook in front of me. One thing that I have been doing is to sketch bits, that I would like to remember, into my Sketchbook. Like taking notes in class, these sketches are invaluable "memory joggers," and so fun to look back on later. (Hey, Joggers for Bloggers.)

Here is a recent page from my Sketchbook. This is real free form and can, and occasionally does, spontaneously start the amalgamation of patterns into a coherent something or other.

The Lil' Nut reference in the upper left corner is to my Sister. She and I have been sharing the drawings we have been working on via email. That is a lot of fun and a great learning experience. That is putting practice and learning patterns in a more active light, and keeps us moving along.

So, I thought, inspired by my research marathon, I would like to try a format a little larger than the 3 1/2 inch square size of the standard Tile. I used an area one tile wide and two tiles high. Horizontal or vertical format, hard choice, each one calls out to be selected.  Tangling, by its nature, does not have an end goal at the beginning of creation. Which format to use can be made by a coin toss. I feel that one strong format decision maker is the directional flow you feel would be appropriate for the patterns you'd like to use. Sometime you feel like taking off, other times you just want to spread out. The Diva's challenges often give strong hints or indications as to a format choice to begin with. If it works out--, great--, if not, you're in for more fun and can try a different format.

Here is the piece that I finished this morning. I picked the Vertical format.

Patterns used: PokeRoot (modified), Bunzo, Nzeppel and Ahh (Maria Thomas), Ditto (Sue Jacobs), and SiWeed (Sadelle Wittshire). This was good practice, and there are some humdinger flaws in it.I liked working in the larger space.

I didn't know the name of the little smiling faced leaf head guys. I searched through the TanglePatterns.com database, and found the PokeRoot pattern, which is pretty darn close to these Leaf Head characters. That is one draw back to using a pattern that you find in a finished piece of artwork. If it is one you are not familiar with already and know the original pattern by name, you have no clue as to it's origins. It is nice to be able to refer to a pattern by name when discussing it with other artists. 

In conclusion I am just an innocent bystander in the creation of this thing and any strangeness generated by this piece is free of charge.

That's it, folks, I'm off to draw.

Bye 



The Diva's Weekly Challenge #170: Bugles

This was a fun challenge this week.

Well, you can always tell the Tanglers who are trying to get their feet wet. I just piled so much stuff on my challenge today. I haven't worked with any of these patterns in a Tangle before, so Today is their Day. Besides Joyce Evans's Bugles, I used two of Michele Beauchamp's patterns, Blooming Butter and Brayd, and Maria Thomas's, Jetties,

One looks back at a Tangle one has done, and there is more that could still be done. Why didn't I add this line here, or that spot of shadow or cross-hatching there. But that is the Beauty of this art. Those seasoned practitioners who really understand ZenTangling and its sub-set derivations, and truly get it, and "Know when to put the pen down." If the piece needs stuff to be there, by all means pile 'er on. But there should be some intelligence behind the steering wheel of that delivery van. I think I am going to get me some fresh air on my next Challenge. At least I will start out with that in mind. I love what I see the CZT's and other artists create. Their work is so delightful, and clean, you just delight in what you see.

This is why I am so excited about this art. Every day the Circus comes to town. Pick your venue and dig right in there. Anybody can do this. Can't draw. "Think, Not?" You Will surprise your self. Seek out a CZT and it will be a done deal. (A CZT is a Certified ZenTangle Teacher.)

Bye.


Visit "I Am the Diva" and see what other Tanglers are doing with this Challenge.