Zendala effort continues...

Zendalas are a wonderful challenge. I'm still practicing them on 3.5" square tiles, and having too much fun exploring these fabulous designs to stop long enough to create some 4 5/8" Zendala Tile Stock. Official Zentangle® Tiles are awesome, and that has been my focus, now the Zendala format is getting some attention, and just around the corner are inchies. The Bijou Tiles are beautiful tiles, and the new Opus Tiles open up yet another mind boggling adventure in larger sized Tangling experiences.

Here is my latest Zendala attempt. I like how it turned out.

My First Zendala

Well it was bound to happen. Dave is now into Zendalas. I have admired the wonderful Zendalas being created by so many of my Zentangle Communitee friends, that I knew it was inevitable that I, too, would eventually over came my fears concerning these awesome creations.

I am amazed at the number of folks who have also started Creating Zendalas at the same time. HeidiSue and Annette Carlo are a couple that come to mind. If you are also starting to explore these round wonders, please leave a comment about your experiences.

I have always been amazed at how these designs were constructed and kept so angularly correct. I've seen videos of folks folding paper to create a circular fan arrangement, then using the creases to project onto a tile. I got into one of my favorite graphic packages, Rhino, and created a Polar grid of radiating lines of various colors. Placing a tile in the middle of this pattern, it was a simple matter to project the lines across the tile. It worked like a charm. My biggest hurdle was overcome.

The four small squares near the center of the radiating lines, are cut out. A removable sticky tape is then placed on the back of the sheet, looking through the square holes. Turning the sheet back over to the front, the sticky side of the tape is facing out. These sticky patches will hold your tile while you lightly scribe the radiating lines with a ruler and pencil. I use the term lightly to mean, very very lightly and with a sharpened (or not) 2B pencil. Do not dent you tile, as a sharp 2B can get right in there, and create deep groves in you tile. (Especially if you are using the Official Fabriano Tiepolo stock as these tiles are very soft.) The beauty of this layout is that centering your tile is arbitary, and off center designs can easily be created. I used a regular 3.5 x 3.5 Tile as I didn't have any Circular Tiles. The circle you see on the pattern is 4 5/8ths inches in diameter so regular Circular Tiles can be centered exactly. The whole Polar Grid is roughly 7 1/2 inches on a side so it fits on an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper. (My first attempt at using this tool it was printed out on regular copy paper and it worked great. It will be redone on some index or card stock for a more durable tool.) 

It is hard to see, but there are three colors used to create the lines in the Polar Grid. Red, Blue, and Green. Using only the Red Lines you create 8 grid sections. Using the Red and Blue Lines you create 16 sections. Using the Red, Blue, and Green lines yields 32 sections for the truly gifted and highly detail minded advanced, post-graduate Tanglers. 

Once your Tile has undergone the Polor Grid treatment, use any method, of your choosing, to create circles to create areas in which to tangle your design.

Now for the rather dubious and unremarkable first Zendala attempt is my moderately oriented Valentine's Day effort.

I'm looking forward to working with this Polar Grid Tool to make many more Zendalas. Isn't this artform the greatest endeavor since learning to ride your first bicycle?

Being a first edition of the Polar Grid Tool, there are refinements that I can already foresee as being helpful in making this tool more effective and easier to use. (It's pretty easy right now.)

Have fun my friends, and thanks to Rick and Maria for this wonderful Zentangle® experience.

Diva Challenge #203 - UMT- Athitzi- Seven.

This weeks Diva Challenge is the "Use My Tangle," challenge. Seven designed "Athitzi." It is a versatile pattern that can be used in many different design motifs.


Patterns:
1- Athitzi - Seven.
2- Jack's Stack - Texas Doxie Moma
3- ZenPlosion - ?
4- Lola - Sandy Hunter
5- Linq-um - David Hunter

Pens: Sigura Pigma Micron, .01: black,  Shading: Graphite pencil, 2B.
       
Tile: 3.5 x 3.5 inches, Fabriano Tiepolo stock.

Thanks to everyone who commented on last weeks Challenge. It is your wonderful comments that keep me going.

To see other challenge tiles for this week's Challenge and past Diva challenges, visit "IamTheDivaCZT's" Blog site.

Diva Challenge #202-Duo Tangle-Chebucto and Copada

This weeks Diva Challenge is to create a Tile using only two patterns. This is a Duo-Tangle Challenge. The two patterns are Chebucto and Copada. Both of these patterns are designed by Margaret Bremner, CZT.  The Chebucto pattern has the red sections in my Tile. The Copada pattern has the wishbone stucture.

Both of these patterns are brand new to me. The Copada pattern was a breeze to learn. It just flows. The Chebucto was more difficult for me. I found that I needed to create a new step-out that I could use. Once I got my ducks in a row, it was Tile Time. I really got into the Zen mode this week. Once this tile was started, there was no stopping. I could not believe that three hours had passed. It doesn't look like it should take that long. This was a great Challenge. Thanks, Diva Laura, and Margaret Bremner.

Patterns:
1- Chebucto-Margaret Bremner
2-Copada-Margaret Bremner

Pens: Sigura Pigma Micron, .01: black, red. Shading: Graphite pencil, 2B.
          Blick Studio Colored Pencils
Tile: 3.5 x 3.5 inches, Fabriano Tiepolo stock.

Thanks to everyone who commented on last weeks Challenge. It is wonderful to hear from you.

To see other challenge tiles for this week's Challenge and past Diva challenges, visit "IamTheDivaCZT's" Blog site.

Diva Challenge #201--Mobius Syndrome Awareness Day 2015

This week, Laura is challenging us to help raise awareness for Mobius Syndrome. An affliction that her beautiful son, Artoo, is afflicted with. I am using the Logo for the Mobius Syndrome Foundation, as a string, which Laura graciously provided us with.

My Patterns for this Challenge:
1- Artoo - a pattern designed by Laura Harms in tribute to her son, Artoo.
2- Crecent Moon - Zentangle
3- Various Emblishments

Pens: Sigura Pigma Micron, .01: black, purple, pink.
Blick Studio Colored Pencils.
Tile: 3.5 x 3.5 inches, Fabriano Tiepolo stock.

Thanks to everyone who commented on Challenge Tile #200 Bi-Zen-Tennial Celebration." It is wonderful to hear from you and I appreciate every ones sense of humor.

To see other challenge tiles for this week's Challenge and past Diva challenges, visit "IamTheDivaCZT's" Blog site.

Diva Challenge #200-Bi-Zen-Tennial Celebration.

This is a very special weekly challenge in the Laura Harms camp. She is celebrating her 200th Challenge. Congratulations Laura. I love your Blog, it is such a warm, welcoming place on the cold web landscape.

Our challenge is to make a Monotangle Tile using one of our favorite patterns with no borders and the number, 200, large or small somewhere on the Tile. One of my favorite patterns is Poser. As if you couldn't tell. It shows up in many of my challenge submissions of late. See if you can find where I hid the 200. If you don't see it at first, step back twenty yards and it will appear.

Pattern: Poser, by Beth Snoderly.
Tile: Tiepolo, 3.5" x 3.5"
Pen: Sakura Pigma Micron .01

Thanks to everyone who commented on Challenge Tile #199 "UMT Hitched." 

To see other challenge tiles for this week visit "IamTheDivaCZT's" Blog site.

Diva Challenge #199-UMT Use My Tangle- Hitched

This weeks challenge is "Use My Tangle." HeidiSue is the creator of this weeks challenge pattern. Congratulations HeidiSue, and thanks for the wonderful Pattern. This was a fun Challenge and HeidiSue's Pattern certainly offers many Tangleation possibilities.

HeidiSue's new Pattern "Hitched,"is now on TanglePattern.com. Congratulations HeidiSue.

My Tile this week uses the following Patterns.
1- Hitched-HeidiSue
2- Drupe
3- Poser
4- 'NZepelle
Tile: Fabriano Tiepolo 3.5" square.

Thanks to everyone who commented on Challenge Tile #198 "Simple." Amazing.

To see other challenge tiles for this week visit "IamTheDivaCZT's" Blog site.

Diva Challenge #198-Simple

Seasons Greetings, everyone.

Laura has challenged us to create a Tile that is to be kept simple. That is right up my alley. My tile patterns are Pokeroot, Mooka, Poser, and Bijou. The Tile is Tiepolo stock 3.5" sq. I love drawing Bijou. He is so cute.

Thanks to everyone leaving all of those wonderful comments last week. Your awesome.

To see more challenges, and responses to this weeks challenge, visit "IamTheDivaCZT.com"

Diva Challenge #197 - Arukas

New Official Tangle- Arukas by Molly Hollibaugh. Laura is back and she has challenged us to use the new Tangle from Zentangle®.Com.

Tangles used, Arukas, Trentwith. Tile Size: 3.5" sq.

To see more challenges to this and other challenges, visit Laura's "IamTheDivaCZT" Blog site.

Thanks so much to everyone for the comments to last weeks challenge. 

Diva Challenge #196 - "All Dolled up"

This weeks Diva Challenge guest host is Emily Classon. We have been challenged to be Doll inspired in this weeks Tile.

Patterns: Trentwith, Fluke, Maze, Sand Swirl. Tile: 3 1/2 sq.

To see more responses to this and other challenges visit "Laura Harm's IamTheDiva Blog site."

Thanks to everyone who visits my Blog site, and a special Badge of courage and appreciation for those leaving comments.