Diva Challenge: White on Black on Found

This week's Diva Challenge is to use a black tile or anything found black. I have some of the black Zentangle tiles but don't use them often. I find that I cannot get the white pens to be as detailed as I would like. They don't flow like the Sakura micron pens. In fact the one that worked the best for me was the Signo uniball pen. I did love, love, love the Zentangle soapstone stick for shading. I could shade all day on black with it! They seem like a hard rock but lay down a soft white misty shade of white on the black paper. It was fun but I doubt I'll be a lover of the black tiles anytime soon.

Diva Challenge #212: UMT Fanz

This week's Diva Challenge is to use a tangle created by another tangler. This tangle is by Susan Goetter and is named "Fanz." I really like this tangle and wanted to use it in a Zendala which I could also post to a Facebook group I have joined called Square One: Round One Zentangle. The Square One groups are Zentangle purists and each of their groups posts pictures which have narrow parameters and are very true to Zentangle in its truest sense. I like that since I basically have kept to the either the 3.5 x 3.5 square black and white format, or the round zendala format myself. At any rate this challenge meets the requirements for each group and was a lot of fun to do.

Two Posts in One

Last week was so crazy that while I did manage to complete the Diva Challenge #208: Duotangle: Cubine vs. Pokeroot I had no time to post. The next week came and with it a new Diva Challenge #209: St. Patty's, Going Green. So before this week slips by me I am posting both challenge's together. Quickly!

Diva Challenge #206: Tools/Trade

This week's Diva Challenge was to use some new tool or method to create our Zentangle. I chose to color a Zendala with a set of 12 Koi watercolor brush pens which I acquired some time ago. My go to color method is usually Prismacolor pencil. The markers color palette was more limited and the colors brighter. However, I was pleased with the effect which the brush pens produced and like the bright springy feel of the piece. I think I'll be playing with them more in the future.

Diva Challenge #204: Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

Diva Challenge #202: Duo Tangle - Chebucto vs Copada

This weeks' Diva Challenge was to use two tangles in one tile. They are Chebucto and Copada and both are patterns created by CZT Margaret Bremner. Both tangles were a bit challenging on their own though by far I consider Chebucto the hardest of the two. The step outs for both tangle can be found by clicking on the name of each tangle. Here are two Zentangles in answer to this challenge.

Diva Challenge #200: Bi-Zen-tennial

Congratulations to "the Diva" Laura Harms on the posting of her 200th Zentangle Challenge for us to enjoy! The challenge instructions this week are for us to use our "go to" or "mac n'cheese" tangle, to omit the border and to include the number 200 anywhere in the tangle. This challenge could easily be entitled comfort. Comfort is a noun which can mean "a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.

The art of Zentangle itself is the embodiment of comfort. Practicing drawing patterns puts us in the "comfort zone". We relax, unwind, are at ease. There is a freedom in putting together patterns which are easy to draw and drawing on our "go to" tangle makes this challenge especially relaxing. I chose

the tangle "Inapod," though I often change the basic tangle to fit my own needs. It pops up quite frequently in my drawing and like a familiar friend is easy on my mind. 

Diva Challenge #196

This week's challenge from "the diva" is from guest challenger Emily Classen and was entitled "All Dolled Up." I must admit I was not thrilled about this one. I looked at many of the submissions from other Zentangle artists and there were many clever and amazing posts! There were dancing dolls, doll dresses, doll patterns, zendala dolls, rag dolls and angels. Many wonderful and inspiring answers to this challenge and I was still not thrilled. Even so I was determined to rise to the challenge and so I present "All Dolled Up and No Place to Go.

Diva Challenge #195

The Diva guest challenge this week asked us to take our favorite tangle and use it in the opposite way in which we might normally. If the tangle was typically used in a grid, then we were to use it in a free form way. If it was a free form tangle we were to use it in a grid. The tangle I chose was one which I use frequently and is basically of my own design. It is similar to other patterns I have seen but one I have been using for a few years which I based on a seashell type of design. I call it Shelz and I generally use it to fill large spaces in a free form manner. This Zentangle uses it in  grid pattern. Because the tangle is very open and plain it benefits from the extra use of color and makes the tangle a bit more fun. I must say that sometimes I can get into a rut with a pattern I like a lot and this challenge will make me think of using many tangles in a different way. I was impressed by the samples that Sandy Hunter did for us. I really liked the look many of the familiar tangles had when used in this new way.

Diva Challenge.

Webster's defines the word used as a noun as a "call to take part in a contest or competition, especially a duel, as in 'he accepted the challenge'. Synonyms: dare, provocation, summons." When used as a verb it can be defined as "invite (someone) to engage in a contest, as in 'he challenged one of my men to a duel'." There are other meanings but for the sake of this post these are the two definitions with which I am concerned.

Sometime ago when I first discovered the art of Zentangle I also discovered a blog called "I am the diva" by Laura Harms. Laura is a Certified Zentangle Instructor and on her blog she challenges us weekly to participate in a Zentangle drawing in which she provides the guidelines and a means for us to all post and enjoy each others tangles. The link to her site is on the right side of this blog.

Since renewing my blog posting last week I have decided to once again take up the gauntlet and accept the challenge of a weekly Zentangle. The real challenge for me will be sticking to it and actually getting it posted each week. Today I have succeeded.

This week's challenge was a guest challenge by Holly Atwater, CZT to create a Tritangle, a tangle using three specific patterns. They are Trio, Huggins, and Xyp. I always seem to have the hardest time with Huggins. I love the pattern but don't use it often because it confuses me when I try to draw it. Be that as it may I am posting anyway! Challenge met.

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Zentangle Challenge - Pendrills

This week's zentangle challenge involved using the new tangle, called Pendrills, which Rick and Maria just unveiled in their newsletter. You can read all about here.

I just love this tangle. It so organic and flows so easily. I love the feel of the grapevines from which it was inspired but it also remind me of netting. I think we will all have a lot of fun with this one. I know I did.

Zentangle Challenge - Fairyland

Once upon a time I was an avid reader of fairy tales. I would wander the library in search of all things magical and extraordinary. I read fairy tale stories of every color. The Blue Fairy Book, the Red Fairy Book etc. Do you know you can download the whole spectrum (all 12) as e-books for virtually free. They are classics. As are their themes. Good vs. evil. It never gets old and it is never not true.

In fairyland good always triumphs over evil. Not always so here in the real world. But the lessons we learned in those stores apply here as well. Hereos never give up and tomorrow is another day. Giants are meant to be faced down and overcome. A handful of fast friends and family will see us through the journey. There is a higher power watching over us. Beauty is all around us and yes, there really is a happily ever after.

Zentangle Challenge - Initialize

This weeks challenge at the Diva blog was a guest challenge by Christina Vandervlist. She is expanding on the string theory by asking us to use our initials as a string. This challenge was a lot of fun. I had a little trouble getting a D and a T to work well together. One is so fat, and the other so thin but I finally came up with something with which I was happy.

I think the idea of initials or monograms could make nice personalized cards or t-shirts. Here is one I had made previously based on the letters of our high school here in Benson. BHS - Benson High School.

Happy Tangling!

Zentangle Challenge - Creative Genesis

Guest challenger Sue Jacobs, CZT has expanded once again on the string theory challenge. And rightly so since drawing a fresh, new string for each tangle can be a challenge in itself. I read that the inspiration for the "string" in drawing a Zentangle is just that. If you held a string in your hand and dropped it on your tile and drew the lines in with pencil you would have a design to start your tangle off. And so Sue's challenge is to tie a weight to a string, drop the string onto your tile and trace the resulting lines onto the tile. Surprisingly this seems to generate a lot of "strings" which look like the ones I draw for myself. Very loopy. However, the challenge has a nice randomness about it and was fun to do.

Zentangle Challenge - Zendala

I have always loved mandalas. They remind me of kaliedescopes in a way and I have always been fascinated by the ever-changing designs of those magical devices. I had seen the tangled mandalas or "Zendalas" on flickr and other sites but had yet to try one. So this challenge seemed like just the time to try my hand at one and the bonus was I didn't even have to come up with my own zendala string. Yea!
I am posting two versions - one the traditional black and white and another in color. I actually did the color version first, the zendala just seemed to lend itself to color especially well. Back to that love of kaliediscopes I imagine. The tricky thing for me was to not just keep repeating the same things over and over as I moved around the circle. I tried to mix it up a bit as I moved away from the center. I found if I broke the spaces up smaller and smaller then things were more interesting.
Another thing I did not do this challenge is view any other zendalas before I tackled my own. Often I am so excited by a new challenge and the fact that many other tangler's out there post so quickly that I jump right in and look at the "early bird" posts. I resisted this time so that I would be working on my own Zendalas with no outside influence or ideas. So after posting tonight I am off to the Diva's blog to see all the wonderful work by so many other talented tanglers!
Here is the link to the mandala template from Genevieve Crabe, who was the guest tangle challenger this week at the Diva's blog. It was easy to download and I printed it out directly to cardstock which I then drew on right away. I would love to do more of the Zendala's and am open to any suggestions on ways to make the "string." One good idea I have seen is to use an apple corer as a template maker. This kitchen tool has possiblities! Any other good ideas out there?

Zentangle Challenge - String Theory

It has been dreary and rainy in Minnesota for what seems like "foreeever!" now. Well, if we can't get out we can at least tangle. This week's Diva challenge was for all of us to use the same string for our tangle. I am really looking forward to seeing the results. There have been challenges where we all used the same patterns before but this will ensure we are all coming from the same starting place. Where we go and how we get there after that will be exciting to see!

Even if we all used the same string and patterns in the same places on the tile I'm still willing to bet they would all be unique and different. Each person's individual style would come through I'm sure. Even using the same elements I believe everyone would put there own spin on it. As I am sure we shall see in next week's slideshow. Thanks for a great challenge Laura!

15 Minutes

Fifteen minutes. Not a lot of time. What can you get done in 15 minutes. Surprisingly, a lot!
This week's Diva challenge was to do a tangle in 15 minutes. On the official website, zentangle.com,  Rick and Maria are always talking about how a tangle may be done in no more than 15 minutes. I have always found that it takes me oh so much longer than that! So I wasn't sure how this week was going to go for me.
Years ago a friend of mine subscribed to a website which helped organize your life and helped you tackle the big problems of cleaning your house. The jist of the philosophy was that you spend just 15 minutes a day on a project. That's all and soon your house and your life would be clean and organized. She swore it worked! My problem was that when I started something I always got caught up in the minutia, and a small project stretched into hours. Spend 15 minutes cleaning a closet or cabinet out - impossible!
Zentangles are like that for me. I spend time thinking about patterns, turning the tile round and round until it "speaks" to me. Relaxing - yes! Enjoyable - yes! Quick? No way.
But a  challenge is a challenge and 15 minutes it is! So I worked quickly and stopped when time was up. Period.
And really,  it is amazing what you can accomplish in a short amount of time. Now if I can only apply this philosophy to the rest of my life. Hmmm ... clean house, 15 minutes - check. Exercise,  15 minutes - check, check. Ahh, life is good!

Zentangle Challenge - Mooka

Our challenge from the Diva this week was to use the new tangle from Rick and Maria of Zentangle fame. They have posted a video of the new tangle as well as written instructions on their blog and you can visit it here at this link http://zentangle.blogspot.com/2011/04/mooka.html  The tangle was inspired by the art nouveau style of artist Alphonse Mucha and it is absolutely wonderful. It's easy and very fluid, open to a lot of variation and it has been exciting to see the different ways it has been used in this challenge. I played around with it for quite a while last night and have posted my two favorite tiles of the evening. I am sure this tangle will be showing up in many future tangles. It is quite a lot of fun.

Zentangle Challenge - Love Your Curves

Ahh, curves! A challenge I can live with...

Zentangle Challenge - I Walk the Line

I can't draw a straight line! The cry of everyone who believes they cannot draw. One of the reasons I am so drawn to Zentangles is their motto "anything is possible... one stroke at a time." Anyone can draw Zentangles, for that matter, I believe anyone can draw. Drawing is a skill and that skill can be learned. In fact, as an artist, I don't believe I really ever draw a completely straight line. Even in this challenge of patterns with straight lines I waver and wobble in a most artistic manner.

I found this challenge difficult, which was a surprise for me. I have always been partial to grids, blocks, boxes, squares, straight lines. I believed that this challenge was going to be a piece of cake. And yet I was strangely at odds with my tangles. Without the ability to insert one curve I struggled to "feel" the tangle. They did not flow and move like I wished. And I tried several. So while I finally settled on one to post for this challenge, I find that I, too, can't seem to draw just a "straight" line.