In the world of Zentangle, Laura Harms (aka the Diva) has been hosting a weekly challenge on her blog for 200 weeks. This week marks the Bi-Zen-Tennial challenge which also inspired me to return to regular blogging here on Tangled Planet.
I've chosen one of my favorite go-to tangles, 'Phicops'--a pattern designed by Laura's husband Brad for the Diva's challenge #101 . I like this tangle for the left-right-left (or, right-left-right) motion of the strokes in each section. Laura is hoping for 200 submissions for this week's challenge. If you haven't already, please give it a try!
Tangled Planets on Tour
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| Miander Galaxy (centerfold) |
This is an update on my entry in The Sketchbook Project 2013 Summer Tour. My sketchbook, called Atlas Planetanglia: a Zentangle® Inspired Galaxy, can be viewed online here, but it is also on tour through October 17 in about 14 more cities across the U.S. See schedule here.
I chose "atlas" from a list of SBP optional themes because I liked the idea of fitting my Zentangle-inspired art into a category that I probably wouldn't have thought of myself. It took me a while to decide on a format for the 36-page sketchbook, after consulting several actual atlases on different topics. Each left-hand page illustrates the string I used in the drawing on the right-hand page. I randomly chose the tangles I would use, which are recorded in the text-box at the bottom of the right-hand page. In true atlas format, I included the names of the tangles and the colors I used (Prismacolor colored pencils). The name of each planet is based on a mashup of the names of the tangles included. Not too scientific, but a lot of fun. I hope you view my entire sketchbook in the SBP digital library.
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| Bale'nzurca & Purka Moon |
You can learn all about The Sketchbook Project and how you can participate here.
Spangle…a new tangle...or tangleation?
A pattern element has been appearing in my tangles for the
past few years. It may be a tangleation of the official Zentangle® pattern
called Ynix which, I believe, remains unpublished. While I love drawing Ynix, usually
only the seed elements of it appear in my work, perhaps because it is a shape
that my hand finds very comfortable to draw. Introducing…Spangle, illustrated
here with its cousin Ynix.
You’ll notice that Ynix starts with seed shapes in pairs surrounded
by auras; Spangle has the same seed shapes which are clustered and flow
randomly in many directions, most often without auras but occasionally they sneak in.
The name comes from Spangle Grass, another name for Northern Oat Grass, which has seed heads that resemble this shape in its early summer stage.
Upon closer look, I could see a woven pattern within the seed head which became the inspiration for embellishing Spangle with various patterns. Add a single dot and it looks like a school of
fish; add striations and they look like almonds...and so on.
Using a blank Zendala title, I drew a seed-shaped string with a Prismacolor pencil (limepeel) and filled it with Spangle. I then filled the individual 'spangles' with about 28 different embellishments.
And here is the same Zendala with added colors of light aqua and pale vermilion.
Disclaimer: If this pattern has appeared elsewhere as a tangle pattern, please let me know so that I can give full credit.
Ensemble Swap Completed
My previous post here showed nine tiles I completed for a tangled ensemble swap which was held last weekend at Tangle U, the first annual continuing education conference of its kind for Certified Zentangle Teachers. Each participant in the swap kept their own center tile, and then received eight other tiles to complete a unique grouping.
Beginning in the upper left corner and continuing clockwise, my eight other tiles were created by: Marie Browning, Jane MacKugler, Mary Beth Schoonover, Darla Williamson, Ann Coakley and Sadelle Wiltshire, Sandra Chatelaine, Debra Castaldi and Janet Nordfors. Thank you all! And special thanks to Barb Gill for organizing the swap and spending many hours last weekend compiling them all.
Beginning in the upper left corner and continuing clockwise, my eight other tiles were created by: Marie Browning, Jane MacKugler, Mary Beth Schoonover, Darla Williamson, Ann Coakley and Sadelle Wiltshire, Sandra Chatelaine, Debra Castaldi and Janet Nordfors. Thank you all! And special thanks to Barb Gill for organizing the swap and spending many hours last weekend compiling them all.
Tangled Ensemble
Stay tuned. I'll post the after-swap version in a few weeks.
Tangle*A*Day
My Zentangle practice for 2013 centers around Carole Ohl's (CZT) Tangle*A*Day calendar. Greyden Press, publisher of the calendar, describes it as: "specially designed for those who love the Zentangle® art form. Each day of the year offers a space for creating Zentangle-inspired art. Use the calendar as a tool for some Zentangle relaxation time, a workbook for learning new tangles, or creating a visual art diary for 2013. Each month is lightly illustrated with just enough tangling to spark an idea. Each 8” x 5” page is printed on cover stock that takes Sakura Micron pen with ease! "
And I love the fact that Carole used my tangle pattern Mi2 on the cover as well as inside. Thank you, Carole!
Here is my first tangled page for January 1-3; first, unshaded and then, shaded.
And I love the fact that Carole used my tangle pattern Mi2 on the cover as well as inside. Thank you, Carole!
Here is my first tangled page for January 1-3; first, unshaded and then, shaded.
Carole's Tangle*A*Day Calendar can be ordered here.
MIANDER
MIANDER
is a pattern that keeps appearing in my tangles. It can grow in any direction
depending on how you turn your tile. Shaded or unshaded, it’s a fun pattern to
try. It resembles the official Zentangle® pattern TRIPOLI , but in a square kind of way, as you’ll
see if you follow along.
First,
begin with a square. Add a triangle on each side. Turn your tile 45 degrees in
either direction and draw another square on the side of one of the triangles.
Add a triangle to each of the remaining sides of the square. Turn your tile
again, and repeat. If you keep turning in the same direction, circular or
spiral patterns may form. I like to vary my direction and let the pattern
“wander aimlessly or casually
without urgent destination.” That’s how Merriam-Webster defines meander—the
inspiration for naming this pattern, and so zen! My choice of spelling is a
combination of the names of two special people, Mindy and Andy.
Merry Christmas,
you two! Merry Christmas to you!
Disclaimer: If this pattern has appeared elsewhere as a tangle pattern, please let me know so that I can give full credit.
Ganesha call...and response.
Here is my Zentangle-inspired interpretation of Lord Ganesha, proposed by Dilip Patel, CZT, in his quest to reach 100+ by December 31, on his blog here.
Alphabetica G-I
I added a few more tangled alphabet letters under the tab Alphabetica. I am creating this alphabet for my 3 grand nieces as birthday gifts. Happy birthday Meghan!
Zendala Class
This morning I taught a Zendala class in Northampton. We used the template for Zendala Dare #7 from The Bright Owl blog which I transferred to blank Zendala tiles prior to the class.
We incorporated six tangles: Ixorus, Braze, Betweed, Dex, Mist and Florz, with a little bit of optional Rain ...appropriate for our calm before the approaching East Coast storm! Here are the class results. Gorgeous!
Thanks, Amy, for the photo.
Be sure to visit The Bright Owl blog by Erin Koetz Olson, CZT, for weekly Zendala templates that are printable and can be used as is, or transferred to Zendala tiles. She has a tutorial link about how to do this on her site. If you're so inclined, you may submit your finished Zendala by following Erin's instructions, and also view a gallery of all participants for each week. She has 28 templates available. Thanks, Erin!
The Diva's Weekly Challenge #80
Imagine how surprised I was to see that my tangle design, Mi², was selected by The Diva (Laura Harms, CZT) as this week's challenge. Well, here is my contribution. As you can see, I love sprinkling seed shapes throughout my tangles. Tune in again next week as I come up with more tangles to 'seedify.'
Thanks Laura!
Mi² Revisited
A few months ago I submitted a tangle pattern, called Mi² (Me Too), to CZT Linda Farmer's tanglepatterns.com. From there it took on a life of its own as Rick Roberts highlighted (and elegantly simplified) it on Blog Zentangle and the Zentangle Newsletter. Later, Maria Thomas praised its charms again on their blog. Then today, as I was composing my blog post with some tips on how to more easily set up the underlying 'seed' structure of the pattern, I discovered that CZT Laura Harms, has selected Mi² as weekly challenge #80 on her fabulously inspiring blog, I Am the Diva. Be sure to see Maria's sparkling contribution to the diva's challenge here. Okay, I know I've probably inserted way too many links in this brief paragraph, but it's my way of thanking Linda, Rick, Maria, Laura, and all of you who have adapted this pattern to your own zentangle-inspired art. I love finding it in unexpected places!
Here are some tips and illustrations for beginning this tangle pattern that may possibly make it easier to draw the initial 'seeds.' With your micron pen, draw small diagonal lines, in alternate directions, for as many rows as you like. Be sure that each diagonal line is slanting opposite to the one above, below, and on either side. Then go back and connect the bottom to the top of each side of the slanted line with a mini-crescent moon. To complete the seed, fill in (or not) with ink. See here for the remaining tangle steps.
As you can see, I've varied the length of the lines, which adds to the fun. I hope this helps.
Here are some tips and illustrations for beginning this tangle pattern that may possibly make it easier to draw the initial 'seeds.' With your micron pen, draw small diagonal lines, in alternate directions, for as many rows as you like. Be sure that each diagonal line is slanting opposite to the one above, below, and on either side. Then go back and connect the bottom to the top of each side of the slanted line with a mini-crescent moon. To complete the seed, fill in (or not) with ink. See here for the remaining tangle steps.
As you can see, I've varied the length of the lines, which adds to the fun. I hope this helps.
Atlas Planetanglia
I am a four-time participant in The Sketchbook Project sponsored by Art House Co-op in Brooklyn, NY. My first three Zentangle-inspired sketchbooks can be viewed in their Digital Library. (You must create an account at their site to be able to view any of the thousands of sketchbooks.)
Currently I am working on Sketchbook Project 2013, titled Atlas Planetanglia. It will build on the imagery and process I used in 2012, titled Tangled Planets. Images for this work-in-progress can be viewed on my Galleria Planetanglia blog page.
Currently I am working on Sketchbook Project 2013, titled Atlas Planetanglia. It will build on the imagery and process I used in 2012, titled Tangled Planets. Images for this work-in-progress can be viewed on my Galleria Planetanglia blog page.
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| Copyright 2012 Mimi Lempart |
Tangled planets?
Almost a year after becoming a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT) in 2009, I began a daily practice of drawing one Zentangle a day. The small, 3.5-inch format enabled me to practice the 102 patterns I now had at my disposal to learn so that I could eventually teach them to others. I began storing the tiles in poly-protected album sleeves as a reference source which I still use today.
Looking back through these albums I discovered the first time I used a circular format was in May 2011. My strings and tangles were random, not symmetrical as mandalas, and thus began my “big bang” exploration of tangled planets.
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