Challenge #70 - "Color Me Sepia"

Nothing like squeezing the Diva's Challenge in at the very last minute!

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Zendala + Color = A Fun Challenge!

Not a Diva's Challenge, just a personal challenge.  I tend to be a black and white purist when it comes to my Zentangles but decided to give some color a try with this Zendala.  The shapes of this prestrung tile really said "Paradox" to me and, in true mandala style, I stayed very symmetrical with the pattern and the color.  I started the Paradox on the same side of each shape as I rotated the tile to keeps the twists all going in the same direction.  After drawing all the lines using 005 Micron pens in blue, black, green, and purple, I shaded using dry watercolor pencils that most closely matched the ink colors.  As alway, I found that Paradox and its shading really seem to work better with a very light touch.

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"Paradox" Lost? My Paradox Process

Do you still get "lost" trying to draw Paradox?  Try this exercise:

(1) Draw a simple triangle on a piece of scrap paper with one of the points at the top and 2 points at the bottom.

(2) Starting with the bottom left corner ("On the corner") draw a straight line toward the corner at the right but angle the line so that you end up stopping at the right side just above the corner("Off the corner").

(3) Without picking up your pen ("On the corner"), rotate the tile clockwise so that you draw your next line to the right, again angling so that you stop on the right side just above the corner ("Off the corner").

(4) Without lifting your pen ("On the corner"), again rotate the tile clockwise  and draw your next line until you come to the next side line above the corner ("Off the corner").

(5) Continue to repeat drawing from "On the corner" to "Off the corner", remembering to rotate your tile the same direction and always stopping at the inside line just above the corner, until you have rotated and drawn all the way to the center.

Now try another triangle but lift up your pen before you rotate your tile.  As long as you continue to rotate in the same direction and put your pen back down where you stopped your last line, you won't get lost.

After you master the triangle, try the same approach with a square or rectangle.  Adding more sides to your shapes will make your Paradox even more interesting and complex, but still continue to use the same technique. To this day, I still chant "On the corner" to "Off the corner" in my head whenever I do Paradox.

Disclaimer:  I'm right handed.  For those of you who are lefties, you may want to try reversing the direction if drawing to the right feels awkward. You'll still draw from "On the corner" to "Off the corner,but from right to left and you'll rotate the tile counter clockwise.

"Feelin' Groovy!" - Challenge #69

In spite of being a little under the weather this week, this week's Diva Challenge (see link button at right) had me feeling groovy.  It was another "Use My Tangle" challenge and Eden from "Cut'n It Up" was this week's feature with her tangle "Groovy."  I really had fun contrasting the pattern with heavy shading against no shading at all - it seems to work both ways.  The big shape in the center cried out for Zedbra and Baton just wanted to snuggle in between.

So, am I the only one who got a craving for shell pasta after playing with Groovy?

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The Diva's Challenge #67 - Earth (Amanda's) Day

I chose to do this week's Diva Challenge (see link button at right) using a Zendala tile - seemed pretty obvious since the Diva challenged us with the theme of Earth Day.  Be sure to read her story about her son's new name for the Earth - Amanda.  Laura's creativity hasn't fallen far from the tree!

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Laura's Aura Challenge

The Diva's Challenge (see link button at right) for this week is lots of fun!  We're challenged to explore the idea of auras - lines that outline a shape or tangle.  I used a few old favorite tangles (Crescent Moon, Static, Inapod) that are obviously about auras but always fun, with a few extra orbs and shading to spice things up.

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Diva's Challenge - String Theory VIII - "Fortuneteller"

In preparation for a "white on black" Zentangle class I have coming up, I decided to use this week's Diva Challenge (see link button at right) to experiment with different patterns on the black tiles. It didn't take me long to know my fortune...I see LOTS more practice for my class in my future!

Sometimes you just gotta tangle!

On my break at work this morning, I decided to take a quick peek at this week's Diva Challenge (see button at the right).  It looked like a fun challenge (are they ever not fun?) so I grabbed my purse to pull out my little Zentangle "travel kit."  I reached in and...oh, no!  I forgot to put it in my purse today! I desparately looked around my desk for something to tangle on when my eyes fell on a pad of Post-It notes.  Why not? They're square and almost the right size.  Just a few minutes later, with the help of a fine point rollerball pen, I had my fix; I could return to work relaxed and happy knowing that I had accomplished at least one thing at work this morning.

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"Fengle" Tangles - Challenge #63

I can always count on the Diva to get my behind in gear to work on and work out a new tangle pattern.  She came through again with this week's Diva Challenge (see link at the right).  Our Challenge is to use "Fengle."  Even though Rick and Maria gave us this new pattern before Christmas, I had not really tried it.  I can see that this opens up all sorts of possibilities for "tangle-ations" and expect to have lots of fun Fengle-ing!

My first try was a 6" x 6" ZIA just to get the hang of it.  I really prefer the second one (which is an "official Zentangle" on the white tile) that just came out in about 15 minutes.

Carole's Coaster - a little late

About a year ago, a group of us gathered at Oakwood Retreat Center in Selma, IN, just outside of Muncie, for the Float Fest Retreat, organized by Carole Ohl with classes taught by Carole and my sister, Peg Farmer.  I knew about Zentangle from Peg (thanks, big sis!), had played around with it a little, but had never had a class or any kind formal introduction to it.  That long weekend really made a change in my life - I met some new friends, learned lots of new tangles, and most of all, finally "got" what Zentangle is about; I was hooked. I had always admired (coveted?) Carole's tangles and techniques and there I was, learning them from her - shading and negative space and combining patterns (and how to start a zendala without math!)  I'm not doing this to embarrass Carole, just to thank her.

As is typical for me, I started this ZIA in February in honor of Carole's birthday with all good intentions of posting it for her on the 20th and...well....I just finished it today. I used one of my favorite Carole tangles, Coaster, with a little Paradox thrown in.  Happy birthday a little late, Carole. You really are an inspiration for so many of us!

See some of Carole's work at www.OpenSeedArts.blogspot.com.

The Diva's Challenge #62 - Spirals vs. Paradox

This week's Diva Challenge (see button to the right) is from the creative mind of guest Challenger, Marizaan van Beek, from South Africa.  Our challenge is to use both spirals and Paradox by using a spiral string filled in with favorite tangle Paradox.  This one has been WAY fun for me!

Diva Challenge #61 UMT (Use My Tangle)

I had such a good time with last week's DuoTangle Challenge that I found myself solving this week's challenge using only 2 tangle patterns again. Mariet's "wavey" pattern called Golven (Dutch for waves) paired beautifully with my latest favorite pattern, Hi-Cs, from Anita Roby-Lavery. Mike says it looks like just one corner of a larger piece - maybe that's because I just finished an ensemble set I've been working on. Whatever the reason, I really enjoyed doing this week's challenge - thanks, Laura, Mariet, and Anita!

The Diva's Challenge #60

Wow! Challenge #60 - how time flies....all good intentions....starting over again....blah, blah, blah...
Yes, I've beat myself up about this blog long enough.  Today I'm posting this week's Diva Challenge which uses a favorite pattern, Munchin, and a not-so-favorite, Cirquital.  Thank you, Laura, for always giving me a weekly topic that I can count on!

The Diva's Challenge #51 - FIFE

Ok, I'll admit it - I've been blog-dodging ever since I went to Providence to become a CZT.   There was just so much to talk about that I couldn't figure out where to start.  It's only been just recently that I realized how much I've  missed tangling just for the fun of it!  The Diva Challenges give me such a great no-pressure deadline each week - time to get back in the habit!  So here's my first stab at the new tangle pattern, FIFE.

The Diva's Challenge #42 - HOPE

Again this week, the Diva's Challenge is both thought-provoking and, for many of us, very timely.  What better expression of "hope" than 100 people from literally all over the world gathering in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, to learn how to share this amazing artform called Zentangle.  I'm so excited to go, meet Zentangle founders Rick and Maria, and spend four days absorbing as much as I can about Zentangle and teaching it and all the new people I will meet.  I hope that the next time you read a post here, it will be written by a brand-spankin'-shiney-new CZT!

The Diva's Challenge #41

The Diva's Challenge #39 - LOVE

This week's Challenge is in response to the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy.  I found myself really over-thinking this one - so many emotions and strong images rushed through my mind and I got too caught up in trying to come up with the perfect image worthy of the enormity of that event.  So, as I often do, I went back to keeping it simple.  Two patterns immediately came to mind.  The first, Jeanne Zuzel's Hugs and Kisses, seemed pretty obvious.  The second, Punch, from Sandy Bartholomew, represents for me the hope and optimism of love.  This 6" x 6" ZIA is what happened when I stopped thinking and just let things flow.  The magic of Zentangle never ceases to amaze and fascinate me.

All you need is Love.  Love is all you need.  ~John Lennon

The Diva's Challenge #38 - "Pair of Ducks" - THIS IS A TEST

I'm in the process of developing this, my very first blog.  I'm posting The Diva's Challenge today as my very first post to see if I can figure out how to make it work.  Have patience with me as I muddle my way through this blogging adventure!


The Diva's Challenge this week is to do a monotangle using only Paradox, which happens to be one of my favorites.  There's so much about Paradox that fascinates me - the complexity that comes from such a simple process; the flexibility of the pattern; what a difference the shading can make; how the shape of the string determines so much about the final design.  It's just so fun!