"It's a String Thing" #17 Tiles

This week's challenge proved to be just that - a challenge!  It was a pairing of quite opposite tangles - Mooka and Moving Day - in a simpler string. 

Mooka is a gorgeous tangle pattern and a challenge in itself.  Because it is drawn in one continuous line it is a double edged sword if you will.  It is elegant and graceful and at the same time, defies the properties of most other tangles.  It lacks a closed space and does not lend itself easily to shading or even darkening.  It is most pleasing to the eye when the lines at the base are as equidistant as possible. 

Combine all of these factors and you do have a challenge on your hands - but what pretty results await the patient persistent tangler as you will see in the results below.  Let's take a look...

Jenna Wheatman sent in the first tile:

She said that she really likes the look of Mooka, but finds it a struggle to draw.  She went on to say, " I kept it simple this week, not sure i have ever left a tile so blank but i just liked the look of the tangles it reminded me of a masquerade ball mask."
She gave Moving Day a fresh look by wrapping it around the curves - thank you for that idea Jenna!

Vicky Brison added color to her Moving Day -

She found a way to weave Moving Day behind Mooka as well as adding a Mooka-like tangled string line....all very nice touches, Vicky.  Stay warm up there in Montana!

 

 Here is Mindy's masterpiece:

We affectionately call Mindy the 'Queen of Mooka'.  She uses the tangle often and with grace.  Here she used a weighted line on the down strokes and shaded in 'Hollibaugh' fashion.  Her shading and grid lines make Moving Day appear dimensional - so pretty!

 

Ragged Ray submitted two tiles:

 

 

                            

Her note was so inspirational that I include it here:

"This week's challenge was a bit daunting to begin with.  Moving Day needed me to let go of my tendency to keep things controlled and balanced and equal. 
And Mooka is the bane of my Zentangle existence.  When I was learning it was the first tangle that really tripped me up - that made me think 'I can't do this'.  I went online and found quite a few other people finding it tricky too - my first lesson in the support of the Zentangle community!  Rick and Maria's video helped but it still doesn't come easily to me.  I have to work to keep the lines smooth and flowing rather than  jerky and the bit at the bottom always gets me in a muddle
- hence why I have some of them emerging from holes instead!  With Zentangling cheating somehow never fells like cheating!

I did two tiles this week and am sending them both, as one seems to compliment the other - the first perhaps a strange butterfly happily lost in the peculiar garden that appeared in the second!"

She ended her note by saying, "Thanks for the fun!"

It is pure joy to see her work and to hear her story.  I thoroughly appreciated her comment that Mooka was the "bane" of her Zentangle existence and I know so many of you expressed the same sentiment. 

The key here is the fact that she pressed on, practiced, and produced tiles she was proud of - and she had FUN!  Oh, the some times strange magic of Zentangle!

One more note:  Along the edges, she pushed out the ends of the darkened lines of Moving Day and rounded them off - a nice touch!

 Annie Taylor submitted this tile with - as she called the two tangles - a "lovely pairing":

 

She said that she was looking to create an 'old' feel and a 'new' feel to both tangles.  She added that her husband "thought the dark Mooka looked like a set of golf clubs left in the hallway."  While not what she intended (smile) the result is very, very pretty.  Her use of dark spaces and stipple are wonderful compliments.

 Sue Agnew submitted this crisp rendition:

She said that this was the first tile she finished for the challenge and came back to it after completing another.  Sue said this one "looked happier", so she sent it along.

 

She opted not to darken the alternating line spaces in Moving Day and the result is a very neat, clean look.  Thank you, Sue!

 

 

A warm welcome to Cathy Cusson - 

Cathy said that she uses Mooka a lot - and it shows here.  The uniform distance in the base of her Mooka is the key to its visual appeal - and a reflection of practice and a steady hand.  She said that the string "just sort of disappeared with the Mooka"...more Zentangle magic! It's such a lovely tile.

Another warm welcome to Susan Green from Maryland -

 

Susan actually used Moving Day as a back drop and as filler for her Mooka.  She shaded around the central Mooka and added depth - very nice.  Notice her 'mark' - a very clever combination of the letters S and G.

Joan Delony made her tile shine -

She embellished her tangles and created various tangleations. What personality it has! 

Sue Jacobs, in her lovely style, submitted this tile:

 She said that she loved the string - but was didn't think the tangle patterns "worked together".  She went on to say that once she used Moving Day as her string line, she "could simply wave Mooka in and out."
She adds: "I tried a new technique here that I learned from Cris Letourneau.  The ghost Mooka that you see in the corners was done by using my dirty paper stump.  So simple!"

- and so clever!  Thank you for passing that tip along and for your beautiful art work.

 

Rhonda Koplin's submission is the tile for honors this week -

 

She wrote, "It had been a while since I watched the Mooka tutorial, and I was reminded that it's OK to draw outside the lines, or in this case, the string.  On this challenge, I learned that I need to slow down when shading."

Rhonda seems to enjoy Mooka like one would the company of a good friend.  It's woven in and through and around, mingled and happy.  She even incorporated it into her Moving Day along with other tangleations. 

It's a beautiful tile Rhonda, thank you for sending it in.

I have a little something coming in the mail for you.

Many thanks to the talented artists who took the time to share their work and experiences, you have taught me much.

Thank you to the creative minds behind the string and tangles we used this week:
Margaret Bremner for String 020 via Linda Farmer - and for Moving Day
Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts for Mooka

Check in tomorrow for "It's a String Thing" #18!

Please feel free to leave a comment in the space below - I'd love to hear from you.
If you would like a response from me, please use the email box located to the right.
Thank you!