"It's a String Thing" #238 and Time to Meet Mack

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

It is doubly good news day as we begin IAST #238 with my new tangle, Mack.  Last week I mentioned that I was developing a step out and after consulting with my Knuckleballers, tweaking a few details, and finishing up my drawings, it is now ready for "prime time"!

Let's look through the step out first, view a few examples, and then delve into IAST #238 ~

There is a lot of information to squeeze in to this format, but I love the look of these pages that Zentangle provides CZTs for tangle step outs.  The basic tangle reads down the six squares on the left-hand side.  While this illustrates one section of the tangle, the real magic happens when those sections are combined.

Mack can be tangled one square at a time, or it can easily begin with a grid.
This is the first tile I completed with it ~

First Tile with Mack - Adele Bruno, CZT

I didn't intend to draw the grid so square, so I purposely added wonkier lines toward the bottom.  Mack looked great both ways, especially once shaded.

I found it was important to draw the parallel lines in one section at a time and they magically met each other on the grid lines.

Here are a few variations from my journal:

 Mack with rounded corners -

Mack with sparkled lines -

This one reminds me of long time IAST contributor Sue Agnew (Arizona).


My Knuckleballers really liked Mack (whew!).  None of us could recall a similar step out on the web, so with their blessing, I continued to develop it.

Tracey Nicholson, CZT noted that it was very rhythmic and soothing to draw the detail lines.  She is the one that likened  the "one, two, three" count of the lines to a waltz.  I hum when I draw this now, thanks to Tracey.

She also sent along a few examples from her sketchbook to expand the possibilities of the tangle.

 Once Tracey tangled eight sections of Mack, she embellished the larger triangles with more tangles.

 Look what Tracey did with this one.  I love it!

Dorian Eng, CZT (with whom I have another book coming out later this month - yay!) suggested that Mack would make a fabulous fragment.  When the squares are not mirrored, the pattern creates intriguing possibilities.

Whew!  So much fun in one little place!

Speaking of fun - let's get to IAST #238 and begin with this Mack string ~

IAST #238 Mack String by Adele Bruno, CZT

Please feel free to use only Mack or to fill Mack with other tangles as Tracey's did (pictured above).

As with all our IAST adventures, simply pencil in the string keeping in mind that it is a suggestion, and let the tangle(s) lead the way.

Enjoy!

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines: 
* Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.
*Use the string posted for the week and some or all of the suggested patterns
* Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or scan your tile (300 dpi or higher) and save as a jpg
*Email your jpg file as an attachment to - brunoadelem@gmail.com
*Entries for IAST are to be submitted by Saturday evening of the week issued
*Photos, notes, and the 'Tile for Honors' are (usually) posted on the following Monday 

Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle® enthusiasts all over the world. WHEN YOU SIGN YOUR NAME, PLEASE INCLUDE WHERE YOU LIVE. 
FOR EXAMPLE: ADELE BRUNO (FLORIDA)

PLEASE NOTE: It is not necessary for you to have a blog or website to participate. 

If you do have a blog or website, I will add a link upon request. 
Please include the site specific URL. 

I look forward to your emails.

Oh!  Before I forget, this tangle is named for my brother Matt whose nickname (since our childhood) is Mack.  It was on Matt's birthday that I first drew this tangle in my journal ~

Happy Birthday, Matt!