Showing posts with label Strings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strings. Show all posts

Friday, September 1, 2017

Our Class Tile Mosaic - A Show and Tell

In class last Saturday, I presented a gift wrapped package to each student - Christmas in August we called it.
Each student received four pre strung tiles to create a mosaic and a pretty black frame to display their finished project.

The string was inspired by a tile floor that I saw in a grand old Florida hotel.  We used some familiar tangles as well as some that we learned together:  Amaze, Knightsbridge, Twing, Tidings, Fescu, Keeko, Betweed - all by Maria Thomas.

As we only had two short hours together and the work was very detailed, each of my twelve talented tanglers completed - or nearly completed - one tile and committed to finish the rest at home.

At the end of class, we assembled our tiles on my framed board and created this stunning mosaic ~


September 26 Class Tiles - Adele Bruno, CZT
Artists: Pat Carey, Geoffry Young, Pam Marion, CZT, Donnnie Adamczyk, CZT, Susie Brosonski, Glenna Oro,
Gara Hudson, Juliane Lopes, Margaret Morgan, Debbie Horvath, Betsy Gentry, and Lori Marsilio

The magic of the Zentangle® method unfolded (once again) as we placed our tiles side-by-side. Same string, same tangles, and yet each of our creations were uniquely our own.  We were in awe of what unfolded as the pieces came together - much too much joy not to spill over and share.

Enjoy!


Tuesday, July 4, 2017

"It's a String Thing" #202

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

It is also the Fourth of July and in the United States we are celebrating our Independence Day with fireworks displays. There is something very mesmerizing about watching fireworks explode in the night sky in all of their brilliance.

To join in the celebration, let's create some fireworks of our own - on paper, that is!

We begin with this string~

IAST #202 by Adele Bruno, CZT

The tangles we will use include ~

Pop-Cloud by Carla du Preez
Click here to view my previous post that includes "Tips for Tangling Pop-Cloud"
This tangle came to mind in part because of the summer thunderstorms in our area, and because once mastered, this pattern is really fun to draw.  Layering and shading add wonderful dimension to it.

Xplode by Margaret McKerihan
The name alone fits our challenge this week and the tangle is a treat.

CO2 by Antonine Megger
These little explosions of line will add to the fun.



Simply pencil the string line onto your tile and tangle away! Keep in mind that string lines are suggestions and let the patterns lead the way.

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 are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.
*Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays. 


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. 
In order to eligible for the drawing, you must send in your completed tile.

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.

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

"It's a String Thing" #199

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

And a very good news day it is.  Our family celebrated a joyous wedding this past week and here we are just one IAST shy of the two hundred mark.  Incredible!
I hope to have the previous week's tiles posted before we celebrate next week.  Thank you in advance for your patience.

Today, we begin with this string ~

IAST #199 by Adele Bruno, CZT


The two tangles we will use are:

Apacore by Lori Manoogian, CZT
Thinking of a child saying the name of this tangle will bring a smile to your face.   The strokes are graceful and aura is added in a similar fashion to CZT Lynn Mead's Abeko.  Embellishing it (as Lori did in her example) with little apple seed strokes adds a touch of whimsy.  

Wired by Suzanne McNeill, CZT
This link will show you what the tangle looks like, but there are no step outs to view.  It is simple enough to figure out.  Wired is a good pattern to keep in your 'simple to remember' category:  easy and surprisingly striking.


Simply pencil the string line onto your tile and tangle away! Keep in mind that string lines are suggestions and let the patterns lead the way.

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 are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.
*Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays. 


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. 
In order to eligible for the drawing, you must send in your completed tile.

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.


Tuesday, January 21, 2014

"It's a String Thing" #24

It's Tuesday - your good news day!

We are reaching back into the files of Linda Farmer's String collection this week to String #015.  It was created by Courtney Franz, CZT.
Copyright image used with permission from TanglePatterns.com
In honor of Courtney and working a bit backwards, we will use patterns that begin with the letter 'Y' - the last letter of Courtney's first name.  Since her last name has five letters, we'll use five tangles.

Yabbit by Margaret Bremner, CZT
Yang by Genevieve Crabe, CZT
Yew-dee by Peg Farmer, CZT
Y-ful Power by Shoshi
Yincut and official Zentangle® pattern

These tangles can be found here on Linda Farmer's Tangle Patterns.

Be sure to read the write-ups about these patterns when you search for the step outs.
You will learn how Yabbut got it's name, how Yew-dee came to be and what it was named for, and you'll see the beautifully illustrated variations for Y-ful Power by Shoshi.

Use as few or as many of these patterns as you would like.  

Simply pencil the string line onto your tile and tangle away!

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike. Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines: 
* Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.
*Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin
       with the letter(s) indicated
*Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper
* Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or
      scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg
*Email your jpg file as an attachment to - brunoadelem@gmail.com
*Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.
*Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.
 

Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle enthusiasts all over the world.
PLEASE NOTE: I will add a link to your blog or web site with your tile photo if you wish.

I look forward to your emails.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Celebrating Strings and Special Things


This is a precious gift -



My friend and fellow CZT Sindy P tangled it for me.  Isn't it exquisite?
I was in awe when I unwrapped it - the time she spent, the thought, the work...





Here is a close up of the details on the roof.  It is just beautiful!

The house is actually a paper-mâché box.  She lifted off the top to reveal a bag of sugary rock candy - on  strings.  STRINGS!

As it turns out, she was on a trip to California with her husband the week before and found the stringed treasures at a specialty candy store.

Her gift tied many things together - our friendship that began with tangling, the origins of the string concept in Zentangle®, my blog challenge "It's a String Thing", and the book about strings that Sindy is currently writing.

Yes, Sindy is writing a book about strings - one of my favorite things.  When it is published, I will showcase it here...it is as creative and wonderful as she is - stay tuned!


Please feel free to leave a comment in the space provided below.
If you would like a reply from me, please use the email box to the right.
Thank you so much!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Wednesday's Word - STRINGS - and a bit o' Zentangle History

There are a multitude of reasons that I am personally drawn (pun intended) to the concept of strings in the practice of the Zentangle® art form.
The Book of Zentangle is available @ www.zentangle.com 
In their fascinating book about the origins of Zentangle - The Book of Zentangle® - co-founders Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas explain strings this way:

A string is a line or lines that divide a marking surface into sections to be filled with tangles.(pg. 102)

Rick tells the story of making rock candy with his grandmother.  In the process they dipped strings into a sugary water mixture and crystals formed and grew on the strings.  He parallels that phenomena with tangles growing out from strings when drawn on a tile.

It's a treasure of a story and a beautiful origin for such a simple yet elegant concept in the practice of Zentangle.

As an early student of the method, I found strings more than a bit daunting.  To draw or choose a string and then face tangling in the defined spaces was intimidating.  All hesitation and self-doubt had to be put aside.  It was a swan dive into the unknown, a delving into the process, a commitment, a definitive move.

For me, it was reminiscent of when I've climbed to the platform of a ten meter board, or stood on the starting line of a long distance race, been admitted to the hospital in labor, or forced that first step down the aisle in times of great joy and of great sorrow...if you will, a giving over of one's self.

But - much like the way I describe to people what it is to have Faith - it is in the letting go, the trusting of the process, the confidence that you have what it takes to see to the other side, the belief that you have the talent and the ability to accomplish great things and have something beautiful to show for it, that we find joy...

A metaphor for life - and all in this little thing we call a string.

Choosing strings as a theme for the weekly challenges was very purposeful.  It is my hope that you feel comparable joy as you tangle and experience both the 'elegance of limitations' and the world of possibilities.

Happy tangling to you!







Tuesday, January 7, 2014

"It's a String Thing" #22

It's the first Tuesday of the new year - time to tangle!

This week's challenge begins with String 022 created by Margaret Bremner as featured on Linda Farmer's Tangle Patterns.

I am in awe of Margaret's work and her blog - The Enthusiastic Artist. - and very excited to begin the new year with one of her strings.


Since Margaret's name is chock full of 'R's' and the vowels 'A' and 'E', in her honor we will use tangle patterns that begin with the letters 'RA' and 'RE'.    They include:

Ragz by CZT Christina Vandervlist
Rain - an official Zentangle® pattern
Raindotty by CZT Jane Monk
Reticulated by Livia Chua
Retro by Elena Hadzijaneva

Be sure to read about the patterns (found here on Tangle Patterns) - especially the example that Linda Farmer posted about Rain and how it can be used as a filler.  It will expand the possibilities for using the other border-type tangles as well.

Simply pencil the string line onto your tile and tangle away!

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike. Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:  
* Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.
*Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin
      with the letter(s) indicated
*Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper
* Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or
      scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg
*Email your jpg file as an attachment to - brunoadelem@gmail.com
*Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.
*Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.

Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle enthusiasts all over the world.
PLEASE NOTE: I will add a link to your blog or web site with your tile photo if you wish.

I look forward to your emails.







Thursday, December 26, 2013

"It's a String Thing" #20

Happy One Day After Christmas!

This week our challenge time frame is adjusted just a bit because of the holidays, so I will happily accept submissions through Sunday.

We begin with String 028 as posted on Tangle Patterns and created by Anne Marks:

 
 
In honor of Anne, we will use two tangle patterns that begin with the letter "A" : 
 
Ahh - an official Zentangle® pattern  and
 
Afterglo by Carole Ohl
 
Both tangles have a festive feel and seem just right for the time of year.
 
The step outs for these patterns can be found here on Linda Farmer's fabulous Tangle Patterns.
 
As Linda suggests when she first published String 028 - remember string lines are suggestions so just "free hand the shapes onto your tile as best you can" and tangle away!
 
 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:
     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          
     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    
                  with the letter(s) indicated                 
     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      
     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         
                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    
     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    
     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     
     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       
 
Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle enthusiasts all over the world.
PLEASE NOTE:  I will add a link to your blog or web site with you tile photo if you wish.

I look forward to your emails.
 
 


Tuesday, December 10, 2013

"It's a String Thing" #18

It is Tuesday, your good news day!

'Tis the Christmas season and in the midst of these happy (and busy) days this "String Thing" is purposefully simple.

I begin with a confession - I worked a bit backwards this week. I first chose a tangle pattern, and then a string.  As it turns out, I am using my own string this week because it suits the tangle that I have in mind for Christmastime - Verdigogh

Verdigogh is one of those wonderful official Zentangle® patterns that at first blush appears complicated, but after just a bit of practice, unfolds easily and elegantly. 

You can find Maria Thomas' step out and variations for Verdigogh here on the Zentangle blog.

We begin with String 062 by yours truly via Linda Farmer:
While Veritgogh is the only tangle pattern assigned to this challenge, feel free to embellish the negative spaces as you wish. 

To Recap - use:
String 063 - by me, Adele Bruno
Verdigogh - an original Zentangle pattern

 If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:
     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          
     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    
                  with the letter(s) indicated                 
     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      
     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         
                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    
     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    
     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     
     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       
 
Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle enthusiasts all over the world.
PLEASE NOTE:  I will add a link to your blog or web site with you tile photo if you wish.

I look forward to your emails.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

"It's a String Thing" #17

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

After last week's beautiful interpretations of Heartstrings, I can hardly wait to see what this week brings...

We begin with String 020 by CZT Margaret Bremner as posted by Linda Farmer on her wonderful TanglePatterns.com.

In honor of Margaret, the Enthusiastic Artist, (click here to view her fabulous blog) we will use two tangles that begin with the letter 'M'. 

The first is a creation by Margaret herself - Moving Day.  The second is Mooka, an official Zentangle® pattern.

There is a wealth of information on the web for Mooka, including this video where Maria Thomas, along with Rick Roberts, shows how to draw the tangle:

You can also find both tangles here on Tangle Patterns.

To Recap - use:

String 020 and
Moving Day by CZT Margaret Bremner
Mooka - an official Zentangle pattern

I can already see the creative wheels turning!


 If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:
     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          
     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    
                  with the letter(s) indicated                 
     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      
     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         
                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    
     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    
     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     
     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       
 
Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle enthusiasts all over the world.

I look forward to your emails.



 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

"I'ts a String Thing" Sweet #16

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

Before I write about this new challenge - I must answer a question that has come up from several readers.  How best to transfer the string line to a tile?  

What I suggest (and what I do) is to view the string, study it a bit, put pencil to tile and draw it.  The way it turns out on your tile is how you should use it.  There is no right or wrong to it - you can make your own version or interpretation of it.  Keep in mind that strings are suggestions. 
Have confidence and tangle on!

Now for this week's String Thing...

In honor of Thanksgiving here in the United States - just a few day away - and in recognition of our grateful hearts, this is a very sweet #16 challenge.

We begin with String 018 by Sandy Hunter, CZT, as posted by Linda Farmer on Tangle Patterns.

In honor of Sandy we will use a tangle that begins with the letter 'H' for Hunter -
the pattern Heartstrings by Helen Williams.

The reason for using one tangle this week is threefold:
1.  It captures the spirit of love and gratitude.
2.  It gives a unique opportunity to learn and master one tangle pattern.
3.  It provides an opportunity to tangle in the midst of the holiday season without demanding a great deal of time.  Translated, that means you can do this :)

You will find detailed instructions for Heartstrings by Helen Williams, along with a video and variations of the tangle at this link on Tangle Patterns.

To recap - use:

String 018 by Sandy Hunter on Tangle Patterns
Heartstrings by Helen Williams

If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:
     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          
     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    
                  with the letter(s) indicated                 
     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      
     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         
                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    
     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    
     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     
     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle enthusiasts all over the world.

I look forward to your emails.



Tuesday, November 19, 2013

"It's a String Thing" #15

It's Tuesday, your good news day!


After last week's curvy and loopy string line we take an about face this week with a straight lined string and a group of grid based patterns.

We begin with String 019 created by Linda Selymes and published by Linda Farmer on Tangle Patterns.

In honor of Linda we will use a selection of tangles that begin with the letter 'L'.  The patterns are all grid based in keeping with the nature of Linda's string line. 

There are six patterns to choose from this week - use as few or as many as you would like:

Lace Curtains by CZT Suzanne McNeill
Lacy by Sandra Strait
Lanie by CZT Adele Bruno - that's me!
Lokomotive by Stephanie Kukla
Longwood by J.J. La Barbera
Looplopp by Ksenija Vojisavljevic

All of these tangles can be found here on the Tangle Patterns website.


If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:
     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          
     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    
                  with the letter(s) indicated                 
     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      
     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         
                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    
     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    
     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     
     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle enthusiasts all over the world.

I look forward to your emails.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

"It's a String Thing" #14

Happy 11-12-13! 

Today's numbers are worth celebrating: 11th month, 12th day, 13th year, 14th challenge - how cool is that?! 

When those numbers are lined up and added like so:  11+12+13+14 their sum is 50.

To commemorate the day we will use String 050.  It was posted by Linda Farmer and created by Zentangle® co-founder Maria Thomas.  In Maria's signature style, it is graceful and loopy.

In Maria's honor we will use the four official tangles found on Tangle Patterns that begin with the letter 'T' for Thomas:

Tagh
Tipple
Tortuca
Tripoli

This treasure of Maria's tangles, along with the string, will be a treat to play with this week.

In this
11th month, on the
12th day, in the
13th year for the
14th "String Thing" - I will send the tangler who submits the
15th entry a special something to mark this momentous occasion. 

How fun!


If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:
     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          
     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    
                  with the letter(s) indicated                 
     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      
     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         
                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    
     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    
     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     
     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you never know who you will encourage and inspire -
or if you'll be lucky #15!

I look forward to your emails.

Monday, November 11, 2013

"It's a String Thing" #13 Tiles

Happy Monday and Happy Veterans Day!

"It's a String Thing" #13, despite the number's unlucky reputation, turned out to be a lucky endeavor because the results are just beautiful!

Vicky from Montana sent in two tiles.  She completed the first one in black and white, but "really felt a calling for color and the purple passion emerged!"

She used water color pencils blended with a bit of water for her second tile.  Vicky's Angel Fish has pretty curved edges and Antidots has a nice layered look and the darkened background makes it seem to burst off of the paper.

Jenna Wheatman from the UK said that the tangle were "fun to play with".  She mentioned that it was hard fitting them to a string:
 
 
But that is good to keep in mind...one of the magical qualities of a string is that it can change, be pushed, ignored even.  It is a suggestion, simply an idea of where to place your tangles.  Once you begin, if a pattern takes you through, under, over, or in a different direction that the string line - great!  Just follow where your tangle leads. 
 
And Jenna's tile is gorgeous.  Her variations of Antidots are striking, especially with the added sparkle.
 
Florida's Joan Delony said that she loved both Antidots and Angel Fish so much that she did five tiles using them and had "a grand time!"  Her is a lovely one:

 Antidots has a beautiful lacey feel here.  It's light and pretty and a perfect compliment to her Angel Fish

Marie-Therese Dubois (another happy and proud Grandmother :) sent this in from Alabama:
They way she tangled this tile is reminiscent of an ocean scene - flowing and layered and moving, and very calming.  The enhancements to Angel Fish and the variaions on Antidots are all very thoughtful details.

UK's Ragged Ray submitted this lovely tile:
It is very impressive how she used Angel Fish along the string line.  It effortlessly flows and bends and overlaps - amazing.  Antidots appears teaming with life -  a beautiful tile.
 
 Mindy, also from Florida, said this one was fun for her.  She wrote, "While enjoying drawing the patterns, the string disappeared!" 
Mindy's use and direction of Angel Fish make her tile team with movement, as though the tangles are bubbling up from the middle and spilling into the corners - spectacular!

Washington state's Jackie Becker wrote to say that she really liked this string and would use it again in the future.
 
 What a very pretty look she achieved with the variations of Angel Fish, her use of light and dark space, aura, and (yes!) shading.  

Sue Jacobs, CZT from Illinois,  said that it was difficult to start this tile faced with so many sections in the string and just two patterns but she "ended up just going for it."
And her plunge benefitted us - what a happy tile.  She said she added color because it was too busy.  She adds, "It's still busy, but now I think it's a fun busy."  It is!

The tile set aside for honors this week was sent in by Sue Agnew.  Not only is this a wonderful tile, but her determination to tangle also stands out as an inspiration.

Sue said that she didn't get as much time to play with the tangles as she would have liked.  She was at a work related retreat and said, "...taking 'tangle time' for me was really important!" 
This is striking.  The lines in her Angel Fish are as pleasing and relaxing to look at as they must have been to draw.  The strings of Antidots are very graceful. 
Sue made the time to tangle and that is inspiration for the rest of us especially in the face of the happy holidays ahead!
 
Thank you, Sue, I have a little some thing coming in the mail for you.
 
Many thanks to:
Linda Farmer and Anne Marks for String 010
Anita Roby-Lavery, CZT for Antidots
Marizaan van Beek, CZT for Angel Fish
 
Check back tomorrow for a very special "It's a String Thing" challenge.
 
Please feel free to leave a comment in the space below.
If you would like a response from me, please use the email box located to the right.
Thank you!
 

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

"It's a String Thing" #13

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

This week we will concentrate on just two tangles.  One is a favorite of mine, the other is one I've wanted to try since Linda Farmer first published it on her website.  So, here we go!

The string line for this week was created by Anne Marks and is listed as number 010 on Tangle Patterns.
In Anne's honor we will use patterns that begin with the first two letters of her name -  'An' - and they are: Antidots by Anita Roby-Lavery, CZT® and Angel Fish by Marizaan van Beek, CZT.  You can find the step-outs for the patterns here.

Antidots is one of my favorites.  It is especially fun to play with as it seems to lead the pen and morph into unexpected shapes.

Angel Fish has been on my 'To Learn' list since Linda first posted it.  I welcome this dedicated time to concentrate on it and hope you do too.

Both patterns are easily enhanced and you may even surprise yourself with a few tangleations as you go - have fun!

To Recap - use:
String 010
Antidots  by Anita Roby-Lavery, CZT®
Angel Fish by Marizaan van Beek, CZT

 If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent... 

  Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:
     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          
     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    
                  with the letter(s) indicated                 
     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      
     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         
                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    
     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    
     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     
     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you never know who you will encourage and inspire.

I look forward to your emails. 

Friday, November 1, 2013

11/1

What better day to play with Paradox!



Today's date, November 1st, when written numerically, consists of three ones.

Looking at those three straight lines made me think of the pattern Rick's Paradox.

It's a tangle that is drawn with just that one elemental stroke - a straight line - repeated in such a way that it creates the illusion of a curve. 

Hmmmm....sounds like an inspiration to me. 

I set out to create a monotangle of Rick's Paradox to celebrate the day.

I dug into my Zendala kit and picked this pre-strung tile:

 
I traced the curved lines of the string and tangled Paradox in each section.  Keep in mind that all lines in the finished tile are straight with the exception of the string lines.  Here is my finished monotangle before shading:

And here is my completed tile with shading:

 
A straight-line tangle pattern, drawn in curved sections of a pre-strung Zendala tile - and the result is pure Zentangle® magic!  The lines seem to curve and twist and spin.
 
 
And it all started with the numeral one in today's date: 11/1.  See what inspires you and tangle away.
 
 
Have a happy weekend!


Tuesday, October 22, 2013

"It's a String Thing" #11

It's Tuesday and here is your good news...

"It's a String Thing" #11 just may make you giddy!  It is based on words that contain double letters.  But before we begin here is CZT Sue Jacob's sensational submission for last week's challenge: 

It was buried in my inbox and with apologies to Sue, I did not find it until yesterday afternoon.  It seems fitting though, to have Sue's tile all to ourselves today and admire her work.  Fish Net hanging from a pole was a very clever idea - along with the shadow effect - and Fife is so plump and full.  Many thanks, Sue, for this gorgeous tile and for your tangle pattern that is featured in this week's "It's a String Thing".

We begin this odd numbered challenge with an odd numbered string -  String 013 by Jill Dobis found on Linda Farmer's Tangle Patterns.


Then, in Jill's honor, we will use just three tangle patterns for this challenge that all begin with the letter 'J' and contain double letters:  Jilli by CZT Sue Jacobs (who's tile is featured above), Shauna's Jitterz, and just to mix things up a bit - Jetties, an official Zentangle® pattern.

To Recap - Use:
String 013
Tangle Patterns Jilli, Jitterz, and Jetties

 If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...you get the idea! 

 Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:
     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          
     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    
                  with the letter(s) indicated                 
     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      
     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         
                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    
     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    
     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     
     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you never know who you will encourage and inspire.

I look forward to your emails.  

Monday, October 21, 2013

"It's a String Thing" #10 Tiles

Using only a few options for tangles and the same string, the multifarious (just learned that word and had to use it!) results for this week's challenge are a real treat to behold.

Ragged Ray said she was drawn to the shape of the string line. 
She said that she tried a few variations and really liked leaving the inner string lines white.  It is a striking look, especially with the added shading.  Using Fife as a border along with the of dark lines and spaces are thoughtful touches.

Brenda Urbanik created a beautiful tangleation of Fiore in her tile this week:
Her shading is wonderful too.  It's interesting that the string line disappears as her tangle patterns alternate. 

Audrie Weisenfelder sent in two tiles this week.  In the first one she used all four of the "Fi-" named tangles:
 
Her use of Finery and it's wispy curls create a pleasing contrast to the weighted Fife.  She created a nice touch with the intermingling of Fish Net and Fiore.  Here is Audrie's second tile:
 


What a pretty use of Finery with this string line - and the contrast with white on black is a nice touch.

Deanna Spence submitted this tile - complete with a sparkly background.

It's a treat to see what Deanna does with her tangles as they come to the edges of her tiles.  Note how she tapered off Fiore, creating an interesting edge (left side) as well as along the upper edge where Fiore seems to pull away from Fife.  Her shading of Fife makes it pop!

Sue Agnew sent in this pretty tile:
Sue has such a beautiful touch with her fine lines.  The aura added to Fiore creates a sweet variation and her shading gives it wonderful dimension.

Joan Delony said that this really challenged her.  She worked on five tiles before completing one that she would send in.  Thank you for your persistence!


The way Joan's Fish Net drapes over Fidget is very pretty.  Her Fish Net bends and moves through the middle of her tile adding a nice touch.  Her Finery scrolls are very graceful.

This next tile is from newcomer Jenna Wheatman from the UK.  Jenna found Zentangle on the internet and is self taught.  (You have our collective admiration, Jenna!)  She said that she noticed how shading is important in a finished tile and is adding it to her work now.  -
Her results are beautiful and very detailed.  Jenna created some very pretty tangleations here, especially to Fiore.

The tile for honors this week was created by Mindy.  Isn't it lovely?


Mindy used Fish Net and then again in reverse to create such a pleasing compliment.  Fife in the center section, with its curved lines and shading, appears bulbous.  Finery can be a challenging tangle, especially to maneuver around turns, but Mindy managed that with ease here.  The weighted lines turning into the center of Finery add wonderful movement.  Such a pretty piece, thank you Mindy.  I have a little something coming in the mail to you (again!).
 
One of the wonderful things about this challenge, as Sue Agnew wrote in a note, is that "she always learns from what others do."

Many thanks to all of you for sending in your treasures.

Through your work, we learn, are inspired, and build confidence in our own style.  Thank you!

Many thanks as well to the creative minds behind the tangles and string used this week:

Fidget by Sandy Bartholomew
Fife by Molly Hollibaugh, CZT
Finery an official Zentangle pattern
Fiore by Jana Rogers, CZT
Fish Net by Mariet Lustenhouwer
and Barbara Finwall and Linda Farmer for String 012

Coming tomorrow:  "It's a String Thing" #11

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