ZENDALA DARE #85

I havent done a 'Dare' for a few weeks, having been on holidays, so happily did this one tonight. I was in the mood to use my Gelly Roll pens , I like the way they flow smoothly and the colours are vibrant. I kept the colour scheme to Analogous or Harmonious, so the colours toned together well. The thing thats missing is fine detail. Its not brilliant but I enjoyed doing it and thats the main thing hey?

ATC CARDS CONTINUED

Ive had some fun playing with ATCs. Quite like the fact that they are smaller. I had some nice replies from last blog that a few folk will swap with me, but I'm not sure they realise I live in Autralia!! Thanks to them very much. indeed. For two of these I did a colour wash background first but found the linework didnt really stand out enough. This was for tangling. The cogs one I did with coloured pencil and the other using micron pens. For the circular design I actually enlarged some zendala designs and printed them off to work on. The patterns were scattered over A4 card, then I cut them up into ATC size.
                                                                    

 Does anyone out there have an Apple Macbook or iPad who can help me to do my blog on? I have just switched from Windows to Apple and am finding the difference frustrating although I have quite fallen in love with my ipad mini. The problem I have found is getting my pictures onto the blog. I can write  it ok but have yet to find a way to download my photos.

Diva Challenge #148

Recently I became interested in Artist Trading Cards. They seemed a good size to swap cards with others who create artworks. So far I have yet to meet anyone else who wants to swap! However, I did this weeks challenge on an ATC, not brilliant but a start. Then in my art group today I gave each a blank card to create something on. We used Maria's calligraphic 'Z' as a starting point. Each was amazingly different, vastly different to mine which still retained a resemblance. Sorry I don't have theirs to show you. Actually they weren't quite finished when they went home.

One day in my art class a lady produced an interesting print out of cog wheels. I knew I just had to recreate it!. It took some while to draw up, and just as long to colour over a series of nights. As my lovely Prismacolours have gone walkabout, I opened up my old box of Faber Castell Polychromos coloured pencils, which I haven't used in decades. It was an interesting experience. I decided to work in layers, and found them to be most co-operative to do so. It didn't matter how many layers I worked, I could always add another. I hope you enjoy my piece. I am working through a journal of 270 gsm paper size A5. Great stuff.

ZENDALA DARE 82

Thought I'd work with traditional black and white for a change!! The two tangles I used for this zendala were "Well" and "Knase".Whilst "Well" takes time to do, I always enjoy using it.

 

Diva Challenge 146

We are challenged this week to create a duo tangle with only "Well" and "Pea Nuckle". I have had some fun with Well before (I used to think it was 'wall') but not worked with Pea-Nuckle at all. I found this a bit difficult, so this tile isn't one of my best, but I had a go!!

ZENDALA DARE 81

I have nearly recovered from my Perth trip, although I have found myself having more mental energy which is a good thing!! No pictures yet as Im waiting to use my new laptop. As I'm switching to Apple from Windows I guess it will be a big learning curve.

For this weeks Zendala Dare I decided to use colour. I have seen others use acrylic washes, so thought I'd have a go. I just love how we can learn from each other. When I print out the pattern, I print two small ones and one large one. This way I can do a small or large, and one or two or three. In this case I did three, which I think is a first. Plus its nice to have some pre printed ones to go back to, or give to my grandchildren to do.

With the challenge we were asked to use Margaret Bremner's tangle "Many Moons". I used just three colours trying different effects with them.



Used the colours as is with black line work. Shading with Prismacolour Verithins.Size 6"




Add caption

 

(This is why I need a new computer!!! Ihavent been able to write under the next two designs. For the second I overlapped colours to mix, and coloured pens etc. For the third I used more washes but still the same three colours.)  

Diva Challenges 144 and 145

Having been away for a while where the internet connection was rather weak, Ive not been able to post anything!! So here are my last two Diva Challenges, the first on colour, the second using new tangle "Quib". They weren't created on tiles as I was working in a journal while I was away. I used Derwent Inktense pencils for the colour piece.

  

What have I been doing??

Recently I have had trouble- again- with my laptop, and been unable to log on to the Internet. I have a tablet but it doesnt work for my blog. Sooo, what have I been doing? I am a great fan of Margaret Bremner's work, and not long ago she was into trees. This inspired me to try some out, so I did. I coloured them with Derwent Inktense pencils, my lastest media fave. The first I did on a normal tile, the second in my watercolour paper ZIA book.

For those who are into sewing, I have made a few cute felt toys (9 actually) for my grandies who I shall see next week way over in Perth, WA. Four and a half hour flight will give you an idea of the distance away they are. Plus a train trip of 1 1/4 hours and the Skybus to the airport of 20 minutes. Not to mention waiting for each in between!  Long day!!

ZENDALA CHALLENGE #77

For the challenge this week I felt I wanted to do a monotangle. As  it is Spring here with flowers bursting with colour and beauty, I chose Rick's new tangle "Well". I also thought Id do it in moonochrome, but when it came to it, I needed another colour to bring some separation, and another to highlight.It took quite a while as I was into my detailed mode again, and may be a bit "chocolate boxy", but it is what it is and I enjoyed the process!



Some late Zendala Dare's!

As Erin was unable to give us a Dare last weekend, I thought I'd do some I had not previously done. The first one was #75, the second #69. I went into my "enjoying detail" mode for this one,  then the next just had a fun time!



Diva Challenge #140 Monotangle

I selected 'Camelia', with some variations,  to do the 'dotty' challenge today as a monotangle as requested!!


Diva Challenge #140

Pointillism was an art movement in France prior to Post Impressionism. It consisted of applying small dots rather than brush strokes. From a distance the colours and dots merged in together giving a light atmosphere to the image. We have been challenged to use this technique to create a zentangle. I have used this method before and find it really relaxing. Before I post my tile I'd like to show you a rhodadendron tree outside my doctor's clinic, I think it is glorious.

I wanted to get this done quickly and thus missed the word "monotangle". Duh! Now I will have to do another one!



Diva Challenge #139 (2)

Ive been having a bit more practice at this weeks challenge, and got carried away with 8's Parte Duo's in and out-ness!!


Tangles: 8's Parte Duo, Hollibaugh, Umble, Huggins, Laced.

  

Diva Challenge #139

"8's Parte Duo"is the name of our UMT challenge this week. I needed to practice this one but glad I did as I quite like it with its in and out-ness! I used Mi2 with it due to its similarity. I found the finished design needed some clarification to enhance the tangles, so I coloured it gently.

Zendala Dare #76

I haven't been able to post for a while as we have not had the internet or telephone working for about two weeks. I could get emails on my phone, but couldn't do any posting. I did post a late Diva Challenge last week at an Apple store!! So I am very happy to be back online and able to share the Dare!!


Oops, didn't realise it had writing on it upside -down! It says I used two new tangles -Exis and Merryweather.



Diva Challenge #137 "Duo Tangle"

The two tangle patterns we are to use this week are "Tipple " and "Knightsbridge". It took a few goes to get into this one, and the one I ended up doing I thought rather too complicated, so I did another simpler one.



ZENDALA DARE #74

Think I'm still stuck in colour here!! I used artline pearl fineliners, watersoluble, handy for the shading.



Tangles:Buttercup, Hibred, Camelia, Peaks Border, Mumsie variation.





Continuing with colour

Yesterday I said I might do one tangle a day for the current Diva Challenge 'Colour'. Well last night I was on a roll and did THREE!!!
The first one I used a stamp to start with, the next I wanted to play around with colour swishes with white inbetween, and the third one I did a subdued colour wash one.



Diva COLOUR Challenge

An exciting challenge from Laura this week. So exciting I thought I might even try one a day!!Maybe not but I certainly plan to do more than one, being the colourholic I am.

The first one has been done over a colour wash background. I had fun with this as I "washed" it 3 times in 3 colours. Its not madly bright but nice to use the yellow which I dont usually have a chance to. Pink and red are the other two colours, though I found the pink pen (Micron) stronger than the red. Wierd.

ZENDALA DARE 73

I found this a very unusual zendala with all its curves!

Tangles:Keeko, Pagoda, Sannibelle, Striping,Lotus flower (I think)



DIVA CHALLENGE

Last post I showed a tile using Rick Roberts new design "Well". As I quite enjoyed playing with this tangle I did another design!! I wasn't surprised when Laura's challenge was to use "Well", so this time I painted it!

I have a load of birthday cards to make today, so painted this design as well. Its made from a stamp I designed years ago.

Actually doesnt look as good on screen. The card had a linen texture  



ZENDALA DARE 72

"Thick or Thin" is our challenge for this week. In other words we are to use either size .005 (thin) or .08(thick) nib for our zendala, which includes filling and shading. I enjoy using a thin pen, but found it hard to not add shading!



Tangles: Pais, Dyon, pokeleaf, Pokeroot, Reticulated, Onomato, Oof, Msst.

I have two more offerings today...on the weekend I had a group at my place to do some colour wash work. For my finished one I used the wash markings for a string and used pen colours to match the background. It was fun mixing blue and purple shapes together-a new technique for me.

I was delighted to discover Rick Roberts new tangle "Well" inspired from something seen from going to the museum.. I had some fun creating a monotangle.

Diva Challenge #134, Zendala, Melbourne..

Before I show you this weeks work, I'd like to show you some pictures from Melbourne. Believe it or not, but it was voted the world's most livable city. Sorry cant give you the voting source but it was authoritative! Last week I went into the city and was quite amazed at this display of umbrellas over where we had lunch!



A few3 weeks ago Erin was unable to send us a Zendala Dare Challenge, so I used one of the official Zentangle prestrung zendalas.

 At last..the Diva Challenge

This week is UMT week (Use my tangle). Laura selected "Beamz" by Traci Frogley for us to use.
To this I added Chartz, Striping Cadent and Shing.



We have have crocheted lamposts locally, but I was surprised to see this in the city!
First time I saw crocheted lamposts was in Alice Springs about 8 years ago.
Do you have these in USA or UK??



Diva Challenge #133

" Tipple'" is a tangle I use quite often. Its a good stand by when you have a small or difficult space to fill. Laura's challenge this week is to use this pattern  but stick to the Zentangle method of "be simple, breathe, relax". Facing a blank tile I began but was too restricted at first, so I turned it over and used a double pencil string to bring a bit of stucture to work with. That was all I needed and really enjoyed the rest. I wasnt satisfied with doing one as I was getting into the 'zone', so did another one beginning with a border. I learnt from the first tangle  that its fun to vary the size in a line of tipples! I then added some colour to bring another dimension to it.

Zendala Dare #70

I did a bit of experimenting this week.Thought I'd like to do my zendala on a coloured wash background so collected everything I needed to create a nice pink  one. Ho ho what fun! When I put brush to paper the linework began to run..so stopped rubbing the brush across the page and simply dropped the paint on. As there was then too much paint, I used a paper towel  to soak up the puddles. Because the paper towel was quite scrunched up, it created  an interesting texture. When dry I worked with a pink and a red Pigma micron no1 pen, and shaded with pink and red Prisma Verithin pencils. I did find the paper surface more difficult to draw on having the wash and being watercolour paper.

Diva Challenge #132

Like most others I felt a bit daunted at Laura's challenge this week. Using the tangle Bales create a monotangle using our non-dominant hand. Checking out what others have done so far I felt even more daunted  as they were all works of art!!! However I decided to just have a go and not worry if my work wasn't perfect. As I expected my  very old hand was wobbly, but who cares, its about the process.  Actually I quite enjoyed drawing with my left hand and watching all the squiggly lines create a new design. My painting style is generally naive, so it didnt concern me that the result was imperfect.

Diva Challenge #131

This week's challenge is to create a monotangle using the Tangle "Dex". Took a while to get in the zone for this one, there seemed something wrong with whatever I did. Onwards and upwards!



Zendala dare #68

Having been away for some weeks my Dare 68 is rather late. Add to that trusting my memory what to do, I hadnt fulfilled all criteria, ie to have a "Jekyll and Hyde" contrast either side of the circle. So here are the two completed zendalas.


Showing contrast of colour and black and white



Contrasting colour again, plus simple with complicated,