Rainking and Meo

Rainking and Meo

Eni Oken set up the challenge to use the Rainking Zentangle in a piece.  I had a hard time staring out with this one.  Looks easy, sure, but mine weren’t exactly popping into place.  So I took a different route with it and added some Meo into the piece as well. 

 

This is my before piece:

 

This is the finished piece:

 

I’ll need to revisit this one another time.

Fassett Zentangle

Fassett Zentangle

 

This isn’t the first time I’ve used the Fassett Zentangle, it was once the weekly Diva challenge but it had been a while.  Eni Oken posted the Fassett Zentangle pattern as the challenge for the week and this is what I came up with.  I wanted the holes to look more like…well, holes.  But all in all it didn’t turn out too shabby. At least the Fassett part of the tile works!

 

Line art:

Fassett Zentangle before shading

 

Finished piece:

 



Fassett Zentangle

Ruutz and Crux (Sounds like a crime-fighting team)

Double the Challenge, Double the Fun (yet again)

Ruutz and Crux (Sounds like a crime-fighting team)

 



crux and ruutz zentangle shaded

This week Eni challenged us on her Shading Zentangle Facebook page with her own Ruutz pattern.  At the same time, The Diva challenged us with the Zentangle pattern Crux.  It took a little creative thinking to figure out how to combine these two designs, but I’m pretty pleased with what I worked out.

First I had to practice the Crux design.  I’d already done two previous tiles with Ruutz, but Crux was new to me. 

Here is my first Crux Zentangle Pattern tile.  Kinda pretty eh? Changing the widths of the “petal” and lines can really alter this pattern.

Crux Zentangle Shaded

Then it was on to the double challenge.  Ruutz is a pretty busy pattern on its own, and so is Crux, but I think I made it work. (Patting myself on the back while tooting my own horn and high-fiving myself caused some minor injuries, but fret not, I shall recover)

Here’s the tile before shading:

 

And the final piece! (Forgive the photo quality, it was overcast here today)

Double the Challenge, Double the Fun! (again)

Double the Challenge, Double the Fun!



Jaysix and stripes challenge shaded

 Here we go again, another double challenge featuring Eni’s challenge of using Jaysix and the Diva’s challenge of using stripes. It took me a while to figure out how to combine these two.  I considered using Jaysix within the stripes, but this way seemed a lot more fun.

It was time-consuming, I will say that.

Before detail and shading

Finished!

First Attempt at Jaysix

First Attempt at Jaysix



Jaysix Zentangle Shaded

 Eni Oken’s challenge this week involved a pattern she came up with while playing with Cruze.  She named it Jaysix because it’s always 6 lines.

So this was my first attempt at Jaysix.  The pattern will forever remind me of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey because that’s what we were “watching” while I worked on this piece. That tends to happen quite a bit, each pattern I learn reminds me of whatever we threw on the tv while I was drawing.  Since our interests vary drastically, an interesting collage of shows/movies play out in my head when I mix in a few different patterns. 

The pattern itself is fairly simple, but I find myself a little lost when adding a bunch together. It required more practice to get a groove going, but alas, this is my first attempt.

Before Shading:  (as you can see I almost forgot to do this pic as I started to shade)

After shading:

 

It's Raining Pixels!

Another Cruze Zentangle



Cruze Zentangle "It's raining pixels!"

So from Eni’s fb page, I’ve noticed I’m not the only with an issue of trying to figure out what else to put on the Cruze zentangle tile other than, well, the Cruze Zentangle.  I find it doesn’t really flow with other tangles and my brain just shuts down when I try to get my Zennyness to inspire me into creativity.  I’ve got to give credit where it is due though, some of those FB shaders have come up with amazing pieces that flow just fine with cruze… I just haven’t been one of them.

With this piece, I drew the Cruze first.  I added the shading and black, then just stared at it, trying to be inspired. I said to my honey, “It could be a cloud I guess”.  He said, “Yeah it could be raining down those little squares you put in the middle”.  And Voila! Inspiration from my beloved! 

So it’s raining pixels, how cute!

Before pic – what I stared at for what seemed like forever…

Another Double the Challenge, Double the Fun

Double the Challenge, Double the Fun



Gobular Grid and Cruze Zentangle

Another Double the Challenge, Double the Fun, missing Eni’s challenge with the Diva’s challenge. 

Eni’s challenge was to use the Zentangle Cruze, whereas The Diva’s challenge was the Gobular Grid.  I mixed the two challenges together, whisked til appropriately blended, spread it over the art table and sprinkled with shading. It didn’t turn out half bad!

Typically, I forgot the before pic… yet again.

First Attempt at Zentangle Cruze

First Attempt at Zentangle Cruze



cruze zentangle shaded

Well this one was a little more difficult than I expected.  As per usual, my first attempt is lacking, I still haven’t gotten the shading down yet on this one.  I used the wrong copic shading marker on the “ribbons” and had to lighten them up with a white pencil crayon.

I’m hoping to get the hang of this pattern because I like the braided effect, but I’m not quite there yet.

Before Pic:

 

 

Zentangle garden tile - with slits

Slits Challenge?

(not part of the Mystery Mega Zentangle Project)

 

Well this could have gone better.  I sort of worked out the slits part of the challenge, as in they look a little more like slits.  Unfortunately I didn’t take into account that the design needed to be simple in order to actually SEE the slits.  So I added color.  Woopsies!

Zentangle Garden with "slits"

By the end of this (omg it took forever) tile, I as disappointed. Way too busy and everything kinda got lost.  Then I looked on the bright side! I’ve created my very own “Where’s Waldo” but it’s “Where are the slots” instead! Go ME!

Slits Challenge and the Mysterious Mega Zentangle Project

Slits Challenge and the Mysterious Mega Zentangle Project



Slits challenge zentangle

First, the slits challenge.  Eni Oken’s FB challenge of the week is to create slits within a zentangle piece.  I didn’t do very well.  It’s supposed to appear like the design is going in or coming out of the paper from a slit, just a gash, not quite a hole.

When I was done with my shading and what not – I really didn’t feel like I’d hit the target.  I was rather disappointed, and was going to ask Eni for guidance until she (psychically? ) posted how to do exactly what I couldn’t get.  No shading the part of the design that laps over the gap in the slit.  For more detail you’ll have to join Eni’s Shading Zentangle FB page to see her awesome worksheet! (Do it, do it now!)

 

I expect to do better next time with this eye-opening revelation.

Now on to the Mysterious Mega Zentangle Project portion of our show… err I mean post.  This is tile #1 for the project.  Kind of gives away a lot, but I can still pretend its Super Mysterious.  At least I wasn’t exaggerating on the Mega part – this is going to take awhile.

This is where you can follow along with the project from the beginning.

Oh and here is my before pic

Knightsbridge #3 Fan

Knightsbridge #3 Fan

 

Knightsbridge Zentangle Fan

I’m so happy with this one! Love the way it turned out.  I did try to leave a drop shadow, but I didn’t like how it looked.  I erased it after, but it still left a bit of residue on the tile.  Despite that little issue, I’m so please with this piece!

Has anyone else had a problem with the black micron coming off a bit while shading with a smudge stick? That happened to me about mid-fan.  It was a first.  I just used some black ink to cover it, but was still a little thrown off by the whole thing.

Anyhooo here are my steps

First pic – The basic outline of the fan

Knightsbridge Fan Zentangle step 1

 

Secong Pic – added the black

 

Knightsbridge Fan Zentangle step 2

Third Pic – With shading! Final piece!

Knightsbridge Fan

It took many layers of shading to get the final results. 

Tools: Tile, Micron .005 and .3 and.5, Staedtler pencil 2b, white prismacolor pencil crayon and a smudge stick.

2nd Knightsbridge with some W2 and Cadence

2^nd Knightsbridge with some W2 and Cadence

 

Knightsbridge W2 and Cadence shaded

Personally, I liked my first knightsbridge attempt better than this one.  But I’m learning and that’s what matters. There is definitely a lot that you can do with this pattern, I would like to try one in greys or color at some point. Anyhoo… here we go.

 

First pic:

Pretty basic, though the circular piece was tougher to grid than I thought it would be. It didn’t exactly come out even, but the effect still worked in the end.

 

Second pic: the black is in, all that’s left is the shading, which took 3 times longer than getting to this point. (also upside down, woopsies) 

Knightsbridge W2 and Cadence 

 

The final piece: With the shading it still looks too busy.  I think I’ll like the simple shapes best. 

Knightsbridge W2 and Cadence shaded

Final Akoya Zentangle (for now)

Final Akoya Zentangle

 

akoya zentangle shaded

This is my final akoya zentangle attempt.  I gotta say, I never did quite get the hang of it.  The swirls between the pearls were constantly a problem for me. Regardless, it was a fun tangle to play around with and I’ll probably use it again for strings or lines between tangles or frames. 

 I really need to figure out how to shade ribbon properly too.

Anyhoo, here are the before and after pics.

Shattuck and Akoya Double the Challenge

Double the Challenge/Double the Fun

Another double challenge, with Eni Oken’s shading zentangle challenge of Akoya and The Diva’s monotangle Shattuck.  Okay so I’m not sure if it’s considered a monotangle since I used another tangle within the tangle, but I’m going to go with yes, it is. I debated with myself considerably over this.  There was arguing, some thrown dishes and thrown words, a bit of hair-pulling and the nothing for a while during which time I gave myself the silent treatment.  Eventually though, I succumbed and agreed with myself that yes, this was still a monotangle.

That being said, I'm still not completely happy with either of the tangles here.  Akoya is proving to be more difficult than I expected (and this is my second one) and I was hoping for more depth with the shading on the shattuck. Still... it was a fun piece 'til the fight broke out.



shattuck and akoya zentangle

So as you can see, it was challenging challenge.  But alas, here is the end result.  (In all that bickering I forgot to take a before shot)

Zentangle Watercolor Background (again)

Zentangle Watercolor Background (again)

Zentangle Watercolor background

 

I’m going through the end of my watercoloured background tiles for Eni’s challenge.  I still have a couple left.  This is probably one of my favorites.  I love the way it turned it, even if it missed the effect I was going for. 

 

No before pics, sadly.  It’s a shame because the shading made a huge difference.

Double Challenge and 3rd Watercolor

Double Challenge and 3rd Watercolor



St. Patrick's Day Zentangle Shamrock

Another double the challenge/double the fun.  Eni Oken’s challenge from her shading facebook page for watercolored backgroung and the Diva’s challenge for a St. Patrick’s Day theme.

The most valuable lesson I learned from this one is not to use cheap watercolors.  I have some very nice watercolor pencils, and apparently some very crappy ones.  You can see the difference… the lighter green actually looks like watercolor, whereas the darker green (the cheapies) just look like pencil crayons, or maybe even waxed crayons. 

Before pic

Yuma and Rautiflex Double Challenge

Another Double the challenge; Double the fun

I combined Eni Oken's challenge with the Diva's challenge again this week and came up with this little piece.  Rautiflex was a bit of a challenge.  Far more complicated than I expected.  I'm glad I did it in pencil first, as there was a lot of erasing going on.  Once I got the hang of it though it was a lot of fun.  As I finished it up I thought of many, many, MANY of ways this pattern could go - the possibilities are endless (well as limited as your imagination I guess... so not quite endless... but I digress :P )

Yuma and Rautiflex Zentangle Challenge

I really enjoy mixing up challenges, it adds... well... more of a challenge :D


Before Pic

Yuma Zentangle 3

Yuma Zentangle 3



Yuma Zentangle Shaded

Still getting the hang of the Yuma Zentangle.  But this time I had the chance to use grey scale markers.  I got the prismacolors because they were the only ones in stock.  It was not a good idea. They were not a good fit. Most of the ink had dried out of a number of the pens, and they just weren’t very smooth.  I returned them the next day and got the Copic markers as suggested by the kind people in Eni Oken’s shading zentangle facebook group.

I still had a lot of fun playing around with them though.  As I look at my finish picture I realize I forgot to shade one of the “slices”.  Woopsies!

Before and After Shading Yuma Zentangle

After and before picture together here.

Yuma Zentangle Second Attempt

Yuma Zentangle Second Attempt

Yuma Zentangle Shaded

I like this one far better than my first Yuma attempt. This is my second for Eni Oken’s challenge and all I can say is,” Wow, there are some mighty fine artists in this group”.  The amount of diversity and beauty displayed amongst this group is simply awe-inspiring.   Half the fun of doing these challenges is seeing the different ways each individual draws the same tangle, yet each create such completely unique pieces.

Here are the step outs (woot I remembered… again! Go me!) that got me the results of this tile.

Yuma Zentangle - A First

Yuma Zentangle

First Yuma Zentangle

Eni’s challenge this week was the Zentanle design Yuma.  This was my first attempt at it. I feel the coloured leaves make it a little too busy with the stripes in the shoot outs.  So I learned a lesson, if I’m doing Yuma and fancying up the shout-outs, leave the centers white or shaded.

And lo' and behold, I remembered to take before pics! Several of them actually... Here they are, step by step.

I don't know why they come out upside down when I take pics with the phone.  Maybe it's the way I hold it? Regardless, you get the idea :)