make or break

In this week's guest Diva challenge Sandy Hunter asked us to shake up the way we use our tangles.  If it's in a grid break it free, and if it's freeform make it work within a grid.  I love this kind of challenge - tangleations are a delicious part of the world of Zentangle - and I don't work with them as often as I should.  In doing different things with a tangle you get to see its potential as well as knowing its core even better. 

First off I started with Printemps and placed it in a vaguely Florz inspired grid.  I'm never that neat with this tangle, but I like the way it looks organic and lively and makes interesting and uneven shapes within the grid.

Then I played with the wonderful Aquafleur and had it wrapping around square sections within a parallel-line grid.  I with I'd left those black orbs out but this is just a practice piece.

Then I switched things round and lifted something from a grid and set it free.  I used Ciceron and let it roam around the page.  I struggled to keep the aura lines even on this tangle, but like the overall look and imagine it could look effective laid over another tangle.

And lastly I freed Ticking, from rows rather than a grid, but I think it looks beautiful this way, still retaining that great sense of curve that the shading gives it but with the added bonus of it being able to loop and overlap in all sorts of ways.

All of these are just practice pieces lifted straight from my sketchbook where I worked them out, hence them looking a bit rough and ready.  I'd like to take time to use them use them in some finished tiles, and really see what they can do, but I'm pleased with my haul.  It was a challenge that's offered some unexpected rewards.