But the good thing about spending time doing the thing you love, is that it encourages you to overcome most barriers that arise. So I tried to keep tightly focused on the method that is central to Zentangle. Focused on the fact that it's about the process rather than the product, focused on the fact that I can turn these tiles whichever way I want, whichever way works on any given day.
So for the second half of my 12 Days offerings I've muted the blue, and while I've held onto each idea, I've carried it a little closer to my natural and comfortable tangling style. So my tiles are a little darker, a little more minimal than those shared by the ZT team. But I love these tiles, and I loved tangling them, despite my lack of energy and the sky's lack of encouragement.
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| On Day #7 we were encouraged to play with an oversized Bales - which we then filled with pods and auras. In the spaces of our grid we put a three-pointed Well style fragment. I chose to contain my tangling in just one half of the tile. |
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| On Day #8 Maria demonstrated a whirling dervish of tangling - with abundant embellishment and shading and gold pen. It's a look she carries off so well, but not me! I tamed mine a great deal – adding more black, less blue, less variation on the fills, but including Beadlines and choosing to have two of the Cadent style frames on my tile. |
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| On Day #9 there were a couple of aspects that I just wasn't keen on, so I tangled this instead. Using an ATC sized tile allowed the tangled spiral to feel more settled. I left out the tricolour background and instead just used a little graphite and some tiny white gel Therefore dots. |
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| Day #10 seemed to take using a very different direction, feeling far more botanical and calm than any of the other days. This surprised me at first but proved to be a welcome oasis of calm. I got thoroughly lost tangling my Bronx Cheer, Flux and Mooka, and even a sprinkling of Fescu. Adding just a hint of graphite, white and blue pencil. Rounding is always the finishing touch - and then also a 3Z sized triangle frame drawn behind - I don't know why - it just looked like it belonged there!! |
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| When Rick tangles Paradox you can clearly see he's in his comfort zone. Not so for me! By Day #11 I couldn't face 4 Paradox Bijou tiles - so instead this. A square the size of a Bijou in the middle of my tile. I left the centre of each Paradox open allowing me to drop some Beadlines through the holes, plus a couple of black ribbons. |
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| For Day #12 Maria led us through a variation of Hollibaugh to create the look of a coffered ceiling. I relished this exploration - it embodied everything I love about Zentangle - seemingly complex but broken down into mindful attainable steps. In a nod to where I started - I drew a faux Zendala on a 4 inch Strathmore grey tile. My initial bands came out thinner so I put in more, and I got a little carried away with shading! I know I'll play with this idea lots more! |
We've reached the end of the Zentangle countdown, and there's a week to go until Christmas Day, but this will be my last blog post for the year. I've prepared some tiles that I hope to tangle during our festive break - and I'll share them here a week or so into the New Year. Thank you for reading my posts, and looking at my pictures over the past 12 months - it's been wonderful to share my tangled meanderings with you. Best wishes for your weeks ahead, however you spend them. See you in 2020!
Jemm these are all exquisite. I started having a favorite then I would see the next one and it would become a favorite. So I guess they are all favorites!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Pat. I feel much the same myself. A new favourite every day, but I think it's the Day #8 Cadent and the final piece techniques that I'm most keen to revisit and work with!
DeleteGreat work Jem. I like how you stay true to your own style, and how you modify the ZHQ PP07 prompts accordingly. I love the PPs, and the outcomes when I see them, but they all look kinda the same... until I see your :) breath of fresh air! My favourite is the one where you incorporated the 3Z shape in the background ���������� thanks for sharing your exploration :) Merry Christmas and all the best, for all the best in 2020 ��
ReplyDeleteThank you Yvette. I love tangling along with the straight version in my sketchbook, but then my pen starts to itch to take a different direction and I'm happiest with the process and results if I let that happen!
DeleteThat 3Z was pure accident - having drawn my tangles they looked a bit lost - I thought about cutting down the tile, then just traced in the triangle instead. I like the look though - I might play with that idea more.
Thanks for sharing my your tangled year with me!
Always an Inspiration! I am most BLESSED to have made the Connection with you. I have to say that I felt the HQ videos were rushed & sloppy and they gave me more anxiety than Peace. That being said....I will, like you, Follow my Own Star for Peace & Tranquility over this dark tyme of year. Here's to a JOYOUS 2020, may it bring US ALL many more Blessings. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you Jules. No point in working with those videos right now if that's how they make you feel. Maybe the timing isn't right. I know I like to come back to things way down the line, when they've had time to ferment and develop. For instance I'm really looking forward to revisiting PP06 and playing loads more with that black and white thing.
DeleteThanks for all your tangled encouragement and enthusiasm this year - here's to more in the year ahead!
I am forever in awe, speechless and stunned, in a wondrous way. Starting with one, eventually all become favourites. I am so glad to have found you to see a different version of this world. My life feels richer when I read your blog and see your drawings... Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWish you best Season's Greetings.
Saf Toral
Ah Saf. Such beautiful and kind words - I'd tangle even if no-one saw my tiles, but to know my tiles and blog offer you something makes it all so much more precious. Thank you!
DeleteI'm looking forward to the calm of a new year and time to work on my swap stack, including yours!
Reckon this is exactly what Rick & Maria intended to happen with the Zentangle Method. Really informative & such an interesting post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Evy - such a lovely thing to say. I think R & M want Zentangle to be whatever we each need it to be - which works wonderfully for me!
DeleteA confession - I don’t ever participate in the 12 days challenge because it always comes around at a time that I’m fully occupied with Life and have zero extra energy to expend in this direction. Added to the fact that I personally prefer to observe the holiday season in a less commercial manner. Aside from the fact that this series works on grey tiles, I’ve been much content to sit out and admire. That said though - Day 10 and 12 have caught my eye and I may visit those videos at some point later on. I understand why you muted the Blue and I’m here if you just need somewhere to ventilate. However I also care that you don’t miss out on enjoying the use of what has always been, for time immemorial a beautiful, versatile colour because of.. let’s just refer to it as “lousy humanity”. (Hugs) If I could send over lots of warmth and sunshine, I would. Happy holidays my dear friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you Debbie! I really like joining in the 12 Days thing - mainly because of the sense of connection with others doing it at the same time. But I should have set my sights smaller as I did in other years.
DeleteI think you will enjoy some of the prompts if / when you visit them.
I think muted colour is more to my taste anyway - but I promise I won't hold a grudge against the colour blue for that long. And to be honest I very rarely work with red, so I will de-politicize the spectrum very soon!