Last year I worked on a year long project to tangle according to the seasons. At times it felt challenging, but I feel a great sense of satisfaction having done it and it's wonderful to flick through my album and see the colours fading through the spectrum in tune with the seasons.
 |
| 12 of the best from 2019 Admittedly my favourite pieces come from a fairly limited part of the year's palette! |
This year I want to do things differently - I want more freedom. I have a long list of things I want to do. Some are new things I've never tried, techniques I've read about but put aside for the time being. I have e-books (speaking of which) I want to work through, devoting the time and focus they deserve. I also have a long list of things I want to revisit - things I enjoyed but want to spend more time with, to dig deeper thereby getting more from them. I also want to linger over the things I love doing often and regularly. I want to strengthen my weaknesses and have wild times with the things I feel I'm good at.
I want to spend more time doing and less time reading and thinking and talking about Zentangle. I blogged 42 times last year. I might blog less this year, or the same, probably not more. But the style of my posts might change a little. There will still be themed posts where I share a cohesive body of pieces and talks about the techniques I used. But there might also be simpler gallery type posts where I share a snapshot of the things I've been working on, without as much wordy padding! Hopefully my blog will still remain interesting and attractive!
________________
To start this year I've joined in with Zen-untangled which is the latest collaborative project from Alice Hendon. She talks about it on her blog as well as uniting many fellow tanglers who are doing it on her Facebook group Tangle All Around. Simply put, Alice is inviting us to get to know the 170 Zentangle core tangles. She encourages participants to create a book, including step-outs and examples, which will become a wonderful offline resource for your own tangling and to pass on to others.
I was taken by the idea as soon as I heard about it, mostly because I love the official tangles - well, most of them anyway! But it's important to know and acknowledge what will work for you. And what won't! I knew I wouldn't like doing Zen-untangled in the exact way Alice suggests. I don't like working in books on a regular basis and I knew I wouldn't enjoy drawing step-outs for every tangle either. I'd rapidly fall behind and abandon the whole thing. Thankfully Alice encourages us to join in whatever way we prefer.
 |
| At the moment I'm storing black cards and finished cards in the tin - but I when I finish I think the stack of tiles will probably be too big, so I might clip them together with a binder ring unless I have a better idea! |
A bit of pondering and a dose of luck and I've struck on a way that works for me. My partner gave me this little tin for Christmas, and it's a perfect fit for ATCs, which is a tile shape I'm liking a lot these days. So I'm doing my Zen-untangled on ATCs.
 |
| On the left - Eye-Wa and Florz On the right - Dex and Hurry |
 |
| On the left - IX On the right - Avreal, Ahh, Snail, Therefore and Tipple |
 | ||||
| On the left - Centipede, Ynix and Frondous On the right - Echoism |
 |
| On the left - Cubine and Ixorus On the right - Flux and Hollibaugh |
As you can see, on some days there's just one tangle on the tile, some days 2, other days more. I like the way I get to see how the tangles play together, I get to draw a simple version and some variations if I want to. I get to use colour in large or small amounts or just celebrate the beauty of black and white. And when it's finished I'll have a lovely deck of cards to shuffle through for pure Zentangle inspiration.
As usual Jem, your posts are beautiful to read and admire! But I’ll have to say my eyes were completely taken with your Flux v Hollibaugh ATC! Such gorgeous colours. I am also fond of the ATC size, perhaps as much as the regular square size.
ReplyDeleteI also meant to add: re: posting less blogposts - I hope you will find a happy balance that would add to your life and where you want to be, rather than subtract from it. Your readers should understand that your primary focus is self care and art, which come before reader’s pleasure. That said, I am also learning to build a healthy balance for myself. I’m not recovered from 2019 and 2020 looks equally demanding from here lol... so yep, self care and balance, for me too. Love.
DeleteThank you Debbie, for both comments! That Flux ATC - yes, not my usual colours, a fair bit gentler. I like that blue, but wouldn't usually pair it with the light purple, but I'm toying with colour, trying to pin down what I'm going to use for Valentangle!
DeleteLast year was the first time I really embraced the ATC size. I like the fact it's small, but also the rectangular nature makes for interesting layouts, whereas I can get too symmetrical on the square tile!
I have a small but loyal and warm readership. I know they'll support me! :)
Did you hear there's a 12 word sentence you can communicate to your partner... that will induce intense feelings of love and instinctual attractiveness for you buried within his heart?
ReplyDeleteBecause deep inside these 12 words is a "secret signal" that triggers a man's impulse to love, idolize and look after you with all his heart...
12 Words That Trigger A Man's Love Response
This impulse is so hardwired into a man's genetics that it will make him work harder than before to build your relationship stronger.
As a matter of fact, triggering this influential impulse is so mandatory to getting the best ever relationship with your man that as soon as you send your man a "Secret Signal"...
...You'll instantly find him expose his soul and mind for you in such a way he haven't expressed before and he'll see you as the only woman in the universe who has ever truly appealed to him.