one foot in summer, the other in spring

For the last few weeks I've been tangling in an entirely different space - a six-sided space!  I've been spending time in the wonderful world of Relaxagons.  Relaxagons are a new concept and kit, lovingly designed and produced by Dutch CZT Marguerite Samama. 

If you'd like to buy the Relaxagons kit it's available from Marguerite's Etsy store.

I've talked at length before about how I'm picky about buying new products, materials and kits, so I won't repeat myself.  Suffice to say, buying the Relaxagons kit was a considered choice, but one I'm very pleased I made.

Exploring Relaxagons -
I confess that I cut a few of my own tiles just to use till I got the hang of things!
(I still struggle to break the habit of hoarding my special supplies!)

As well as hand-made tiles with a beautiful little detail along the edge, and carefully chosen coloured pencils, Marguerite's instructions are thorough and inspiring.  There are many ideas and suggestions to gradually explore the unique properties of tangling on hexagons.  The suggestions start simply and then progress.  There is enough guidance to help us achieve good results, but plenty of freedom and suggestions for where we might take our own practice.  And that is the strength for me.  It reassures me that I will get plenty of use out of the kit, and will be able to take it in new and unexpected directions.  I know I'll be using the Relaxagon concept for years to come - just as I'm still enjoying all that Marguerite's Zen Buttons and Persian Mosaics have to offer.

The first activity Marguerite suggests is getting to know the Relaxagon tile by using it for free tangle play.  This seems a simple idea, but is surprisingly effective as tangling on something that has 6 sides and 6 corners really does feel quite different!  The tiles are a little larger than regular square tiles too - but smaller than Zendala. 

My first Relaxagon -
I started with Antidots, my ultimate comfort tangle - some Cubine, and
Fescu appeared as well as some detail lines.  The result was quite unexpected, like
the top of an ornate jewellery box.

My second Relaxagon -
I started with some Marasu, which came to points rather than spirals.
This tile looks bold and dynamic and I love the way that
negative space in the middle jumps out.

My third Relaxagon -
I laid a light colour wash of 3 blue triangles before I tangled -
but the colour mostly disappear when I shaded, leaving only
a hint of blue.  N'Zeppel, feathered Fescu and Doodah.

By this point I noticed I'd become utterly mesmerised by the symmetry of the hexagon, and wanted to break that.  Not that there is anything wrong with symmetry, but sometimes imbalance is just what we need.

My fourth Relaxagon -
I put down more blue this time, using one of the watercolour pencils from the kit.
Then I just let myself get lost in the repetition of a handful of ZT original tangles -
Mooka, Ynix, Printemps, N'Zeppel and Tipple - half filling the space and then stopping!

I'm ready to move on to the next activity in Marguerite's instructions, but I'm thrilled at the results so far - and I feel that the unusual shape of the tile has taken me to places that a circle, square, rectangle or triangle might not have done.  I'll return with further explorations at a later date!

*******

In other exciting news I've been working on my latest Zigzangle piece over the last couple of months.  I work on these a little at a time and slowly but surely they grow.  I hadn't done one since I joining in with the ZT HQ Twelve Days project at the tail end of last year.

My partner eco-dyed this Khadi paper zig-zag using turmeric.

This time I worked entirely in blue ink - out of my comfort zone for sure -  and shaded using only a darker blue pencil.

A host of tangles on this including - S-Vine, Inaura, Opus, Cruffle, Sitika, Nik, Fescu and Beadlines

The rough surface of the khadi paper zig-zag forces me to worry less about the precision of my line work and the smoothness of my shading - as neither are possible on that surface.  However, like the Relaxagons, it's fun to work on a different shaped paper and working little by little over many weeks reminds me that there's no need to rush, that process is far more important than produce.

well I never did

Zentangle has helped me through all manner of trials and tribulations - various shades of pain, illness, concern and sadness.  It has proved versatile, familiar, friendly and faithful in recent years.  But I tested its limits these last few weeks!  Or rather, our boiler did.  Two and a half weeks ago our boiler went out.  Two days later the engineer fixed it.  Hours later it failed again.  Days later we had a new boiler fitted.  After a week of erratic success the pump failed and was replaced.  And now we seem to have a problem with the timer, thermostat or wiring!  The fix is still pending.  We've had days with no heating or hot water (and no alternative source of warmth!).  This shouldn't be much of a problem in Spring on the South Coast - but we've had unseasonably chilly nights - frosts even!  The company are diligent in trying to fix the problems, and we have heat now, it just can't easily be turned off once it's on, or vice versa!

This one reminds me of 70's comics -
pink and yellow watercolour hefty hack background
on  3 x 4 inch Hahnemühle bamboo paper
tangled with Well, Well, Well and Cubine -
black ink and graphite 

Eight visits in less than three weeks, countless texts and phone calls.  Noise, strange smells, anxiety and uncertainty are all demanding and distracting enough.  But the cold - waking to cold, going to bed cold and being cold most of the hours in between.  This was not conducive for tangling - I could barely feel my fingers at times, let alone my toes!

Spinning and springing and surprisingly warm looking  -
pink and yellow watercolour hefty hack background
on a 4 x 6 inch Khadi paper piece
tangled with Well, Well, Who and Printemps -
black and burgundy ink, coloured pencil and graphite 

And yet, little by little, when the blood was flowing through my extremities, one stroke at a time, I have worked on two pieces, and here they are - with less explanation than usual - but the hope that normal service will resume shortly.

the five-panelled finish line

All began well with my attempt to tangle along with the Zentangle team's Twelve Days project.  I shared an unshaded sneak preview when I'd completed four days.  And then it all went wrong, and I hurt my arm.  But slowly and surely it's getting better.  Still a little weak but, wonder of wonders, I'm able to tangle again!  After a couple of days of warming up on Bijou tiles I returned to my Zigzangle alternative to the official spinner.

It may not spin but it wends back and forth in a most pleasing manner -
especially went winter lighting illuminates only every other panel!

In my opintion ZTHQ did a very clever thing this year by not introducing new tangles or new techniques.  But instead taking us hand in hand through a glorious retrospective of those old and dusty, true and tested tangles that we all learned in the beginning, and some of whom we probably now rarely use.  I'm loving reacquainting myself with Festune, Umble, Jonqual and Betweed as well as meeting new friends in the shape of Fracas and Quabog.

Some watercolour along the borders and an Eye-wa type string

I managed to fit most of the tangles from the project onto my Zigzangle - although it was a bit of a squeeze and a couple of the days (6 and 12 if you crave details!) had to spread themselves out across the entire length.  But it's affirmed my pleasure at working on these long and winding tiles.

And so that brings me to the end of my last blog post for the year.  I'll won't be spending much time at my computer for the next couple of weeks.  In the last few months I've fallen into a more steady rhythm with my posts and have enjoyed the momentum that gives me and I have lots of tangle posts pencilled in for next year.  So, whoever you are, where ever you read this - thank you for sharing this strange world of black ink and graphite with me.  Best wishes for your festive season and see you next year!

the wonder of wending

Recently I've read a few really thoughtful posts that encourage us to look at how we create as well as what we create.  Most agree with or develop things I've touched on in previous posts on this blog.  I'm a philosopher at heart - I like to think about what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, how I'm doing it, as well as actually doing it.  It adds another layer of meaning and depth.  It adds to the mindfulness.  Of course much of my thinking doesn't actually occur while I'm in the zone actually moving the pen across the paper.

I'm going to share some art with you today, and I'm very excited about that - but I also want to touch on a bit of the thinking that occurred around its creation.

A while ago I wrote about the dilemma of having more than enough art supplies.  I'm not reckless in my purchases.  I love to read lots of reviews and make balanced decisions before accumulating more stuff.  I'm pleasantly confined by a lack of storage space which means my materials have to earn their right to be there!  I usually know how I might use something long before I buy it.  But occasionally I spot something that has potential, without clearly knowing what I might use it for.  And that was the case with this pack of cotton rag paper zigzags that I bought at the start of 2016.  I've worked on this type of paper before - it's challenging and rough but worth the effort. (Click to see slightly larger pieces on this paper.)

Two other significant strands of my creative practice wove into what happened with these little zigzags.  Firstly was the ability, which I'm very slowly developing, of not joining in with everything.  There's so much on offer, so many challenges, techniques, tangles - it's wonderful and overwhelming.  I want to dive in, but I don't want to drown.  I want to graze along the buffet table, sampling the delights rather than gorging myself.

Way back in early summer I spotted a few people on Facebook doing something wonderful where they tangled in a concertina book and their tangling travelled over each fold and onto the next.   They called it the Infinite or Endless Zentangle Project.  And a bit of questioning led me to discover that it was the brainchild of Natalie Plechkova.  She blogs about it here on her website - it's written entirely in Russian, but you can translate it via Google and get a fair approximation of her meaning.  And of course the images are a true delight in any language.  For a more instant visual hit take a peek at her Instagram feed.

I was charmed and hungry but knew that the true beauty of this thing was being able to stick with it over the long distance and I doubted my own stamina.  A few weeks later I had an idea - perhaps I could do something similar but over a shorter distance?  A finite Zentangle project?  And suddenly those zigzags heard their true calling. 

On the 14th June I tangled the first panel on my first zigzag.  I noted on the back that it was a rainy, chilly Thursday.  I completed another panel every week for the next 15 weeks.  I stopped myself from doing more than one panel a week.  This was a case of pace not race!


Here it is.  Filled with more tangles than I care to list.  All packed more tightly together than I would usually do.  Each panel measures about 7cm x 8cm.  Here is is laid flat to allow for a better look.

One week after finishing the first I started another.  The 20th July, when I noted that it was cloudy but we'd still had no rain.


For this one I used Margaret Bremner's rope string idea - but needed to create breaks between panels for the rope to look right.


Somewhere along the way I decided I needed a name for these things - naming has power, it makes us feel connected to things.  I like playing with words, breaking them and putting them back together again.  I stirred a few things on my tongue but came to like the word Zigzangle!  So that's what I am calling these.  For you they might answer happily to another name!

On this one I let grid tangles take centre stage.  Jumping back and forth adding extra little details in to tie the panels together.  But still only working on one panel a week.  I began this third Zigzangle on 31st August where I observed the first intimations of autumn.




Although I've been working on these little strips of paper and ink for a few months I'm only sharing them with you now.  And that's due to the second creative movitation, and one that I talked about a while ago when I mentioned the benefit of sometimes working for yourself alone.  I wanted one-to-one time with my Zigzangle.  I wanted to get to know them, and know them well, before I told you what they were and showed you what they looked like.  But now I have, I'm glad I have.  And I hope for you it was worth the wait.

purple fingerprints

I knew I wanted to draw the other day, but I didn't know what I wanted to draw.  Too many choices, too many pens, papers, tangles, decisions, doubts.

So I just started playing.  First off messing about with what was within reach.  Then recalling that I'd long wanted to try tangling with an ink pen having been regularly inspired by the wonderful blots and beauties by Michele Wynne.

I often write with coloured ink so in my pen pot at this moment I have a good quality fountain pen containing grey ink.  But I didn't want to risk damaging that nib on rough paper!  But I also had a cheap pen filled with Diamine's Damson, and a Herbin rollerball with a Ruby Red Kaweco cardridge in it.

So that's what I used, on an A6 rectangle of Khadi paper.  Some Mooka, some Dublin.  Lots of water, lots of mess.  Some discomfort that I didn't have as much control as useful, but also the liberty that comes with that.  Once it was all dry I went back in for the shading and highlights, and a little bit of black Printemps down the sides - and felt more in my comfort zone.

And I love the finished piece - I see rain-wrecked bedrooms, vines claiming the spaces broken-hearted lovers have long vacated. 

all the leaves are brown

This week the Diva asked us to work big. For me one of the joys of Zentangle is its small size, but I thought I'd allow myself to grow at least a centimetre here, a millimetre there.

I worked on a piece of khadi paper - a rather uneven surface but a pleasant change to work a rectangle rather than a square. This piece measures 11 x 16 cm. I decided to work all in colour, using Faber Castell Pitt Pens in sepia, sanguine and orange. I used two sizes, a 0.3mm and a jumbo 0.7mm!

I expected to find that the thicker pens felt uncontrollable, but in some ways they were more manageable, and less liable to show my wobbles, especially on the bumpy paper.

I had a moment when I'd finished the three stems of Aloha when I wanted to stop, leave the paper with nothing but this delicious minimalism. And perhaps I'll revisit this design, and stop a little sooner, but for now I carried on.

I added an orange Printemps background, which I then coloured over with Distress Ink (Frayed Burlap). Some shading with sympathetic coloured pencils and graphite, a few white highlights and there it is.   True to the rules of Zentangle I turned it round once I'd finished, to view from all directions and far preferred it upside down!

A snapshot of autumn. The last leaves are still clinging to our trees, maybe later than usual this year, but one committed wind and they'll be gone.

nine on the ninth

For the past couple of weeks I've been largely absent from the usual places I lurk in the tangling world - but that doesn't mean my pen has been idle!

I wanted to tangle over the Christmas and New Year break from normality, but wanted to do things a bit differently.  I wanted a change from the circuit of challenges and groups, not because I don't enjoy them, but just to see what would happen.  I wanted to scale down my horizons - not be spoiled for choice in terms of tools, colours, and techniques.  I also wanted to simplify - to get back to drawing a tile quite quickly, with no looking-up of tangles - just lines on paper to catch that little patch of time, that little period of sunlight or shade.

I allowed myself three shades of paper for my tiles -
two were pastel paper, the other a tricky to work on Khadi paper.
Pens in black, brown, grey and white gel - white and grapite pencils.

I didn't tangle at the table as I normally do - but leaning on a notebook on my lap.  This made things a bit wobblier than usual, but I quite like the looseness that appeared.

My completed tiles - in the order they happened. 
Including an unexpected black rabbit in honour of the death of Richard Adams.

I really enjoyed working within self imposed limits.  I like the finished look of this collected group of tiles - it's made me think this might be an interesting way to work at other times.  And I think I might have finally found a way to draw Mooka that I'm happy with (top right)!

earning our stripes

This week the Diva asked for stripes!

For me stripes are one of the most comfortable ways to tangle.  They take all of the planning out of the process but leave plenty of room for invention.  Because while it still looks great if one tangle lays next to another, even more fun happens when you try to gently join them.  In fact I think it's a great way to learn the sometimes tricky art of joining tangles.

Tangles used - from top left to bottom right -
Fescu, Ponio, Y-Chain, Copada, Snugz, Antidots, Quib

To choose my tangles I simply looked back through the last few weeks in my sketchbook and picked a handful of tangles that might work.  Then I started with the longest stripe through the centre and then built out from either side, squaring off the whole with a couple of organic tangles.

I used the first piece from a pack of Khadi paper (Indian handmade cotton rag paper) that's been sitting here for a while.  It's A6 size (roughly 14x10 cm) and has a very toothy surface.  I used a larger than usual pen (0.3mm) to try to lessen the bumpyness of my lines and the graphite was hard to smooth and blend as much as I like.  But the paper was otherwise a joy to work on and it feels like quite a special little piece.