Getting Sketchy

 I administer a Facebook zentangle group called

Zentangle All Around.

We work together to learn and grow our tangling skills 

through challenges, weekly sets of strings,

the occasional swap.

We share and we positively support and learn

from each other.

Last week I suggested something I am calling

Getting Sketchy.

(Which is kind of funny if you are familiar

with my law enforcement background.)

The thought is that we use a dedicated sketchbook

and during the week we practice tangles that are

new to us, we work on tangles we have trouble

with, we work with strings, and create

zentangle art. 

On the weekend I will post my pages, then 

anyone who wants to

can post their pages for that week.

Above is the sketchbook I chose to use.

I literally have more sketchbooks than I could

ever use in one lifetime.

This is mixed media paper which is important to me -

cause I like color and I use a lot of wet media.

 Here you see three pages of tangles I practiced

during the first week. Notice that they are not

perfect. Notice the notes I made about what was

not perfect and what I need to consider next time.

I found that I liked some of these tangles,

and some others I didn't like so much

and will probably never use.

But I tried them.

I learned about some new-to-me tangles.

 Above is a piece of art I drew using a string.

A string is drawn in pencil and it divides your

paper or tile into sections. 

Sections that you tangle.

Typically your pencil drawn string will

disappear into your artwork.

In this particular one I used amun from my 

practice pages. I really like this one a lot!

It looks hard, but it is really easy.

When you follow the steps and take your time.

I also used CC from my practice pages.

You will notice that I make note of the tangles

used over there on the left -

next to the spiral. 

There are so many tangles - it is unbelievable how many -

and I can not always remember their names.

 Then I just wanted to tangle with patterns I enjoy.

My fall-back-on and go-to patterns.

None of these are from my practice pages.

I seem to like round tangles and I

 usually fall back on those when I am thinking -

do I actually remember any tangles???

Hahahaha! I am sure none of you have ever had that problem.

 Week 2!

I mentioned earlier that I like to work with 

wet media. Last week I worked on a board.

Literally.

A board that I painted and rolled more paint on,

and dripped and splattered and stamped

and stenciled on. As I was using the roller,

I thought - hey! get your sketchbook out

and Get Sketchy!!!

Hahahaha!

So after I rolled ink onto the board,

I rolled the excess on to a sketchbook page.

As much as this paint stuff costs -

you don't want to waste a drop of it!

 So I just kept rolling the excess and cleaning

my roller this way :).

 Then my week kind of fell apart as I got a phone

call that my mom was in distress 1500 miles away

and I needed to be there.

Onto an airplane I hopped and 

I was glad for this prepped page!

I like the textured look the rolled on paint gave.

I am not sure why it looks like this,

but I like the skips and spaces created with the paint.

Tangling just came naturally.

I usually start with a wad of printemps.

I have no idea why, but I do.

Then I tangle out from there.

(I hadn't started my practice pages for week 2 yet.)

 This was a great practice page for me. 

Hahahaha! I just realized I didn't name one of the tangles I tried. 

I need to go back to my book and fix that. 

I also like to name the creator when I know it.

The circles and leaves one in the lower right

is called Pixioze. 

It is a Margaret Bremner creation and I love it, 

although I have never been able to

draw that one very well. 

So it belongs in my practice pages for sure. 

I am happier with this attempt

than any I have done up till now. 

And I found that I really like mushnik by Erin Olson

a lot! If you were around back when there was a

weekly Zendala Dare - that is Erin Olson.

 I drew this in a hotel room in Florida.

I was watching reruns of the TV series 

The Musketeers 

and I needed something I could draw

while listening to my iPad and Hulu.

 The next night I was watching The Voice

and tangling something pretty just wasn't going

to be in the cards for me that night.

So I went back to making a practice page. 

Check out that O tangle by Adele Bruno.

Easy to draw and it sure makes your page pop!

Then there's that little spinning top one

at the lower right corner.

I have no idea what it's called.

I found it on pinterest.

Fun to draw!

 It was time to put O to use.

That one flower looks a little wop-sided.

I was trying to do a perspective thing there and

I got lost along the way.

But hey! this is my practice sketchbook

where I can Get Sketchy and no one judges me.

This was a seriously fun page to do.

That O is awesome!

Then it was finally time to fly back to Maine. I drew this in the airport while I was waiting for boarding time.  As it was - I got so into what I was tangling - that if my plane had boarded on time I might have missed it. So much fun! And that is my Getting Sketchy report  for week number two.
If you would care to join us, click on this link for  Zentangle All Around  and ask to join up. I'll open the door and let you in. And . . . . . .  it is alright if you don't post. I just think this a really good way to learn. And our little family at ZAA would love to  have you join us as we  Get Sketchy!