Challenge Day #2

 Yesterday's challenge was to use henna drum

and gotcha in a tangled piece of art. 

This was the start of my project.

 The henna drum reminded me of flowers

growing along a trellis,

so I went with that and added blox in the

background.

Here is the shaded piece. Shading really does help make your art more three dimensional. Next challenge coming up tomorrow on Zentangle All Around on Facebook. Why don't you join us?

A New Year's Coming

These are the last three of my New Year's post cards for the swap. I used mixed media paper and cut my own 4" x 6" postcards - rather than buying them. In the last two cards I tried something new. Not sure how I like it yet. I used pen nibs and a speedball wand, which I dipped into Liquitex Acrylic Ink to draw the pink string and the green vines. Other colors in the cards came from Grumbacher Translucent Watercolors, Wink of Stella Glitter Markers, and At You Spica pens. It's almost new year's day. The cards are in the mail. It's a new record :).

Trying to Find the Groove

Yesterday I showed you the start of this 11" x 14" piece I'm working on. This is destined to be cut down into fifteen separate ATCs for a swap I am participating in. In this one view you can see three brand new tangles - merryweather, stella, and crezn't. These pink links will take you to step-outs for two of those. Stella hasn't been released (I don't think). It is the pretty poinsettia looking flower in the center. 

This bold band across the middle is something I made up. I was trying to draw Caren Mlot's new tangle spokes and got lost in the first two steps. It isn't a hard tangle, I just wasn't paying attention. So I just kept drawing and that dark band from lower left to upper right is what I came up with. You can also see some printemps, Sandy Hunter's cruffle, cirquital, Sandy Bartholomew's msst, Jane MacKugler's henna drum, knase, and a few random other tangles. 

In this photo you see more of merryweather and crezn't. The fan shaped tangle near the top right is called S Wich Blade and it's by Carol Ottaway. She's an awesome artist, you should check out her blog here.  That dark wavy line and circle tangle is beanpodz from Neil Burley. A little footlites, more stella, a little munchin, and a variation of rain. 

I hope to finish this up today.  Still having some issues today with creativity, but trying to push through. Trying to find my groove once more. Thank you to everyone who sent me warm wishes and encouraging words, and thank you to those who offered to pray for me. You are loved and appreciated!

Henna Swirls

I am really liking Jane's tangle Henna Drum. I always have. I've used it many times in the past and I always enjoy coming back to it. I freehanded these swooping lines - that's what I call it when I don't have my glasses on. Hahahahaha! And they didn't turn out too badly, so I went with them, cleaned them up and added the flowers. The color came from Prismacolor Water Soluble Pencils. Trying them out for the first time. I like them, but they just don't hold a candle to Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils. Well. I guess it comes down to why you use color. I use color to brighten things up and give them life. I will probably save the prismacolor pencils for on the highway work. They did speckle good, though!

Henna Drum Explored, Diva Challenge #130

This week's Diva Challenge was to use Jane MacKugler's tangle called Henna Drum. This has long been one of my favorite tangles. I don't change it up much because I like it so much just as it is. I loved the flowing lines and the cute little flowers :). I am still away from home, which means none of my regular art supplies are at hand. This color was added from my Wal-Mart watercolor pan set purchased from the new school supplies. And it works just great! Visit Laura's page here to check out all the renditions of Henna Drum and perhaps you'd like to add your own!

A Zinger of a String

This week's Diva Challenge was to use Maria Thomas' tangle Zinger! This is one of Maria's go-to tangles, one she uses frequently but had never named it until recently.

Tangle Patterns' string 027 was shared by Courtney Frantz. Being a little time challenged this week, I combined the two - the Diva's and the String. The above tile was made using Courtney's string, although it's turned counter-clockwise one rotation. Fun string, I will be using this one again.

I really like the Zinger tangle and I'm still trying to get it just right.  So I figured a little more practice was in order. And this tile was so fun! Hahaha! I love it! You can find the Diva's challenge here and you can check out Tangle Patterns string challenge here.