Amazing Slideshow from Diva's Challenge 117: Shway

This is such a great slideshow to give us a concept of how what began as a pretty straight (as an arrow) tangle pattern comes alive with the vision of different artists. The diversity of interpretation shown in this slideshow is absolutely stunning.

Whether you participate in the challenges or not the ideas portrayed here and the sheer beauty of the artistry, make it well worth watching

Great job, everyone.

Thank you, Laura for another great challenge, and thank you Rick for an interesting new tangle!

You can find the slideshow here.

http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca/2013/05/gone-fishin-and-slideshow.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+IAmTheDiva-CertifiedZentangleTeacherczt+(I+am+the+diva+-+Certified+Zentangle+Teacher+(CZT%C2%AE))

Til next time, tangle happy!

Beth

Playing with "Kukes" Diva's Challenge 118 UMT

Hello Everyone,

After way too long, I finally decided I just had to get back to the Diva's Challenge. Time has just not permitted lately, and I have missed the challenges, and all of you, so very much. For those of you unfamiliar with The Diva's Challenge, it is a non-competitive challenge based on a different theme each week. A slideshow is made showing every entry when all is done. You can find this week's challenge HERE .

I fell in love with "Kukes" on sight. I love botanicals, and I could see so much potential. I also love anything "orb" shaped. The story of "Kukes" and the step-outs to help you learn to draw it are HERE . This is Katy Abbott's first published original tangle, and I hope there will be many more.

Although I'm drawing it far from perfectly, it's fun to draw, and I love how it looks when it's done.

I stuck with black, and graphite, this time, but I see so much potential for color with this tangle. I was envisioning this piece in Christmas colors.

I feel it ended up too busy and a littlle visually confusing, but I didn't compose it. It built itself. So I suppose it's precisely its very best self. 

Here is my entry for Diva's Challenge #118: "Kukes".

Diva's Challenge #118: "Kukes"

I can hardly wait to get around and see what everyone has done with this tangle. I always enjoy seeing your work, and I love it when you leave me comments. I look forward to every single one.

Til next time, tangle happy!

Beth (Elizabeth Beveridge on Facebook)

Saturday Strrrrrrrrrrretch

Hello, Everyone!

Well, I've been very neglectful of my blog lately. Since last I wrote, however, I've had some interesting and enjoyable adventures in art. Yesterday's was just so much fun, I had to share the process with you. If you want to try a really interesting diversion from Zentangle, this is fun, and quite a challenge.

I tend to be very tight and controlled in my art work. It's something my CZT, Brenda Shaver, recognized, and we've been working on it.

In an ATC Swap and Travelling Art Journal FB group, a new swap was issued by Penny Stewart, ably assisted by Robin Buys. It was called "All Over Floral" and it went something like this...

Thinking "wallpaper" or 'fabric" place watercolor paint loosely on a large page. After drying, pick out detail with ink. Cut into ATC's and submit them to Penny. She will organize everyone's work, and we will get back as many ATC's (from other people) as we submitted.

OK... so for me, the challenges were:

1. Using watercolors, which I have, but have used very little (scarey!).
2. Placing color loosely on the page (anxiety almost to the point of panic).

I know this probably sounds very silly to many of you. My own reality is that anything new is scary, so I react with fear. I realized how badly the thought of doing this was "pushing my buttons" as I sat trying to convince myself to do the "Nike thing". I became determined to beat the fear, and give this a try. 

I enjoyed it so much, I ended up doing 2 sets. I think I drove Penny and Robin a bit nuts, with questions in private messages, as I worked through. I needed reassurance that I was doing the right thing. Pathetic, right?

So, for the first set, I indicated quite closely the final flower, as I placed my strokes. I kept a degree of control that I was comfortable with. This is the initial paint placement on the first piece:

Floral 1: Paint Placement

This was fun, but very tricky. I had trouble controlling (there's that word again) the balance of moisture in my paper, and consistency of my paint. Once dry, it was time to pick up my faithful Micron .01...

Loosely inked (as instructed)

 I was pretty pleased with this, and felt I had done pretty well with staying loose with the inking, and not getting too detailed with it. Then I cut it into ATC's for the swap. I was thrilled with how each card looked!

Cut into ATC's for the  swap

I had a little left over, so I cut "inchies and twinchies" (one inch and two inch squares) which we sometimes trade, or just enclose as a little extra smile, when we send out ATCs.

Well, I was intrigued after this process and decided to do another set. This time, I decided I wouldn't stroke or shape the flowers in any way, in the first step... just place blobs. With this set, I would rely on my liner, to "identify" the flower. Here are the "steps" of this set.

Paint placed, ready for ink

At this point, I had to decide whether to go to bed, or keep going. My body is telling me I should have chosen sleep! *grins sleepily*.

I really enjoyed figuring out what flower each blob reminded me of, and then "making it so" with ink.

Second set, inked

Although I don't like this piece as well as the first, the exercise of doing it was delightful. I loved the ATC's once they were cut, but would put the elements closer together when (not if), I try this again. Here they are:

Second set, ATC's

This exercise made for a very interesting afternoon and evening (and early morning). I'm told, once you get used to the process, and more comfortable with painting and inking loosely, you can complete this exercise in a couple of hours.

I will be doing this again... any time I feel like a good "stretch". I hope it might inspire you to try something completely different, once in a while. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.

Til next time, tangle happy!

Beth

Expanding Horizons: The Joy of Swaps and Travelling Journals

Hello, everyone;

Lately, through Facebook, I've become involved in some new, and very enjoyable activities.

I belong to 3 different groups around these activities, and I'm having a ball.

The first is a group that does fairly large ATC swaps, usually on a theme.You sign up if you wish to be involved in a particular swap. I'm involved in one right now that has 25 members... so I draw 24 and mail them, and I get 24 back. It's loads of fun to go to the mailbox while these are coming in. This group is called Zentangle Artist Trading Card Swaps, and can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/123904037786011/

The second is a group that specializes in travelling art journals... really a collection of ATC's on a theme. If you sign up to participate in a particular journal, it is mailed to you in turn, and you add a card to the journal and send it, along with a gift ATC, to the next person on the list. 

This is an example of a Travelling Art Journal in progress (cards are slipped into a baseball card collecting page. Theme: Spring Fling

You are free to host a travelling journal of your own, any time. The journal themes are fun and interesting, and for each journal, you only need to draw 2 cards, so it's not a big strain. You can find this group, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ATCtravelingjournals/

The third 'swap" group I belong to is called
 DOODLED DEXES (ROLODEX CARDS) and Landscape ATCs.  This group is a riot, and very active. It encompasses tanglers, multi-media, painters... just about anything goes. This is a group with a heart. They have 2 main activities ongoing.

One is called MMH for Make Me Happy. It goes like this.

Sally: Who will make me happy with a dinosaur, a sailboat or a hot air balloon?
Jill: I will make you happy with  a sailboat. Who will make me happy with a parrot, a clown, or a dolphin?
and on it goes. 
This is a very personal kind of game, and gets everyone interacting.

The other activity in this group is called PIF or Pay It Forward. Someone posts a piece of art, and if you want it, you say so in comments. Hopefully, you are first, and you win that piece. If you do, you turn around and post an ATC or rolo card of your own, and someone else claims it. Pieces are mailed by the artist to the recipient. It's a great way to add to your collection, since so many different styles are represented. This group can be found at : https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rolodexart/

If you find that any of these groups are "closed", just message the admin and they will add you. All welcome new members warmly.

These groups have really enriched my tangling fun, and I've made great friends (and still am), along the way.

If any of this appeals to you, I would encourage you to give the group a try. You can opt out at any time, and who knows, you may just love it!

I know there are lots of groups like this, out there, but I can only speak of those with which I'm familiar. It is not my intent to exclude any group.

Until next time, tangle happy!

Beth

Diva's Weekly Challenge #114: "You with the Stars in your Eyes - Stars v 2.0"

Happy Monday, Everyone;

Well finally, signs of Spring here in Ontario. From freezing rain, snow and howling winds late last week, our temperatures are to hit close to 20C or 70F today. No in-between. It's been like that for a number of years now. I love Spring, and it seems to be disappearing!

When I saw Laura's challenge this week, a very busy week for me, I thought I would post a star I did a while back, as an avatar for a friend. 

This challenge begs for a big ZIA (in my mind) and I may make that my project for this week.

For now, though, here is a star that is very special to me.

I hope everyone has fun with this challenge!

As always, thank you for your visits and comments. I always appreciate them so much!

Until next time, tangle happy!

Beth

Spring Fling ATCs for an Art Journal Swap

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Well, it seems lately that everything in my blog is starting with "My First...". It makes me smile, because there are still so many firsts I want to do.. so, I'm not putting "My First" in blog titles anymore!

Here are my first colored ATCs. They are for an art journal swap with the theme of Spring Fling.

Here in Ontario, tulips and daffodils are usually the first bulbs that poke through in Spring... so I focused there.I'm kind of nervous about this, because it's a new thing, but I tried to make them fun and interesting.

The first ATC below includes pigma micron pens, tombow markers and sakura jelly roll pens in both souffle and moonlight.

Spring Fling ATC: Tulips

 The second ATC uses all the same media as the first. The daffodils are really textural. I think they're fun.

Spring Fling ATC: Daffodils

I absolutely love the ATC's in the journal so far, and hope these will be enjoyed as well.

Until next time, tangle happy!

Beth

Diva's Challenge 113: Boxes in Boxes

Hello Everyone;

The Diva's Challenge, by Laura Harms, CZT, for this week, was a string. Boxes (or frames) within frames on a tile.

I really enjoyed this challenge. There's one area I'm not happy with, but other than that, I feel like I accomplished it pretty well. Not very creative, but I did love how Puf turned out as a border.

Here is my entry for this week.

Diva's Challenge 113 - Boxes in Boxes

I always enjoy your visits, comments and encouraging words. Thank you in advance!

I can't wait to get around to see the other entries.

Until next time, tangle happy!

Beth