A New Card Design

Now I have a few Zentangle designs under my belt and looking a-ok, I think I can safely start making things to sell.
I bought some plain brown/natural cards to do my designs on.

My first card is of a flower and the edges cut out.
I love this first one I have done and have tried doing a second and third and they come out different each time! This is something I need to get past in my mind and deal with, each one will be individual! Yes!
I feel I can't let go of this first one as I am so pleased with it! But I am sure there will be plenty more awsome ones to come :-)

Zentangle a day......

I decided to buy the book Zentangle a day through amazon kindle. A great way to keep handy info on the go and access wherever I go as I have the kindle app on my phone, hurray for technology!

I bought the book as the next Zentangle workshop is not until September, so I really want to get to grips with it as soon as possible.
The content of the book is very clear and covers all the right information you need to know about this great art form.

I have been naughty and been flicking though ahead to get to the patterns. Some of the chapters cover lighting and shading, which is great for fundamentals of drawing. For me I am not a fan of the shading in my own work, I love patterns to be graphic and bold. Maybe the shading will come along later for me.

So here are my drawings, you can tell which ones I enjoyed and which ones I did not quite grasp, there is one I didn't grasp at first but I really like and will practice.
I do believe that not all patterns on offer are what I want to draw. Everyone has their own style and what makes them tick. It is the same with my lindy hop dancing, there are moves I just can't do or do not like personally, it doesn't make it a bad thing, more like personal taste which is absolutely fine.

Onwards and upwards!

Birthday card for Lisa who has Happy Feet!

It is a birthday of a fellow dancer Lisa, who I dance alongside with our dance troupe The Chee Chee Gals. I will be getting my fellow Chee Chees to sign it for her.
I am very pleased with this one.

I went to do a simple L for the envelope and got carried away! I don't mind it looks fab!

Calligraphy..... I want to be as good as this!

Sitting by 'The Canal' at Balls Park.

I am fortunate to live on a beautiful estate called Balls Park in Hertford, Hertfordshire. 63 acres of picturesque Grade II listed parkland I get to enjoy on a daily basis.
I forget sometimes that I have all this land to walk around on!
So I went for a little stroll and settled down by the very large pond which is called 'The Canal'.

I have been admiring a textile artist on Facebook called Anne Brooke. I love her sketchbook work and have a hankering to do something along similar lines. The problem I have is I put myself down for not feeling like I have the right words to write down. But I figured if I put myself in a place where things are happening then I have a reason to write notes down.
I relaxed looked about and thought what is happening here and started creatively writing little sentences.
I also looked around me to see what caught my eye and felt like drawing.
So what I created is a nice couple of pages of sketches along with writing.
Not bad for a first try!
A big thank you to Anne Brooke for being an inspiration!

Salt

Today my Zentangle was born from a salt shaker in my local branch of Belgique.

I used the base of the shaker as a stencil. It was nice to have large areas to work on instead of breaking down to small ones, as it became an opportunity to really practice some of the patterns I have recently learnt, having grid paper really helped too, hehehe.

I feel I am progressing and want to start practicing some new patterns as I feel a little limited. Quality not quantity as they say!.....

I have been using a Moleskine grid pocket book to do my Zentangles whilst on the go.

I was finding however that I was digging into the bottom of my handbag to grab my pens.

Solution! I cut two lines into the front cover of the book and I latch the pens onto the top of the cover and the cut out part keeps them in place! Voila! Much easier :-)

Happy Belated birthday mum!

I decided to have a go at doing a monogram on a blank card. I missed my mums birthday and feel terrible! So I think this very personal card will make up for it. I am sure a handmade card is much better than a shop bought one.
I know that my mum will treasure this forever.
Part of me wishes I had practiced the style I did on the inside as I changed the style of writing after doing Happy.
More practice I am sure before I will be better at making wording look beautiful!
Hmmmm I am thinking maybe a few tutorials on calligraphy may help....... I love learning new things!

Something whilst waiting for breakfast.

I have started carrying about with me a small notebook for any drawing whilst waiting. I was in a busy cafe with my partner Dan and so glad I had this with me to pass the time.
Started with a simple curved line. And worked with dots and circles.
Dan then suggested I draw a dragonfly. I have never drawn a freehand one before, I must say it came out pretty good!
I finished off with wording, again pleased with the outcome.
23.7.2013

Spirograph Zentangle with Dangles

I have used my Spirograph set as a string then built on it using Zentangle and dangle patterns.

The art of Zentangle® workshop with Jane Marbaix, hosted by Colouricious.

I came across Zentangle® whilst browsing Pintrest. I was in awe of all the amazing patterns which could be created.

I further looked up Zentangle® to see what the official deal was with it. I was amazed to find that it is a growing art form and is huge in the USA.

It was created by Rick and Maria, see here what it is all about... Zentangle®

Seminars are held throughout the year for people to become certified CZT teachers.

I want to learn!

I went about finding a CZT here in the UK, I was in luck and straight away contacted the wonderful Jane Marbaix.

She gave me a couple of options to join her at home and have a one to one or at very short notice join her at a workshop hosted by Colouricious 55mins away from my home to Amersham, Bucks. I jumped at the chance and made sure I was there on the day! Nothing was going to stop me from being there!

I was very excited to be learning from an official CZT.

Now I could have done the whole self-taught thing and spend hours scouring various blogs and Pintrest and practiced until the cows come home. BUT! Isn’t there something wonderful about socialising with like-minded individuals who also want to be taught first hand?.....

Friday 19^th July 2013……. Zentangle® day!

An early start for me, and needed to be in Amersham for 10am. I arrived in good time and was greeting by Jamie who runs Colouricious. I was in awe of her home which was full of life, colour and vibrancy! I was in India. I felt at home here being surrounded by inspiration.

There were 4 of us attending the workshop and we all got on very well, and admired each other’s work throughout the day.

Relaxing music was being played in the background and we spent the day out in Jamie’s paradise garden, under bright and decorative parasols directly from India. She also has an aviary where her parrot was happily making noises.

Let’s create!

One creates what is a called a string as a base to create the patterns.

We started off with 4 patterns, Crescent Moon, Tipple, Static, Florz. Tipple is missing as I didn't realise I needed 4 areas, but there is no wrong in Zentangle, I used tipple in a later drawing.

The second we drew Hollibough, Pokeroot and Pokeleaf, Mist and Zander. I included Tipple in this one which is sitting amongst Hollibough.

The third, Flux, Keeko, Hi Cadent, Chartz, Onomato. I did variations on the Crescent Moon pattern.

After a lunch break we went onto using stencils as a base.

I started with a butterfly which included the following patterns, left wing 'Nzepple, right wing bales. Main body Mist. Bottom wings Flux. I added in some Dangles too.

I then moved onto a jar/urn shaped stencil. I sat for a minute or two staring at it thinking how on earth do I tackle this? I then took my pencil and went with the flow and drew some lines, which then created the base for what is my favourite drawing of the day.

Patterns include, Mist, Tipple, Flux, Bales, Knightsbridge, various dangles.

Jane encouraged me to look at a book called Zenspirations, dangle designs by Joanne Fink. The book was full of colour and the style was right down my street. I used a very thin pen to be able to get all the delicate patterns in place. I am now the proud owner of the book as it arrived today!

Home time!

I left the workshop feeling very happy with my new drawing skill. Each time I drew a pattern I would sit back and look at it thinking how amazing it is. I am so happy with the results and will continue to create and learn the art of Zentangle®!

Goldfish Baby Booties Crochet

Super cute goldfish crochet slippers pattern from website www.mulu.us.