Diva Challenge #88: Official Tangle: IX

I started this tangle at the beginning of the week, but it appears as though I'm fighting off the seasonal cold or allergies, so I didn't really have a chance to work on it much.  I did most of it today, while waiting for my car to be serviced at the dealership.  Each week, I try something new.  This week, I tried my hand at a "defined string".  I think I kinda like it.  IX, on the other hand, is not all that new to me.  I did try it s.e.v.e.r.a.l. times when it was first introduced, and I really just couldn't get the hang of it.  This time around, I think I made some improvement.  Also, I decided to "draw outside the lines" in past Diva challenge fashion.  Not sure if I like it here; I'm on the fence about it.   

Additionally, I was inspired by "soda bubbles" at our office pizza party yesterday, and that is reflected here, as well.  Speaking of pizza, I picked one up after I left the dealership and waited a few minutes for it.  I decided to sit at a table near the cash register to put some finishing touches on this week's challenge.  The very nice young lady behind the register complemented my tangle saying that she thought my "artwork" was "lovely".  Artwork????  Not bad!!....considering that I'm really feeling under the weather and I think it shows in this week's challenge submission.   

Thanks for visiting!  Have a great week!

All the best,

kp

Weekly Challenge #87: String Theory v. XII: Pinwheels for Peace v. II

This week's challenge over at The Diva's is to create your own pinwheel for peace.  My personal challenge was to create something that did not use my "usual tangles", i.e.: mooka, 'nzeppel, flux, tipple, tripoli, etc., etc.  

So, I started with one of my favorites which doesn't really get much use: Betweed.  (Those inner triangles were just screaming out for some Betweed.)  And then, I wanted something flowy (because I like that.)  So, I added this modified Ixorus.  I like how it came out.  Then, I wanted the flow to continue.  I usually can't help myself with the flowy stuff, so I let the Ixorus continue flowing off of the pinwheel in two directions.  I stopped there, and left it as is.  

In the end, it is understated and perhaps a bit plain even, but it says "peace", "live and let live" and "changing seasons of life" to me.  Interestingly, as I was drawing this tangle this morning, I could not help but think about the things that I do not feel peaceful about in my life.  People, from present and past, came to mind.  Hopes of reconciliation.  Fear of reaching out only to be rebuked.  I will continue to meditate about these things, and potential resolutions.  

I think people from the past that I haven't seen in 20 years are probably best left there, with perhaps a sincere prayer of blessing said in their honor.  People from the present probably deserve an apology or other appropriate "olive branch" type of gesture, depending upon the situation.  So that just leaves one thing left: Courage.  

I accidentally used my "03" Pigma Micron this morning.  oops.  Funny thing is, I can't really tell the difference. 

doodling with Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses.  

Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo: Revisited

Earlier this year, I purchased a sample of the fabled Tsuki-Yo, a fountain pen ink that (by popular opinion) exudes subtle and complex qualities, and is much adored at FPN.  My week with Tsuki-Yo was underwhelming, and I've not written with it since.  However, I continue to see remarks and ongoing conversations at FPN about how lovely this ink is.  As I read, and re-read, I am compelled to find out what I'm missing.  (Read Sandy1's review: here and saskia_madding's review: here.)

My first encounter with Tsuki-Yo was with a Broad-nibbed TWSBI 540.  I enjoy my 540 and had initially thought that the nib was somewhat juicy.  But, since that time, I revisited Tsuki-Yo in two different pens.  That changed my opinion of my TWSBI, and the ink.  I have no issues with my TWSBI, but I now think it does write more on the dry side thus when I inked it with Tsuki-Yo, it went down onto the paper with a greenish, or "teal" cast.  I like teal, except that in some of the reviews I'm reading on FPN, the reviewers refer to it as "blue" and not "teal".  So what am I missing?

I switched to two pens that I find to be very wet writing.  I also tried writing samples on various papers such as: Rhodia, Leuchtturm1917, Apica and Clairefontaine Graf-it.

White Paper
On Rhodia, it does have a little tiny bit of a slate hue, that if viewed at a certain angle, and with one eye closed (*wink!*), could translate greenish (to some!).  Overall, however, it does "read" blue.

Rhodia.  Photo is slightly out of focus at the top, but the ink shade is accurate.

Rhodia.

Ivory Paper

In my use of Tsuki-Yo earlier this year, when used on ivory colored paper, the teal hue was over the top.  Here, in my Leuchtturm1917 journal which has ivory pages, the green is not apparent at all.  I do think that the difference can be attributed to the use of a wetter writer.  In the samples below, I definitely see more of the fabled blue complexity for which Tsuki-Yo is known.  YAY!  In fact, on Leuctturm1917 it's absolutely lovely.  I think I even prefer it to the Rhodia, because, yes, the complexity really comes through.  I like it.  This was a total surprise, because during my initial experience with Tsuki-Yo + TWSBI = I avoided ivory papers.  What a surprise to see that I cannot see green here at all.  

Leuchtturm 1917.

I thought a side-by-side comparison might be interesting, thinking that a green cast would jump right out at me.  It doesn't.  

Grey paper.  Lovely Apica 6A10.  Italic nib in first sample; fine nib in second.

Slightly textured, white sketchbook paper.  Clairefontaine Graf-It.   Italic nib in first sample; fine nib in second.

The moral of the story:
Pen+paper+ink combo really does make or break it.

Here, wetter writing pens made all the difference.  The greenish-hue was far less apparent - if at all.  I'm enjoying Tsuki-Yo, and it is now on my "To Buy" list.  

TanglePatterns String 018

This was inspired by "string 018" found on the "strings" page at TanglePatterns.com.  I really enjoyed this string.  I like it when I draw something that I like.  I will probably use this string again.  Soon.

Links:
Zentangle
TanglePatterns.com string 018

TanglePatterns String 015

TanglePatterns.com has been a great resource for me when it comes to all things Zentangle(R).  This particular tangle uses a "string" from the TanglePatterns.com string page.  A new string is typically added each week.  I have been trying to use each one.  It certainly offers a new challenge.  This is string 015 which was inspired by an abandoned church.  I thought it turned out sort of interesting.  I do enjoy looking at it each time I go by it in my sketch journal.

Links:
Zentangle
TanglePatterns.com string 015

Diva Challenge #86: Break Free

I am back for the Diva Challenge after having taken last week off.  I enjoyed this week's challenge.  My submission to the challenge is actually my second attempt at "breaking free".  The challenge was to draw something that breaks outside our tile borders.  

I didn't really have any objective for this challenge other than to simply discover what I could make, and that always seems to be something that happens "in the moment", as opposed to precise planning.  (For me, at least.)  For whatever reason, this challenge made me want to use tripoli and mooka, and you can see that both attempts utilize both patterns.  My first attempt (Tile #2) actually incorporated the use of a free-hand string, while my second attempt (Tile #1) did not. I did however draw a line for my partial circle, which I later regretted when I wanted to connect with mooka.  oh well.  I went with it anyway. 

I don't find either tile to be all that dramatic, but, overall, it was nice to give myself permission to draw outside the lines.

I am still super-new at tangling, and am a non-artist trying to find my creative self.  Any and all feedback (constructive or otherwise) is welcomed.  

***edited to add:

In retrospect, I should say that I typically do not use a "border" in Zentangle(R).  I often will use a string, but no border, therefore using the whole tile with design.  What I find is that I will typically stay strictly inside the borders created by the string, and I will rarely venture out of it.  Because this week's challenge called for breaking outside the border, I actually made a point to draw the border and then draw outside of it.  Perhaps that is not the type of "outside of the box" thinking that the challenge was calling for, but for me, it was not easy to draw outside the lines.  While there are no "rules" in Zentangle(R), I often adhere strictly to internal borders of the tile, so it was definitely a step outside my comfort zone.  

Thank you for visiting.

Many blessings to you!

Tile #1: My second attempt.  It makes me want to say, "Make love, not war."  I don't know why.  lol.  I  did not use a string for this tile, but drew a border and made sure to draw outside of it.  

Tile #2: This tile was actually my first attempt at breaking free.  I don't love it.  I had an idea that didn't really go where I wanted it to go.  I drew both a border and string for this tile.  I made a point to go outside the confines of the border and the string.  

Weekly Challenge #84: Blind Sighted

I had fun with this challenge this week.  I'm too late to the game to submit my tile (deadline is Saturday), but figured I would post my progress for the heck of it anyway. 

The challenge entails drawing a Zentangle(R) string with your eyes closed, and then working with it.  As you can see, my string went off the page a few times as I did these in my sketchbook.  

The first one is interesting.  There is a lot of white space, but I didn't want to add more.  I like it from both right-side-up and upside-down viewpoints.  =)

  

upside-down.

right-side-up.

I improvised a lot with this one!

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