A Week...already?

Where does the week go?  Well, I can tell you where mine went...to 3 or 4 "I am the diva" challenges, creating a couple of new websites (one for me which I will post when its ready and continue posting my stuff there), watching curling and the beginning of the Australian Open, cleaning, trying out stuff I have found on Pinterest, etc., etc., etc.

So, the proof that I have been doing some artistic stuff? Right here are the Challenges I completed this week.

Initialize

More attempts at Initialize

A Tree Fort Fairy Land

After finishing the challenges, I decided to do some of my own doodles without a structure or starting point.  The results are here:

Then I decided to revisit one of the earlier Challenges (Number 4) which I wasn't happy with how I drew.  I recreated the doodle and after it was complete, I could see just how much the practicing with the challenges has improved my style!  Hopefully you agree.  The top one was submitted 3 weeks ago for Challenge #4 and the bottom one I did just the other day.  I added proper perspective and shading, but the mechanics are the same (pen and paper types).

What a difference, eh? I was very happy with my progress (if I do say so myself)!

Now, after all that doodling on paper and after browsing on Pinterest and seeing some suggestions they have on it, I decided to branch out a bit.  I noticed as I was putting the dishes away that one of my plates was chipped at the bottom.  I figured I couldn't do any further damage, so I decided to doodle on it with a Sharpie and then bake it to set.  This is the result (before and after):

A little bit of a closeup:

I think it turned out pretty well.  I bought the dishes about 5 years ago and have used them often and put them through the dishwasher often.  I found that the Sharpie method worked really well.  It didn't smear at all and once baked, it seems to be holding up to water.  I haven't put it through the dishwasher yet, but I will let you know how it goes.

The success of the plate made me start wondering what to do next.  I remembered, I had picked up some plain glasses at the dollar store a while back with the intention of doing something with them.  Of course, I figured doodling on them was a great idea! However, when I drew on them and touched them, the Sharpie came right off!  I got wondering if they spray something onto glassware when it is being manufactured (I know that some beads from Thailand and other locations are actually rubbed with animal feces in order to make it shine!).  So, I am going to try soaking them overnight and try again in the morning to see if they accept the Sharpie.  Fingers crossed.

Anyway, back to the drawing...er doodling board!

A Current Submission

Finally, I had the nerve to submit my tangle for Challenge #101 by "I am the diva".  This should mean some extra views from the tangling community, so hopefully I will get a couple comments that I can take ahead with me.

The "diva" and her husband, "B-rad", invented a new tangle called Phicop.  Quite cute and I can see using it in my ZIA because it looks nautical to me...part shell...part pure tangle.  I can see it being really curvy or even fairly straight...I practiced it in a circle, square and triangle and it worked in all of them.  Anyway, here was my submission:

the Phicops are the figures outlined in red.

I completed two more challenges today, Challenge 20 & 21.  Challenge 20 was based on the Royal Wedding.  It is amazing how many patterns you can see and pick up on when you are really looking for them.  There were many that I could see which could be "tangled".  However, I kept it down to about half a dozen and this is my submission:

My favourite is the middle "archway" which I based on the ceiling shot where a ridge ran down the centre then arched out to the sides of the hall.  Anyway, this gives a bit of a taste of how ornate the whole affair was!

The next Challenge, #21, was called Oof and is based on a repeating overlapping circle pattern.  I thought I would have lots of trouble drawing the circles, but the way the steps are laid out, it was really quite easy!  Here is my attempt:

Oof is the pattern at the bottom. It made me think of a shower curtain from the '70s so I used a curvy curtain rod as one of my string lines.

My newest ZIA is coming along nicely...about half finished, I'd say.  I may have pics of it by tomorrow...we will have to see how the day goes.

So, back to the drawing...doodling board!

Busy Busy Busy

So, on to the next set of challenges from "I am the diva".

Challenge 13

This Challenge was called Non-Dominatrix and we were to use our non-dominant hand to draw a tangle.  Well, I kept seeing pictures of the hand on Pinterest.  Someone outlines their hand and then draws a series of lines to show the hand popping off the surface.  So I did this first picture.

When I read the Challenge, I wanted to do it, but I wanted to do something easy enough that I didn't end up hating it!  So I decided to do the hand drawing thing again.

The first pic is with my dominant hand and making a peace sign.  The second is drawn with my non-dominant hand and it is my thumb and forefinger.  No...my finger hasn't shrunken in the second pic and I didn't give up and just draw it shorter for convenience sake!  It is actually different fingers :)





Challenge 14 & 15

These challenges were Walk the Line and Love your Curves, Baby.  The first challenge was to draw a tangle using only straight lines and the second one was to draw a tangle with all curvy lines!  Here's what I came up with:

Challenge 16 was Mooka and anyone who came to my house for Christmas 2012 will know that I handed out small river rocks with Mooka's drawn as a family embracing a heart for my giveaway!  Yet another look at it here:

So, I haven't done another tangle for this challenge, figuring I had mastered it for now...I have, however used Mookas in other tangles I have drawn since...including the next challenge.


Challenge 17 was called 15 Minutes of Fame and the challenge was to draw a tangle from start (drawing the string base) to finish (shading and embellishing).  It was harder than I thought it would be.  Time flies when you are having fun!  I thought I was only taking about 15 minutes on all of them, but I guess I take more like half an hour by the time I plan what tangles I want to use, how I want them to fit, how the shading should be, etc.  But, here is what I came up with for Challenge 17.


Challenge 19 was entitled More Morris and the idea was to get away from drawing black on white and change it up a bit.  I didn't have a white pen or black paper, so I decided to go with white paper still, but attempt to accomplish the challenge by making most of the drawing black and only bits of white.  Once I finished I decided it wasn't really what was being asked, so I started again and used silver pen (my fav) and darkish paper (I darkened it a bit again on the computer).  This time I got more of the result I thought I should have had.  So, the left is the second drawing and the right is my first drawing. 

That is about it for today.  I did another Capricorn tangle and I have started my first ZIA after doing these challenges and improving my handiwork.  When I am done, I will post it, but it is in its first steps for now!  Here is the Capricorn, however:

Well, back to the drawing...doodling...board!

Li'l Buddies

A little bit different type of post for me today. 

I saw someone had painted river rocks bright colours and made them into monsters and I thought... hey... Tobermory is the Dive Capital of Canada, so why not do the same with divers. Tobermory is located on the Bruce Peninsula and is therefore surrounded on three sides by water.  There are tons of rocks and that is why I use them so often in my creations.  Anyway, that's how I was inspired to create these painted rocks and called them Li'l Buddies. 

Every SCUBA diver has to have a buddy to dive with and now they have a little guy who is always ready to go at any time!  These are only about the size of a dollar coin, so they won't affect your buoyancy :) They are sold exclusively at G+S Watersports in Tobermory (519-596-2200).  So if you have a diver, snorkeler or other water enthusiast in your group...this may be a perfect little gift!

"I am the diva" Challenges 11 & 12

I've been doing lots of tangling to start off 2013!  And getting a bit better at them, if I do say so myself!  I am getting more comfortable holding a pen again.  I have spent many years designing on computers and not with pen and paper!  It feels good to go "old school".

First, I completed Challenges 11 & 12, Monotangle and Something Blue.  I did a few samples for each, but I chose to submit the following two:

Maybe I will post the other samples I made at a later date...especially when (notice I don't say IF) I don't have enough time to make new designs to post.

Once I did the icon for Capricorn for "Something Blue", I decided I really wanted to try doing it again in another style.  That is when this one emerged:

I definitely have to learn to leave space at the edges of my pics once I start doing them for real and not just for practice!  I tend to like to fill the entire page...it somehow feels like cheating when I do the "Simplistic" doodles.

And, did I mention?, I love my silver and now my gold Sharpies!  This diamond drop tangle glistens in the light...liking it!

I also started practicing some lettering...only started though.  Well, this is the first and only one I have done at this point.  But I liked how this one turned out, so I am posting it anyway.

That is all for now.  Back to the drawing...er...doodling board!

More Challenges!

I continued to practice the Challenges provided by "I am the diva" yesterday and I finished #6, #8 and #9.

Challenge #6 was called Ixorus.  When I got to this tangle, I decided it was time to practice shading so here is my first attempt.  I found this pattern to be very relaxing and I can see incorporating it into some of my actual ZIAs. 

Challenge #8 was called Hearts for Artoo.  The task was to draw a heart which incorporated lessons learned from the previous Challenges.  I chose to combine Simplicity (Challenge #1) and Ixorus (Challenge #6).  Again, I decided to practice shading even though this was supposed to be Simplicity.  So, the result was this:

Challenge #9 was a new tangle created by "I am the diva" which is called Artoo.  I had difficulty with this one.  At first it looked like a leaf of some sort and then it started to look like an onion.  So, I decided to put it on hold for now and I may try it again.  For now, this is my result.















These last two challenges turned out very minimalistic by tangling standards.  Probably because I had read Challenge #10 already and it is exploring white space!  I could probably consider either of these two as my submission for it as well, but I think I will continue practicing and make another one for it.

Anyway, back to the drawing...er...doodling board!

My Birthday

All my life my complaint for my birthday has been that January 2nd is the day the holiday is over...taking down decorations, returning gifts, returning to work, hangover from partying for days, and back to school (back in my day anyway).

So, when I learned that the challenge from I am the Diva was called "Breathe", it seemed appropriate to me.  It was a day of relaxing and watching old movies and drawing some zentangle-inspired-art (ZIA).

First, here is my interpretation of Breathe:

The rhythmic pattern reminds me of the expansion and contraction of the lungs as we breathe.  The bubbles represent the air and the lines are the muscles that control our breath.  It seemed natural to add a heartbeat lifeline since it is breath that keeps us alive!

Next, I have been trying to decide how I want to draw water, so here are some practice items including my attempts at water.  I still haven't created my style for water, but I am sure it will come.

Now, back to the drawing...er...doodling board!

Challenges

I wanted to start practicing this zentangle-inspired-art form and I decided to try some of the challenges that are posted by I am the diva.  Better late than never, right?  I started right from the beginning and I will work my way through them...either to the end (100 right now) or until I feel like I am getting better at drawing them!

I have been using some cheap coloured card stock that I got at the dollar store once upon a time and some very-fine tipped Sharpies.  They may not be the best quality materials, but they certainly work for practicing!

The first Diva Challenge was called Simplicity and I came up with the following two ideas:

 

The second Diva Challenge was called Two Pencil String and I came up with:

The third Diva Challenge, Eyes Wide Shut, was drawing the string with eyes closed, and I ended up with:

 The fourth Diva Challenge, Starry Eyed Surprise, and mine turned out like this:

The fifth Diva Challenge, Orbs, ended up like this.  Not my favourite...didn't turn out how I wanted, but that is what practicing is all about.  If I get a better one done, I will post it later.

That's all the ones I have done for now.  I am going to the I am the diva site now to get the next few.  They are lots of fun and are small enough that I feel like I am actually accomplishing something!

In the meantime, here are a couple of rocks I've finished:

Now, back to doodling!

After Christmas

Christmas is over!  Back to work.

I have been busy painting rocks and I wanted show off a sampler today.

I can't remember the names of the patterns and I just discovered how difficult it is to search and find the patterns if you don't know the name.  So I have guessed the closest one for now and if you know the real name, please comment below.

I tried to match the patterns to the different layers of the earth.  I chose light blue and feathers for air, then green and the pattern is kinda scrawlz and fescu, then brown and yellow sorta barberpole-ish, next is stripes in dark blue to represent a water layer, then finally peas in a pod in tan colour to represent all the unseen things under the earth.  You can also see the natural rock layer just beyond the feather pattern.

The "strings" on this piece are actually the different levels of the rock itself.  The picture below is shiny and shows the levels a little bit clearer.  It also shows how shiny the finish is :)

Well, off to do some more painting.

Christmas Family Give-Aways

We went for a family Christmas dinner today and as a little gift for each of them, I did a Mooka-inspired design on a rock with the word "family" written on it.  During the tutorial for drawing Mooka, one of the instructors says its kinda like a family.  It must have stuck in my mind, because days later when I came to practice it...I thought it looked enough like a family that I could embellish it and come up with something.  The continuous line is the unity of family.  The three shoots represent the parents and a child, however I am part of a "blended family" (if people still use that term) and I still feel it represents us well.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy seeing it.  It was fun and simple to draw and turned out quite colourful for an addition to their gardens.

A First for Everything

This is a double first for me.  First time to blog and first time showing a "zentangle" aka doodling back in my day.

My "thing" is art using rocks.  I live in a very rocky coastline area and my supply is endless. Most recently, I started painting on rocks.  I was browsing the internet to check out what was being done and I kept coming across these great, intricate artsy designs.  You guessed it, Zentagles!  I decided to integrate some tangles into my painting.

I spent several days checking out the patterns on tanglepatterns.com before I had the nerve to take pen to paper (or paint to rock as it were).  But now, here I am.  Influenced by the zentangle community.  Posting on a blog.  Sharing some of my rocks.

This first rock uses "knyt".  When I first saw it, I thought it would be perfect for my mother since she is a huge knitter!  So, with Christmas right around the corner...knyt on my computer screen...brush in hand and rock in place...its a knyt rock for mom this year!

I added a couple Zingers and a couple of my own little bugs...because it is going to be a garden rock...and a tiny elephant.  She has been collecting elephants all my life and my husband said the rock had to include one!  This should add some year-round colour to her garden!

I hope she likes it.