#FYIC2022

Days 30 and 31 of the Fragments of Your Imagination Challenge 2022. Also, end of challenge wrap up!

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Today, I drew my last two pages of fragment variations for the Fragments of Your Imagination Challenge 2022.

Day 30 is Ladybug by Shie Naritomi CZT. At first, I didn’t know what to think of the fragment or what I could do with it. However, as I started to draw it, a variation appeared. Then another. And another. I was truly surprised by all the fragments that appeared!

Fragment E4 was right up my street! I know I’ve only scratched the surface of the possibilities with this one.

Today’s YouTube video has a quick look at these pages, followed by a flip through and review of each day’s page(s).

You can see the video by clicking on this link.

My thoughts on the challenge

I really enjoyed playing with the various fragments, even the ones that gave me a bit of trouble! To see how many different pattern cells could be created just by simple changes never ceases to amaze me. My only problem is that I have way too many to use in my artwork. However, there are many that fellow artists, tanglers, doodlers can use or draw inspiration from.

I’ve learned a lot of things from this month’s daily drawing. Some I can put into words, others aren’t quite ready to be verbalised.

One important realisation is just how important shadow is to bringing patterns alive! Not just that though; how more textural patterns work with shadow so they enhance each other.

Another was just how many shapes fragments can be in! I’d actually call many of them motifs, though. Moving away from squares, seeds, circles, triangles into the realms of teardrops, ginko leaves, hearts, spirals, kites, rhomboids and more was an eye-opener for me. And a lot of fun!

I’ve started trying to put together the many ways I used to vary a fragment, but it’s all still a bit messy and the words aren’t quite flowing right. It is easier to show rather than explain just using words!

I’ve got mixed feelings now the challenge has, for me, ended. There’s a sense of achievement, but also a sense of loss. Having a daily focus is really good for me. When I don’t have a contract to work towards, I tend to be unfocused, all over the place, and nothing ever really gets done.

Self-motivation isn’t a skill I have a lot of. It is something I think I need to develop. I have a list of books that I could do, including two full of my variations from the Inktober Tangle Pattern Challenge 2021 and the Fragments of Your Imagination Challenge 2022 too.

It’s not just self-motivation, however. It’s also this darned imposter syndrome and a lack of belief in self as well.

What next?

I’m not sure what to do yet for YouTube and social media. Do I carry on with more fragments? Perhaps ‘draw with me’ videos may be an idea. What about card making and similar?

I actually don’t know what to do! So, if you have any ideas or suggestions or requests, leave me a comment!

Gingajava by Donald Wilka CZT | Day 29 of #FYIC2022

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Day 29 of Fragments of Your Imagination 2022

Gingajava, a tangle pattern by Donald Wilka CZT, is not a pattern I’m familiar with, though I think I tackled a fragment similar to this when I did a few fragments in one go a few days ago.

It’s an interesting fragment, and does lend it’s self to variations fairly well. However, to keep the essence of the tangle, not as many as I’d thought.

Having said that, my creative mind isn’t firing on all four cylinders this morning; one at best I think. So, this fragment does deserve another look at at another time.

Beyond the fragments of your imagination challenge…

Just two more fragments to do in this year’s #FYIC2022 challenge. So, my mind is turning towards what next.

These challenges are fun. They give me a defined task to do each day. I find that really helpful as I’m not very good at motivating myself at the best of times.

So, I’m not sure what to do next … not just in terms of projects for my business, but videos and social media posts.

It’s always a funny feeling I have at the end of a challenge, project, commission, contract – there’s a sense of accomplishment, but there’s also a kind of sadness, emptiness, that it has come to an end.

I’ll figure it out; I usually do. But for today, I really do need to put my head down and have a sleep. I didn’t get a good night’s sleep last night and my attention is straying way too much. That also means it’s not a good time to come to decisions about what to do next, other than give my mind a chance to rest.

“Tripoli” Day 27 #FYIC2022

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Link to today’s video on YouTube.

This was rather interesting to work with. The slightly askew, uneven ‘Y’ shape that splits the triangle made it so.

Evneutally I found I rather liked to draw a small triangle somewhere inside the larger one and use that to draw the lines from.

The spaces created invite patterns and embellishments.

Applying this idea of how to split the space inside the fragment to different shapes was intriguing and surprising.

“2M + 3F” by Sandy Kelley Jones CZT | Day 25 #FYIC2022

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Another lovely zentangle pattern fragment that led to some interesting variations that have only scratched the surface of what is possible.

Today’s video can be found by clicking this link!

“Gamusinos” by Oswaldo Burbanos CZT | Day 24 of #FYIC2022

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Every single fragment in this year’s Fragments of Your Imagination Challenge has been lovely, and Gamusinos by Oswaldo Burbanos CZT is no exception. I had a relaxing, enjoyable time coming up with a page of variations for this fragment.

Here’s the link to today’s YouTubeVideo showing the drawing of these fragments.

“Sharpenz” by Ilidica Boyd CZT | Day 23 of the Fragments of Your Imagination Challenge 2022 #FYIC2022

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An unusual fragment is Sharpenz by Ildica Boyd CZT. Unusual, but it led to some surprising variations.

Here’s today’s video that goes with this fragment

A Gracious Plenty of Fragments | Fragments of Your Imagination Challenge 2022, day 22

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Today, I chose to look at fourteen of the twenty-four extra fragments included in the 7F5RChallenge facebook group’s #FYIC2022 challenge information. The fragment for today – Dewdrop or Gem – really didn’t inspire me, as lovely as they are.

So, instead I looked at many fragments, sticking to the original shape for the variations.

Three pages later … I had a large number of variations, and a start for each of the fragments I took a look at using other shapes or further variations.

A lovely, lovely way to spend a dully, grey, chilly Saturday morning. Well, that’s what the weather is like with me here in the Valleys of South Wales, UK!

Today’s video on Youtube, is a look at these pages and the drawing of a just a few of the fragments.

Day 21 of #FYIC2022 – “Sai” by Miki Yamamoto

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Click on this link to see today’s YouTube video.

A pretty floral fragment that was easy to create variations from. None of them are too far removed from the original, even if they may look that way!

Template Thursyay! and “Ivily” for day 20 of #IFYC2022

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Template Thursyay!

I added some more colour to my version of this week’s coloring template (or coloring page if you prefer) for the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.

I stuck to a fairly limited palette of blues and teals, oranges and terracotas for this one.

I wasn’t aware until I added colour of the circular objects trapped beneath the triangles! It never ceases to amaze me now colour can bring out unexpected structures in a mandala or zentangle style design.

“Ivily” by Debbie New CZT – Day 20 #FYIC2022

Part of me wants to call this fragment ‘evilly’ because I was really, really vexed and frustrated by the original fragment. I just couldn’t get my head around it.

Don’t get me wrong, the fragment is lovely, but I just couldn’t work out how to draw it. It took me ages and ages of looking and working with it to even to be able to see the ivy leaves!

That’s all to do with how my mind works, nothing to do with Debbie’s beautiful fragment.

Eventually, I decided to cut my losses and just see how I could put ivy leaf motifs a la Angela into fragment shapes. That was a bit more of a fruitful journey with some unexpected results for sure.

Once my head is clear of my vexations, I may very well return to this fragment to see what I can do then.

Here’s the link to today’s video, all frustrations and vexations, trials and tribulations included!

“Moonberry” tangle fragment for day 18 of the Fragments of Your Imagination Challenge, #FYIC2022

Angela Porter1 Comment

This is a lovely fragment, just like a blueberry! I enjoyed my morning arty wanderings, coddiwomple if you will, with this tangle as my starting point. It certainly led down some unusual paths that include flowers and seed pods, barnacles and sea anemones, borders and bling, and even a cupcake!

If you’d like to see the video recording of this page being drawn, then click on this link.

My work for Adorable Dogs, my latest coloring book for Creative Haven, is now finished. I’ll soon have to design the cover for the next book. But until then I’ll take a little time out to explore some things and maybe put together a book of mandalas.

But not today. Having to download all of the invoices from Amazon for the 2020-21 tax year, my mind is well and truly fried for a while! Anything to do with accounts tends to stress me out just a tad. Still, it’s done now. And I need to take some time to destress. Art is one way for me to do this. Art for calming, meditation, de-stressing. Just what I need. And another mug of tea!