Inktober Tangles 2022

And Inktober Tangles 2022 is complete!

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Yes, that’s right! Yesterday and today I got the remaining four tangles for Inktober 2022 done! And yes, there are draw with me video tutorials to go with them.

At the top right are a few ‘Poppins’ variations. Poppins, by Lisetta Hofer CZT, is a lovely seed pod tangle pattern that reminds me of my much-beloved poppy seed heads. This one was so easy to create variations for; this is just a wee sample of what is possible!

If you’d like to view the video showing how I drew these designs, just click on this link!.

Today’s tangle pattern for day 29 is AVRO, which is on the left-hand side of the lower drawing. ‘Avro‘ is by Yvonne Westover CZT. It is a totally new tangle to me, and I did just a couple of variations. However, you can see on Yvonne’s Avro webpage that there are many possibilities.

In the middle of the same drawing is ‘Saveu’ by Nadine Roller CZT. Again, this is another tangle pattern I’d not come across before; that means I had to have some fun with it! They’ve all ended up as if they’re fancy window frames looking out to the universe! And some of the stardust escaped at the bottom of the drawing too! Well, you just have to sprinkle stardust or glitter wherever you go, or so I think!

Finally, Pangea is on the bottom right for day 31 of Inktober. I had a bit of fun filling this in as a reticulum (grid), especially with patterns that give optical illusions of depth/volume. Of course, using colour/shadow/highlight really helps to bring these illusions out!

Click on this link to see the YouTube tutorial video for Avro, Saveu and Pangea.

Talking of adding colour. For both designs, I used Arteza EverBlend markers and Ohuhu marker paper.

Reflecting on Inktober 2022

Inktober is always a bit of an intense challenge but an enjoyable one. I like to have something to focus my artistic energy. It can be difficult for me to find motivation or something to do that may interest other people. That will be something I feel once I make my next tutorial video. However, I am open to suggestions!

I am really starting to understand the purpose of a sketchbook in my artistic journey and development. Some things clicked into place during this challenge.
1. A sketchbook is a place to practice and work on iterations (variations) of patterns or motifs.
2. I can choose to finish a design, or not.
3. It’s a place ot make mistakes, experiment, record my journey through art.
4. It’s a perfect place to glue my little drawings in to keep them safe and a record of my work!
5. Used this way, a sketchbook becomes a source of inspiration and a wonderful resource to draw from in the future.

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to figure this out; all that matters is that I got there!

Inktober Tangles 2022, Days 26 and 27 – Feliz and Narfello(ish)

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Click on this link to view today’s drawing tutorial (for the bottom design) on YouTube.

Oh, I got my right royal knickers into a twist today over Narfello! I ended up doing two videos and still managed to muck up with Nafello.

The top design was my first attempt. There are lots of things I like about it. But after nearly an hour and a half video, I convinced myself I’d made a total mess of Narfello. So, I drew breath and started over and produced the design at the bottom, but without the colour; I added the colour while the video was uploading and processing.

Even with the second attempt, I still managed to not get Narfello ‘right’. But I think it’s probably close enough for today.

I’m so glad I did a second version, as I like my Feliz (to the left). I like the way the variations gradually change from left to right (or right to left!). It feels more coherent than the first version of Feliz, where I went to town exploring ways to fill the pattern!

I also like how the Narfello-ish appears from under the Feliz in the second version. I can see that I need to add some quite intense shade to the right of the Feliz to enhance this illusion. However, I’ve just about run out of energy for today, so that is a job for another time.

One thing that I am enjoying is the contrast between the geometrical Feliz and the organic, flowy Narfello.

I’m also pleased with how much volume I’ve created using monochrome Arteza Everblend markers, particularly on the bottom design.

Both of these designs will end up in my sketchbook. There are some variations in the upper one I’d like to try. The lower one is a reminder to look at how I can slowly change the filler patterns, if that’s the right term, to change the pattern subtly.

I really have enjoyed working with this pair of patterns. I hope you take a look at the accompanying drawing tutorial on Youtube and have a go at drawing your own version!

“Bs” – Inktober Tangles 2022, Day 21

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YouTube drawing tutorial.

Bs by Midori Furuhashi CZT is a lovely floral zentangle pattern, yet it managed to throw me a few curve balls! I explore this pattern in today’s YouTube drawing tutorial video.

However, those curveballs helped me to better understand the tangle. They also helped me discover some interesting variations and a beautiful flower bud too!

I tried adding some texture lines and patterns to the petals, but they just didn’t feel right. However, using colour to add shadow and highlight worked well. To do this, I used Inktense pencils and a water brush. They reacted in some surprising, but nice, ways with the Distress Inks (Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves and Villainous Potion) I’d used to add colour to the paper.

“TagH” and “Walk the line” | Inktober Tangles 2022, Days 19 and 20

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To view the accompanying drawing tutorial on YouTube, click on this link.

Two lovely tangles today- TagH by Zentangle and Walk the line by Chris Titus CZT.

I really enjoyed trying out different shapes in the leafy Tagh. There are just so very many possibilities for this kind of pattern. I’ve long used this pattern in my artwork without knowing it was a Zentangle pattern!

Walk the line reminds me so much of eroded rock strata and microscopic images of cells. It’s a lovely contrast to Tagh. Again, it’s a pattern I’ve often used in my own art, and it’s nice to find it’s also been added to the ever-growing library of tangle pattern step-outs!

“Slowpoke” Inktober Tangles 2022, Day 18

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Click on this link to watch the accompanying video tutorial for Slowpoke on YouTube

Slowpoke, by Cris Letourneau CZT, looks complicated, but it’s actually quite simple to draw, one step at a time! The fun comes in adding embellishments, which I did with a gold Uniball Signo gel pen. The central coloured panel with Slowpoke on is the only part that I did during today’s video on YouTube.

I coloured the paper with various Distress Inks before I started to draw. In person, the colours aren’t so garish, honest!

Around the panel with Slowpoke on, I’ve added a border of stylised flowers and leaves, all in a very Arts and Crafts Movement style. I need to fill out a couple of areas a little more, but I quite like the simplicity of the coloured panel with the black and white and rather dense border around it.

Inktober Tangles 2022, Day 15 – “Noom” or “Noom Repus” by Zentangle Inc

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Click on this link to view the accompanying video drawing tutorial on YouTube.

Noom, or Noom Repus, is a lovely interlinked tangle, a chain, leaves, or shells if you will. It is a tangle that vexed me until I saw a tutorial video a long while ago, and suddenly the pieces fell into place.

I have to say, it’s not a tangle pattern that I’ve used often in my work, but after playing around with it in this video, I’ll try to use it more often!

I tried out some variations with Noom and found that it does lend itself quite well to embellishments, particularly in ‘auras’ around it. Adding colour to create shade and light does bring out the curvy nature of each part of this design.

Of course, this is for my sketchbook, so it’s not finished. It really was just working with the pattern to see what I could do. And of course, that sparks off lots of ideas for other variations further down the line.

Inktober Tangles 2022 – Day 14 “Slidehat” by Karin Frank

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Click on this link to view the accompanying drawing tutorial on YouTube

I had a lovely time drawing many variations of Slidehat by Karin Frank earlier today.

Although not all the ‘hats’ worked out well, they were still fun to explore as possibilities. As this is a sketchbook page, the permission to experiment, explore, and try things out is implicit. A sketchbook is a place to do all these things and more. You can finish a piece of art or not. You can show people or not.

A safe place to be artful, that’s how I think of my sketchbooks more and more. I put too much pressure on myself to always finish a drawing, to have it polished and “imperfectly perfect”. If I don’t finish something, I can beat myself up. But I’m learning that in a sketchbook, I can do all I need to learn, grow, and develop. And sometimes that includes knowing when enough has been done!

It may take me a long while to be able to set aside my perfectionism to fully embrace this, but like everything in life, it is a work in progress!

Inktober Tangles 2022, Day 10- Finery

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Click on this link to view the accompanying ‘Draw With Me’ video on YouTube.

Finery – a revisit

After losing this morning’s video (or so I thought – more later!), I decided to have another go at Finery and record it.

I started with an A6-sized piece of mixed media paper and used the black side of a piece of Cut’n’Dry foam to add Distress Inks – Seedless Preserves, Dusty Concord, Saltwater Taffy and Spiced Marmalade. These colours gave a warm, almost autumnal feel to the paper, a contrast to the grey-green paper I’m using for my Inktober Tangles sampler.

Next, it was time to tackle Finery for the second time today. This wasn’t without some trepidation. I know how this tangle vexes me. I decided to use a plumptious Sumu motif for the finery grow from. After drawing that, I added the veins of the Finery. A happy accident led to the multiple leafy stoppers on these.

Then, it was the tricksy bit, adding the lines to create some Finery.

And would you believe it, I actually did it as the pattern was intended! I was shocked but pleased.

I used Inktense pencils (Thistle, Sienna Gold and Dusky Purple) to add the shadows. Finer 01 and 03 Unipin pens allowed me to add the filler patterns into the reticular (grids) of the Finery. Finally, a white 05 Gelly roll let me add subtle highlights, which make a difference.

I’m actually pleased with the outcome. This made a nice change from the Inktober Tangle sampler and from some other art I’ve been playing around with lately.

The curious case of the self-deleting file…

The mystery of the deleted video file has been solved! I saved this file and couldn’t find it. Then, I remembered I’d updated the video editing software I use and hadn’t changed where I, not the software, wanted the videos saved.

So, I went on a hunt to seemingly the most arcane regions of my computer’s hard drive. I couldn’t find anything. And then I was struck with a flash of inspiration – open the app in the software for recording from cameras and see where it’s saving it!

Ta-da! I found not only this video but the one I thought I’d deleted by mistake! I chose to go with this video for a bit of a change from the Inktober Tangles sampler.

Inktober Tangles 2022, Day 10 “Finery”

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It’s just one of them days…

I’m having one of those days, it seems. You know, the kind of day when you’re careless in deleting files, thinking that the video that’s processing is today’s. The reality is different. I managed to delete today’s video, and reprocess yesterday’s video as today’s!

I’m not going to repeat what I called myself when I discovered that… but at least I discovered what I’d done before I uploaded it to YouTube!

Inktober Tangles Day 10

I added ‘Finery‘ to the top right of my Inktober Tangles ‘sampler’ today, using its sections as a ‘reticulum’ to contain other patterns. To fill one part of Finery, I used Isea-u from day 3. I also used Well and B’tweed for two other sections. The last one is one that is a bit of a nod to one of the sections of ‘Souk‘, the tangle pattern for day 4.

I used Finery as a kind of reticulum (grid or net for a repeating pattern of fragments) as I, yet again, struggled with this tangle. I don’t know what it is about it, but I always mess it up somehow! However, if I hadn’t messed up this time, I may not have got the idea to fill the spaces with other tangles! So, it worked out fine(-ery) in the end!

It’s a shame I managed to send the file into the netherworlds of the recycling bin, never to be recovered or seen again. I realised my mistakes (yes, there were more than one!), but persevered saying that I had to trust I could recover from it(them). I think I did. As Adam Savage would say, I managed to ‘hide the crimes’!

#Inktober #InktoberTangles2022, Day 9 “Sumu”

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Click on this link to watch the accompanying YouTube drawing tutorial for ‘Sumu’.

Suma (to the bottom and left of the drawing) is a lovely, lovely pattern, deconstructed by Lin Chiu CZT. It very much reminds me of Medieval manuscripts and architectural sculpture. So, it was a given that I’d love it, just like Tomàs Padrós’ “Snack” in Day 8 of the Inktober Tangles 2022 challenge.

Although Lin Chiu has given many possible variations, just as Tomàs did for Snack, I kept it simple, repeating the basic form around the bottom and left of the Heartfully ‘rug’. It also had to have that architectural, sculptured, carved ‘feel’ to it. Not sure I’ve quite managed it, but it’ll do!

My design is looking a bit higgledy-piggledy at the moment; I’m just going to trust the process and see how it works out at the end of Inktober.