Zentangle

Sketchbook flip through & finishing a small drawing (mostly…)

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In today’s video on YouTube, I share a look at one of my current sketchbooks. Then, I finish drawing this little design and start to add colour to it.

The drawing is only teeny – a little less than 3″ from side to side – but that makes it fun to do! The tiny floral background pattern just needed to have glittery shimmery gold pen added to the petals; it’s so reminiscent of medieval illuminated manuscripts.

It’s unusual for me to work on such a small scale, but when I do I really enjoy it! I think it’s something I need to do more often. Especially so as I’ve been watching videos showing mixed media grid journal/sketchbook spreads.

Mixed media really isn’t my kind of thing … usually. However, these videos are sparking off some ideas in my noggin. I’ll see how that pans out over time for sure.

As to other things… I’m doing OK. I’m feeling less off with the fairies for sure. A number of ‘peopley’ days last week left me exhausted and needing a lot of quiet time this week. My emotions and thoughts are much more even too, which is a good thing. Fortunately, I can still feel emotions, unlike my last periods of burnout when I had the same meds. So all’s looking better on that front.

I still have an interesting journey to make in knowing and understanding myself better. Slowly is the best way to do that after the confusing and unsettling revelation at the end of last year, yet it was a relief for sure too.

The longer hours of daylight are helping too, though some more sunshiny days would really help! It feels like it’s been raining here in Welsh Wales forever! It hasn’t, but some sun would be welcome for sure.

Until that time, I shall enjoy my times of art and creativity for sure.

“Entangled Samplers” – Cover Page WIP, Part 2

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YouTube drawing tutorial

Abstract Zentangle Inspired Art

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Click on this link to watch the accompanying drawing tutorial on YouTube!

Abstract art

This was an interesting experiment. I was inspired by a video tutorial by Ellen Crimi-Trent Artist. In the video, she used a charcoal pencil to create an abstract line design. Next, watercolours were used to fill the spaces. Finally, details were added with pen.

I thought it could be a lot of fun to use this as a way to display some Zentangle style patterns. So I did! However, in true Angela style, I’d first tried not only a charcoal pencil, but a watersoluble graphite pencil, an Inktense pencil and an Inktense Outliner to create the grids on separate pieces of mixed media paper. Then I added watercolour to them to see which method of laying out the main pattern I liked the most.

As it turns out, it was the charcoal! I didn’t expect that!

I filled in the majority of the spaces with tangle patterns. Finally, I used charcoal and white chalk to add shade and highlight to each section of the design. I should say I didn’t do all the sections in the video. Oh, and I added some white highlights/patterns with a white GellyRoll pen.

The intense black of the charcoal really dials up the contrast by quite a few notches! I really did have a lot of fun playing with the illusion of volume in this design.

I’m also glad that I didn’t fill all the sections with pattern; I like that I have some simple, volumised areas whose simplicity contrasts with the complexity of the patterns.

I now have quite a few pieces of coloured, patterned paper to play with in the coming days.

Well and truly people-d out!

It’s true. I’ve not had such an intensely people-y week since well before the pandemic hit. I both feel very much by myself and a little sad about that, but also rather relieved that I get to sigh, relax and breathe for the next couple of days at least.

And with the relaxation may come the introvert hangover or social migraine! Maybe not. I’ll see tomorrow. I know as I take my time to relax, unwind, settle back into my solitary existence I will feel intense tiredness creep over me. Indeed, I can feel it beginning to extend it’s soft cloudy folds and start to enevolop me. I will give in, later. I have a few things to do first! Social media posts, a huge mug of tea, maybe something to eat. And then…I’ll see!

Entangled Drawing Practice

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I’ve been slowly working on this drawing over several days. Little by little, it’s been finished and brought to life with colour.

I’m not quite finished yet; I’m still adding white dots as highlights! That’ll take me a goodly amount of time, no doubt.

Slowly is the correct description of my ability to work, slowly and a little at a time with breaks in between. This muscle healing process is very slow and I’m really learning I can’t push myself too hard. But I really do feel I’m making some kind of progress, which is all that matters.

Infinity Card – Part 3

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I’m really enjoying adding panels to this infinity card. Each panel is a quick project, with no pressure to be perfect or polished. I’m finding them a fun way to explore patterns that develop from one into another, that share common features in some way, or that spark off an idea for another. It’s always a bit of a mystery trip, never knowing what the destination is, only where the journey began.

Today’s journey started in the bottom right with the Zentangle pattern “TagH”. The plumptious, rounded shapes of each part of Tagh, led me to think of circles with flowers inside, like blooming discs or spheres. That led me to Moonberry by Debbie New CZT at the top right. I used some of my favourite leaves and more TagH to fill in the remaining space.

To add volume, I used some red-grey Ohuhu brush markers. Oh, and to draw the design, I used a black Uni Emott everfine pen.

Oh, you may have noticed the notch at the top left. That shows this is also a pocket!

If you’d like to watch this panel being drawn and some sample shading click on this link to watch on YouTube.

Entangled Art Infinity Card – Parts 1 and 2

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I’ve had some fun with this, and there’s more to come. And a bit of a story to tell first.

I was asked on my YouTube channel how I know which patterns go with each other. That’s not an easy question to answer; experience, experimenting, trusting instincts, and having some patterns or motifs that are your go-to ones.

Then, yesterday morning, as I was slowly coming around from sleep, I watched a video on YouTube at Jen’s Arty Inclinations on how to make a fast and simple infinity card for a junk journal.

Jen recommended going to Lynn at Playing with Paper and Glue to watch her video about making a slightly different infinity card. So I did that.

And as I watched and saw how easy it was to make the infinity card (yes, it really is!), I realised that this would be a lovely and different way to collect together my favourite go-to motifs and patterns. And that thought linked back to the comment on my YouTube channel.

So, I made an infinity card, mucked it up a bit, but learned from that. Then I made a HUGE one, which was ridiculously big! So, I made another one to the sizes Lynn gave, which you can see me doing in part 1. Then, I had to add the first panel on the left of the image above.

I went with variations of pokeroot, pokeleaf and pokepods! I’m not sure there’s a pattern called pokepods, but there is now. I cut a notch out of the card and created a little pocket for a drawing, note, colour palette, or something else to be hidden.

I drew with Copic Multiliner Sp pens (0.5 and 0.25, I think). Colour was added with yellow-grey and neutral-grey Ohuhu markers. A white gel pen was used to add dotty highlights and the pattern to the back.

In the video for part 2, I created the panel to the right. Daisies are always a flower I love to draw; I have many variations of them in my memory hoard. The flowy pattern and Diva Dance are two of my go-to patterns; they share some similarities in my head.

For this panel, I used a Uni Emott 0.4 ever fine pen to draw the design, then green-grey Ohuhu markers to add colour. Then, I used a white gellyroll pen to add the dotty highlights.

I wasn’t sure about the Tim Holtz scrapbook paper I used to make the infinity card, but as I added the panels, it mostly got covered up, just a hint of a background behind the drawings.

It may not be the best choice of paper to make the infinity card from, in terms of colour and pattern. However, as I’ve never done anything like this, it was a sacrifice I was willing to make!

Actually, I wasn’t sure about the entire project. I thought it may be a bit odd, whacky, and weird. But, now two panels are done, I’m looking forward to completing the infinity card.

I will be adding more pocketses, possibly even panels that open out to reveal more. There are, possibly, 32 panels to be done, though I’m not sure as I keep losing count! But it’s a longer-term project.

Having said that, the panels are small. Cute even. Perfect for when I have just a little time to draw.

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!

Hollibaugh and Kwazeela – Days 24 and 25 of Inktober Tangles 2022

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

Today’s tangle pattern is “Hollibaugh” by Zentangle Inc. It forms the white ‘beams’ that overlap and form the gaps between them. Instead of adding patterns to the beams, which is what I would usually do, I decided to add patterns to the gaps. In some of these gaps, I added Kwazeela, a lovely leafy tangle pattern by Eni Oken CZT.

I drew all of this design in today’s video, but I added the colour and highlights while the video was uploading and processing. To add colour, I used Ohuhu markers and a white Gelly Roll pen to add the highlights.

It was a nice way to spend a couple or so hours while I recover from a bout of tiredness, headache and upset digestive system as side effects of my ‘flu jab on Saturday.

“Tilewave” and “Alitos” – days 22 and 23 of Inktober Tangles 2022

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

Days 22 and 23 of the Inktober Challenge 2022 feature two tiling tangle patterns – Tilewave by YuRu Chen CZT and Alitos by Claudia Pbn V CZT.

I took this as an opportunity to explore these patterns and discover variations in how the patterns can be embellished and in adding shade.

Each had its own challenges, but I feel I have a few options to work with when I choose to use these patterns.

I worked in black and white, using a Pitt matt graphite pencil to add shade. That is unusual for me; usually, I like to work with colour.

Although not every section has had shade added, nor has the line weight been adjusted, I’m happy with what I produced. It will be added to my sketchbook, which is fast becoming a repository of ideas and inspiration!