Saturday 30 April 2016

Basic Jaysix Zentangle Demonstration


Basic Jaysix Zentangle Demonstration


Just a video demonstrating the basic Jaysix Zentangle pattern.







Friday 29 April 2016

Jaysix Zentangle Again


Jaysix Zentangle Again


Jaysix Zentangle Shaded
Jaysix Zentangle Shaded

I think this will be my last Jaysix focused tangle for a while.  I hope to use it as a filler in the future though, it’s quite versatile and pretty fun.  Be sure to check out Eni’s page with the step out, as this is her awesome design.

Here is the before pic:


Here is a video of me shading in the end of the piece:

 

And the final pic here:

 

Check out my other Jaysix Zentangle pieces on this blog too!

Thursday 28 April 2016

Double the Challenge, Double the Fun! (again)


Double the Challenge, Double the Fun!


Jaysix and stripes challenge shaded
Jaysix and stripes challenge shaded

 Here we go again, another double challenge featuring Eni’s challenge of using Jaysix and the Diva’s challenge of using stripes. It took me a while to figure out how to combine these two.  I considered using Jaysix within the stripes, but this way seemed a lot more fun.

It was time-consuming, I will say that.

Before detail and shading

Finished!





Tuesday 26 April 2016

Jaysix 2nd attempt


Jaysix 2nd attempt


Jaysix Zentangle Shaded
Jaysix Zentangle Shaded

I was playing around with the jaysix zentangle pattern in my head for awhile and thought, “Hmm… what can I do with the ends?”  My first thought was worms or snakes, neither of which I am of, now could I draw, then I thought, “Hey, why not go a little more organic? The jaysix tangle looks a bit like a weaved basket, so why not?” 

Alas, this is what my mind drew up.  I’m pretty fond of it J

Before pic (again, almost forget as the shading is barely started here)


Final piece, lots of shading! Ain’t it perrrty!?!



First Attempt at Jaysix


First Attempt at Jaysix


Jaysix Zentangle Shaded
Jaysix Zentangle Shaded

 Eni Oken’s challenge this week involved a pattern she came up with while playing with Cruze.  She named it Jaysix because it’s always 6 lines.

So this was my first attempt at Jaysix.  The pattern will forever remind me of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey because that’s what we were “watching” while I worked on this piece. That tends to happen quite a bit, each pattern I learn reminds me of whatever we threw on the tv while I was drawing.  Since our interests vary drastically, an interesting collage of shows/movies play out in my head when I mix in a few different patterns. 

The pattern itself is fairly simple, but I find myself a little lost when adding a bunch together. It required more practice to get a groove going, but alas, this is my first attempt.

Before Shading:  (as you can see I almost forgot to do this pic as I started to shade)


After shading:


 


Thursday 21 April 2016

Shnek Zentangle Variation

Shnek Zentangle Variation

First and foremost, the original step-out for Shnek can be found by the creator at http://www.zenjoy.ch/ .

Here is the video of how to do my variation on Shnek.





Also, for your printing pleasure, a drawn step-out.  Please excuse the messiness of it, I’m no pro.



And finally, a pic of the 3 tiles I did this week using the Shnek Zentangle in one way, shape or form.



Thanks so much to Eni Oken for making this tangle a challenge this week, and for the beautiful mosaic she created with the Shading Zentangle Facebook group’s pieces.

 

It’s been a great week of terrific tangling!


Yet Another Shnek


Yet Another Shnek


Shnek Zentangle Shaded
Shnek Zentangle Shaded

Shnek 3 perhaps? Happily Tangling After? I can’t help but see “shnek” and think of Shrek. Anyhooo… I’ve loved playing around with this shnek zentangle, it’s been a lot of fun and it is very versatile.  I went a little nuts with the holes/bubbles here.  I wanted them to sort of look like holes, but I’ll take bubbles instead.  Tis the Zentangle way after all.

Will step out the variation on Shnek – coming soon to an internet near you.

Totally forgot to take a before pic… again.

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Double the Challenge with Spring Shnek


Double the Challenge

Spring has Sprung with Shnek


Shnek Spring Zentangle Shaded
Shnek Spring Zentangle Shaded


Another Double the Challenge, Double the Fun! Following Eni’s weekly challenge to use the zentangle pattern of shnek, and the Diva’schallenge to use a spring string, this is what I came up with.

Though I took a before pic of just the string, I completely forgot to take one after the lines and before the shading which is such a shame because the shading of the lines made all the difference.

This tile will also be added to Eni’s mosaic.

Before Pic:


Tuesday 19 April 2016

Shnek Zentangle 1st attempt

Shnek Zentangle 1st attempt


Shnek Zentangle Shaded
Shnek Zentangle Shaded

This is my first attempt at the Shnek zentangle, and will be a contribution to Eni’s Mosaic project.  Once you get your groove ging with this tangle it’s a lot of fun.  I’m already looking forward to working it into the Diva’s spring has sprung challenge and may have come up with a variation for it.  It has inspired lots of ideas for tiles for the week!

It means I’m slacking on my mega project, but when the muse hits, you gotta pay attention and take advantage.

Pretty basic before pic:



Added fillers and started shading before I remembered to snap a pic



Finished with shading!




Friday 15 April 2016

It's Raining Pixels!


Another Cruze Zentangle


cruze zentangle shaded
Cruze Zentangle "It's raining pixels!"

So from Eni’s fb page, I’ve noticed I’m not the only with an issue of trying to figure out what else to put on the Cruze zentangle tile other than, well, the Cruze Zentangle.  I find it doesn’t really flow with other tangles and my brain just shuts down when I try to get my Zennyness to inspire me into creativity.  I’ve got to give credit where it is due though, some of those FB shaders have come up with amazing pieces that flow just fine with cruze… I just haven’t been one of them.

With this piece, I drew the Cruze first.  I added the shading and black, then just stared at it, trying to be inspired. I said to my honey, “It could be a cloud I guess”.  He said, “Yeah it could be raining down those little squares you put in the middle”.  And Voila! Inspiration from my beloved! 

So it’s raining pixels, how cute!

Before pic – what I stared at for what seemed like forever…



Thursday 14 April 2016

Another Double the Challenge, Double the Fun


Double the Challenge, Double the Fun


Gobular Grid and Cruze Zentangle
Gobular Grid and Cruze Zentangle

Another Double the Challenge, Double the Fun, missing Eni’s challenge with the Diva’s challenge. 


Eni’s challenge was to use the Zentangle Cruze, whereas The Diva’s challenge was the Gobular Grid.  I mixed the two challenges together, whisked til appropriately blended, spread it over the art table and sprinkled with shading. It didn’t turn out half bad!

Typically, I forgot the before pic… yet again.

Wednesday 13 April 2016

First Attempt at Zentangle Cruze


First Attempt at Zentangle Cruze


cruze zentangle shaded
cruze zentangle shaded

Well this one was a little more difficult than I expected.  As per usual, my first attempt is lacking, I still haven’t gotten the shading down yet on this one.  I used the wrong copic shading marker on the “ribbons” and had to lighten them up with a white pencil crayon.

I’m hoping to get the hang of this pattern because I like the braided effect, but I’m not quite there yet.

Before Pic:



 

 

Tuesday 12 April 2016

Last of the Slits for now...


Last of the slits for now


Lots of zentangle slit tiles
Lots of zentangle slit tiles

 

Here are the rest of the slit tiles I’ve managed to get through this week.  All part of the Mysterious Mega Zentangle Project I’m cooking up.  I’ll be making quite a few more of these, but instead of pestering the feed with the same type of tile over and over again, ad nauseam, til they are all done, I figured I’d stop here for now. 


As you can see, there is a before tile there amongst the chaos. Any guesses yet to remove the mystery factor of the project?  Follow the project here to keep up with the progress http://kikikandiness.blogspot.ca/p/the-mysterious-mega-project.html

Sunday 10 April 2016

He's a Fungi!

He’s a Fungi!

I have no idea what possessed me to draw up this little guy, but I love how he turned out. He was a first attempt, and I’m sure they’ll be improvements on my next go at him.  The shading in the smaller mushrooms is my favourite part of this piece.  I may just do a whole sheet of different mushrooms at some point, they are a load of fun to color in.


Mushroom Zentangle Forest
Mushroom Zentangle Forest

No before pics, sadly, as I was just screwing around with this piece as it came together.

I think he needs a name...


Tuesday 5 April 2016

Fasset and Slits

Double the Challenge, Double the Fun

(not part of the Mysterious Mega Zentangle Challenge)

Doing the Double the Challenge, Double the fun again with Eni’s FB Slits Challenge, and The Diva’s Fasset Challenge. Double the challenge, double the fun, and double the tiles! I rolled the two challenges into one and here’s what became of it on the first try.

 

As with first attempts at any tangle, there is always a learning curve. For this one, I did as the original Fasset challenge suggested and went for a random array of triangles as my base.  Sadly, I was so consumed with how this was going to turn out, I didn’t take any before pics.  I found some of the “triangles” sort of worked themselves into a pattern, while others, not so much, making it look kind of messy. When I finished the tile, I shrugged and thought, “hmm… well it’s alright, but it could be better.”

So I got out another tile and tried again, this time with more uniform triangles and I liked the results so much more.  This one pops and there is no “Where’s Waldo” effect to it, which is definitely an improvement.

 

On this one, I half-heartedly remembered to take before pics. 


Before connecting lines

 
After connecting lines but before Shading

But the final piece is the one that puts a smile on my face.




Here's a double shot of the two together

Fasset and slits Zentangle Shaded
Fasset and slits Zentangle Shaded


Monday 4 April 2016

Zentangle garden tile - with slits

Slits Challenge?

(not part of the Mystery Mega Zentangle Project)

 

Well this could have gone better.  I sort of worked out the slits part of the challenge, as in they look a little more like slits.  Unfortunately I didn’t take into account that the design needed to be simple in order to actually SEE the slits.  So I added color.  Woopsies!


Zentangle Garden with "slits"
Zentangle Garden with "slits"

By the end of this (omg it took forever) tile, I as disappointed. Way too busy and everything kinda got lost.  Then I looked on the bright side! I’ve created my very own “Where’s Waldo” but it’s “Where are the slots” instead! Go ME!

Saturday 2 April 2016

Slits Challenge and the Mysterious Mega Zentangle Project


Slits Challenge and the Mysterious Mega Zentangle Project


Slits challenge zentangle
Slits challenge zentangle

First, the slits challenge.  Eni Oken’s FB challenge of the week is to create slits within a zentangle piece.  I didn’t do very well.  It’s supposed to appear like the design is going in or coming out of the paper from a slit, just a gash, not quite a hole.

When I was done with my shading and what not – I really didn’t feel like I’d hit the target.  I was rather disappointed, and was going to ask Eni for guidance until she (psychically? ) posted how to do exactly what I couldn’t get.  No shading the part of the design that laps over the gap in the slit.  For more detail you’ll have to join Eni’s Shading Zentangle FB page to see her awesome worksheet! (Do it, do it now!)

 

I expect to do better next time with this eye-opening revelation.

Now on to the Mysterious Mega Zentangle Project portion of our show… err I mean post.  This is tile #1 for the project.  Kind of gives away a lot, but I can still pretend its Super Mysterious.  At least I wasn’t exaggerating on the Mega part – this is going to take awhile.

This is where you can follow along with the project from the beginning.


Oh and here is my before pic


Friday 1 April 2016

Knightsbridge #4 – Race it!

Knightsbridge #4 – Race it!


Knightsbridge Zentangle Racetrack
Knightsbridge Zentangle Racetrack

As I scrolled through the amazing posts for the Knightsbridge challenge on Eni Oken’s FB page, I kept seeing the same thing.  Racetracks. Racing flags. Those netty things over race-car windows (I’m sure that ‘netty thing’ is the technical term).  Now of the pieces were probably intentionally supposed to remind me of a Indy 500, but for they did.  So I thought, “Hey, why not do it on purpose?”

Then as I started my string the same thing kept popping into my head.  Mario Kart.  Yeah like the original Mario Kart, cuz yup, I’m that old. Especially the last race with the rainbow bridge? Anyone else as old as me remember that one? Well that’s all I could think about when I was doing this piece.  I considered adding mushrooms and turtle shells and little yellow stars everywhere, and making the knightsbridge pattern in psychedelic colours – but I figured it would lose some of its charm.

So here’s the progression!

First pic, basic outlines:

Second pic, after color, before shading and background:

Third pic, before shading, after background:

Final Piece! All shaded and stuff (sadly the sunlight was fading when I finally finished so the lighting isn't great):




The Mysterious Mega Project

The Mysterious Mega Project


I am working on a mysterious mega project.  It’s not really that mysterious, but why not add a little surprise to the grand finale?


 This is going to take a lot of time, and a lot of patience, but I will keep this page updated with tidbits of information as the project unfolds.  Keep checking back for updates, and of course for the final outcome.  I promise to share all my tips, tricks, screw-ups and triumphs on this hefty endeavour.


 But first… a little story on how this project came to be.  My honey and I were drawing side-by-side on the couch, just doodling away, and he picked up a stack of my finished tiles. A light bulb went on above his head, which, if cartoons have taught us anything, meant that he had an idea.  He threw a few thoughts my may and I took them, mashed them up in my head and spewed out my grand plan. 


 We pushed everything else aside, he got out the measuring tape and I fetched a paper, a ruler and a pen.  Then I brainstormed til the idea had reached its full form.  Then I patted its head, kissed its little nose, and named the idea, “Celeste”. I found an old stuffed animal to keep her company and constructed Celeste a makeshift bed, thus telling my new pet project to get comfy, cuz this is going to take a while. 


 Stay tuned sweeties, and check in on the Mysterious Mega Project page often for frequent updates