Inspiration from Japan

I'm still processing my trip of a lifetime to Japan, remembering places where the tour went, the temples and shrines we visited, the teeming metropolis that is Tokyo, and the way that the Japanese bring artistry into everything they do. I haven't yet been inspired to create any new Zentangle(R) patterns, but I think that the ideas are lurking in my mind.

Here are a few pictures that illustrate my point. 

A manhole cover

A gate near the Meijii shrine in Tokyo

The waves pattern painted on
a temple's sliding door

TangleArden is traveling

I'm on a trip of a lifetime from mid-March to mid-April. My ultimate destination is Japan. Hmm, I wonder if I can find some new tangles there . . . . . . 

I should be writing new posts in late April.

Zentangle books I like, part 2

I felt a bit stuck in my Zentangle(R) practice until I found two books by Cris Letourneau, CZT: Pattern Play: A Zentangle Creativity Booster and Made in the Shade: A Zentangle Workbook.

Please do not consider this post or the previous one to be any sort of recommendation! These are just my personal favorites. I do not derive any sort of remuneration for writing this.

Pattern Play is essentially about tangleations, which Cris describes as "structurally based on the original tangle . .  but it looks different." (p. 35) For example, using curved instead of straight lines for Hollibaugh or using a very oversized Crescent Moon instead of a string. For every tangle she introduces, Cris provides at least SIX tangleations. I found that these variations spurred me to try some on my own.
If shading confounds you or if it seems tedious and maybe unnecessary, that's where Made in the Shade comes in. I had no idea that there were so many techniques and possibilities. For example, starting with a simple circle (orb), Cris shows five ways to give it life, transforming it into a sea urchin, a bubble, and a pearl among others. I also learned that using the point of a sharp pencil to make multiple lines (carefully) could produce such smooth shading.

Yes, there are hundreds more books about Zentangle out there, so find one that you like and that works for you!

Zentangle books I like, part 1

As Zentangle(R) has become more popular and as the number of Certified Zentangle Teachers (CZTs) has increased, it's logical that people want to share their enthusiasm for Zentangle with others by writing books. And have they ever! When I last searched for "Zentangle" on Amazon.com, I found over 400 items listed!! 

Out of that long list of possibilities, I have a few that I own and like.

Please do not consider this post or the following one to be any sort of recommendation! These are just my personal favorites. I do not derive any sort of remuneration for writing this.

The ultimate guide to all things Zentangle is undoubtedly The Book of Zentangle by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, founders of Zentangle. This is their self-published book about the origins, theory, method, and practice of Zentangle.* Almost every other page of text has a Zentangle illustration drawn by Maria facing it. What a feast!! And the most delicious feast of all, I think, are the Notes at the back of the book where they describe the inspiration for almost all of the illustrations in the book--in detail.

I think there's also a lot to be learned from studying the illustrations to see how Maria weaves the tangles in and out (of course, she's been doing this for more than 10 years!) and how she combines and merges the tangles.

If you really enjoy Zentangle and someone asks you for a gift suggestion, this might just be it!* The Book of Zentangle is only available through Zentangle.com. Here's the link: The Book of Zentangle. 

Bring in some color

I really enjoy working with black or sepia pens on the white Zentangle(R) tiles, along with some enhancement with shading as I'm focusing on trying out a new tangle or doing some tangleations.

But, as is my "tradition" as the new year starts, I go through my art supplies and weed and discard as necessary the odd, leftover pieces of paper or pens that are dried out.

During this process recently, I found some colored felt tip pens in 01 and 1.0 sizes, as well as a gold gel pen. 

I had finished a rendition of Molly Hollibaugh's latest tangle, Arukas, (see it in the Zentangle newsletter here), and decided to apply these colors to the tangle. 

Adding the color in the way I did didn't add depth the way shading does, but I thought that it did enhance my angled and geometric interpretation of the tangle.

Maybe that's the direction of my Zentangle adventures for 2015: color.

Try something different

I subscribe to Linda Farmer's Tangle Patterns daily email (do you?) and while I don't always "like" the tangle of the day, there are definitely some very creative and inventive tanglers out there. 

One tangle in particular has fascinated me since the very first time it came to me as a tangle of the day. It's Fassett, by Lynn Meade. Check it out here. I've experimented with lots of different variations of Fassett, on different tiles, and alone (monotangle) as well as combined with other tangles. I've even used it as a border around a black Zendala tile (see below).

And that's the point: Whatever tangle you're doing, make it your own by trying some tangleations and variations and you'll be adding a useful and familiar tangle to your tangle repertoire. 

Deconstructing patterns, part 2

I've mentioned the requirements for a tangle to be a tangle (see  my earlier post, Deconstructing patterns, part 1). But how do you really do it?

My process is to either make a sketch in my notebook or take a picture with my camera or cell phone of something that might become a tangle. 

My TRIVET tangle is a good example. You can see the step-outs here. 

And here's the trivet that inspired the tangle.

When I started drawing the step-outs I quickly realized that I needed to simplify the tangle considerably in order to make it work. So I started with a grid that opened up the space between the squares. Then I limited the number of times the line went around in the inside. (You could scale it up to suit your needs, of course.) The last part was to add the connectors between the squares.

So take a look around your house and at things you see everyday. There might be a new tangle there somewhere! 

One caveat that I've mentioned in other posts: Be careful not to copy someone else's design in furniture or jewelry or fabric. Those designs are protected by the designer's copyright.

Deconstructing patterns, part 1

All of the Zentangle(R) tangles originated as an observed pattern, either in nature or made by humans. And there's a caveat: Not all patterns can become tangles. I know, I've tried. Here are the guidelines:

- The tangle must use only the elemental strokes: a dot, straight line, arc, S-curve or orb (circle)
- Usually only three or fewer elemental strokes are needed to draw the tangle
- The elemental strokes must be drawn in a structured way so that someone else can reproduce it as shown in a short series of steps called step-outs
- And, usually the step-outs for a tangle have five or fewer steps

Think of one of the most basic Zentangle tangles, Crescent Moon. It's essentially an arc with a straight line underneath that's filled in and embellished with more arcs (auras). What could be simpler?

At my Zentangle teacher training, Rick and Maria challenged us to observe some design in our environment and make a tangle out of it. Then several students were invited to present their tangles to the entire group. As you might expect, some tangles were very simple and some were very complex. One I remember had more than 12 steps! But the bigger issue with that one was that the final tangle was very representational. So it didn't make the grade on those two counts.

But keep looking and observing and see what YOU find!

Bijou, the tiniest Zentangle tile

When I first heard about the new and very tiny Zentangle(R) tile, called Bijou--just two inches square--I was very skeptical about trying to work in such a small space. So I got some and tried them out. (Go here for the background information about Bijou.) 

I found out that a Bijou tile was the perfect size for doing just a "dab" of Zentangle, as opposed to leaving a regular tile unfinished to go off and do something else, which for me breaks the continuity of a creative process.

And a Bijou tile ups the ante as a very portable way to take Zentangle with you. Bijou tiles also come in a very cute tin box to keep them clean and accessible.

Here's a Bijou tile example:

Working in sepia

I'm fond of working in sepia, that wonderful, rich brown color that seems to go so well with the white Zentangle(R) tiles. Some months ago I bought all the versions of sepia pens and pencils that I could find and then did some experiments combining a selection of pens with various types of pencils. I was looking for a color match and at the same time a pencil that could be dissolved with water to add dark shades. The combination I came up with and the one that I use is a Sakura Pigma Micron 01 sepia pen* with a Stabilo Aquarelle #8045 pencil. 

Here's the catch, though: the end of the Sakura pen that shows the color is such a dark brown that you could mistake it for a black pen. You probably don't want to mix sepia and black. So here's what I do: I get a permanent black marker pen, NOT the Sakura, but a Bic Mark It or similar and write "SEPIA" somewhere on the barrel of my sepia pens (Sakura also has a Micron 05 pen and a Graphic 1 large felt tip pen as well as a brush). I keep all my sepia supplies in a separate pen holder and away from the black ones which are usually out and about on my studio table.

The other thing you'll want is a #0 (zero) watercolor brush, the highest grade you can afford. The brush tip is VERY small which is perfect, when dampened slightly, for dissolving the pencil--if you choose--into watercolor. 

Here's a monotangle tangleation (see my Zentangle terminology page) of Quandary in sepia:

* The number above the scan code on the Micron 01 sepia pen is XSDK01#117. Be sure to check this out if you purchase from an art store because customers sometimes put pens back in the incorrect display slots.

Help! I'm seeing patterns everywhere!

As you become more familiar with how to draw tangles and how the step-by-step process works, you'll begin to see patterns and potential tangles everywhere. That's another use for the notebook I mentioned in an earlier post AND for your smart phone or camera.

In my notebook I've drawn images from books on Victorian fretwork and from a linen table runner with cutwork embroidery on it. I see if I can make an image into a tangle. Many times, the pattern I see doesn't work as a tangle, or maybe it's not interesting enough to me. On the other hand, more than once I've gone back to ideas I drew months ago and abandoned to find that by trying something new with it--like leaving out some element--it does make a tangle.

So when you see a pattern that intrigues you, natural or made by humans, try making a sketch of it in your notebook OR take a picture of it for later. 

Making what you see into a reproducible tangle is called deconstructing. I'll cover that in a later post.

So when you start seeing lots of patterns, try making them into tangles. Check out Linda Farmer's detailed and helpful information about what makes a tangle: How to submit your pattern to TanglePatterns.

One caveat: be sure not to make a tangle from someone else's design, such as a piece of jewelry. You might very well be violating the creator's copyright.

Tangle Patterns publishes my tangle, PODZ

I'm honored once again that Linda Farmer has published a tangle of mine on her website, Tangle Patterns. 

Here's the link to PODZ. Give it a try and see how many tangleations (variations) you can come up with. Here are some I thought of:

Zentangle as a practice

When I first took up Zentangle(R) in early 2013, I dawdled in it. I'd do a few tiles, then set everything aside for days or weeks, and then come back to it. After taking the Zentangle teacher training and also reading Twyla Tharp's book The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life, it became clear to me that in order to develop my Zentangle skills and to be able to answer my students' questions about Zentangle that I needed to make it a practice.

By a practice I mean an activity that I delve into deeply, that I do daily. I would like to have a specific time set aside each day for this practice, but, even though I'm retired, I admit that I haven't yet created that specific practice time.

The other thing I learned from Twyla Tharp's book is that all the geniuses of their particular art studied other geniuses. Mozart studied the work of the other composers that preceded him. Twyla Tharp studied the work of other masters of the dance such as George Balanchine. 

So I have taken on my own in-depth study of the work of the Zentangle founders, Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, deconstructing their Zentangles where tangles merge into one another or wrap around each other or where there seem to be no strings. They have many years of experience in Zentangle and I'm a relative beginner but I think there are ways that my Zentangle art can benefit from this study.

Using a notebook

I have a pad of mixed media paper that I use as my Zentangle(R) ideas and practice notebook. My preferred version is the Strathmore(R) Mixed Media wire bound version in 5.5 x 8.5 in. page size. (No, I don't get any compensation from Strathmore for mentioning this.) Mixed media paper takes the ink quite well, although the feel of the pen on the paper does not at all resemble the feel of the pen on Zentangle tiles. The mixed media paper also allows me to work in sepia with a watercolor pencil and dissolve the watercolor for darker shading without warping the paper.

I often use this notebook to practice a tangle that seems very difficult to do--like Quandary was--until I feel that I understand it well enough to draw it on a tile. 

When Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas introduce a new tangle or technique in their Zentangle newsletter or blog, I practice it in my notebook to get my own feel for how to draw it.

And I used this notebook when I was working my way through the exercises in the One Zentangle a Day book by Beckah Krahula.

When I feel comfortable with the tangle or technique, I get out my official Zentangle tiles and make a Zentangle. As I mentioned in an earlier post (Official Zentangle supplies), the Fabriano Tiepolo paper combined with the Sakura Pigma Micron pen brings--for me--a meditative aspect to Zentangle and the practice I did in my notebook flows out from my pen onto the tile.

I'm stumped about what tangle to draw

There will come a time--if it hasn't come already--when you have your border and string drawn and don't know which section to tangle first or what to put there. Here are some ideas:

• If you have been printing steps for tangles on Tangle Patterns (tanglepatterns), look back through those and find something that catches your fancy
• Start with a tangle you know really well or enjoy doing the most, Crescent Moon for example.
• If you have some Zentangle(R) books, browse through them for a tangle.

But the most important thing to do is to start drawing. Just like learning a sport or a musical instrument or yoga, just start.

Taking care of your pens

One afternoon at the Zentangle(R) teacher training seminar, Rick Roberts, one of the Zentangle founders, gave a presentation on the care of Sakura pens in response to the question, "I had a pen with me on the plane and it leaked. Why?"

Rick took apart a pen, describing the patented tip and the ink cartridge inside. While I won't go into (and can't remember) all the hydrology and technology of the Sakura pen, two things came out of his talk: what to do with a pen on the plane and how to care for your pens at home.

If you're traveling by plane, always keep your pens in a zippered plastic bag--maybe two, one inside the other. If they do leak, the leak is contained. 

At home, ALWAYS put the cap back on your pen as soon as you are finished with it, even for a minute. ALWAYS lay your pens flat after use and for storage. I presume that both the pen capping and the flat storage are ways to keep the pen nib saturated with ink so that as soon as you pick it up and take off the cap, you're ready to tangle.

Note that these guidelines pertain to ALL Sakura pens, including the white Gelly roll for black tiles and the brown Sakura Micron for the Renaissance tiles.

Tangling on the go

If you anticipate having to sit and wait somewhere, or will be taking a long trip, consider taking along a kit to do Zentangle(R). 

That's one of the beauties of the Zentangle tiles. The Zentangle founders, Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, chose them not only for their manageable "real estate" but also for easy portability. Of course, they take notebooks and tiles and all sorts of drawing tools wherever they go.

For travel, all you need is a pencil, a pen, and some tiles. 

But be aware that some people will be very curious about what you're doing which can open up an interesting conversation about Zentangle. You might be the one to introduce someone new to this fascinating art.

On my way back from the Zentangle teacher training, I was seated between two women across the aisle from each other who were caring for three children, two of whom we very active baby girls (twins) and the other their five-year-old brother. I read the airline magazine but was distracted by the children's commotion, so I thought I'd get out my Zentangle "kit." As I extracted it from my carry-on bag, I knew immediately that the tiles and pens would instantly attract the attention of these three young children. So I put the kit away and tried a bit of meditation to pass the time.

What's a Zentangle home class?

When you get so excited about Zentangle(R) that you want all your friends to find out about it, too, why not host a home class? I'll bring all the supplies and teaching tools to your house and you'll have a lovely afternoon drawing mini-masterpieces. 

A class is NOT the same as a [you name it franchise] party. There are no games to play, prizes to win, or any pressure to buy things. It's a quiet time of delving into Zentangle patterns and enjoying the art, "One stroke at a time.(SM)"

For more information about hosting a home class, please contact me and I'll send you a document that details what you need to provide and all costs associated with a home class.

Working with different sizes of Sakura Pigma Micron pens

When I teach the Crescent Moon and Hollibaugh tangles in Zentangle 1 classes and students start filling in the black areas with the Sakura(R) Pigma Micron 01 pen, I always hear this question: "Why not use a pen with a larger point to fill in the black?" 

First, some information about the pens. The ones I have in my collection are an 01, 02, 03, 05, and 08, that vary in their pen width from .025 mm to .50 mm. Here's a sample of those pens and the line widths they produce:

In my view, there's so little difference between the 01 (the standard pen for Zentangle(R)) and the 02 that I don't think the 02 is of much help. The 03, however, is a marked difference and the 05 is a step up above that. I find that the width of the 08 pen is so wide that it's easy to be a little off and perhaps make a horrible "mistake."

Here are my tips for using pens other than the 01:

• Use the 01 to fill in along the inside or outside of the edges (like a painter "cutting in" around a window) and then use an 03 or 05 to fill the rest of the space.
• Always use your 01 pen to fill in corners. You just won't be able to exert enough control over the other pens (unless you use a magnifying glass--ugh!) to keep the corners neat.
• As your 01 pens start to "die," set them aside (marking them in some way helps keep them separated from your other pens) and use them for the hard job of filling in a lot of space.

Or, why not surrender to the process, and the focus, and the slowing down needed to fill in that space with an 01 pen instead of speeding it up by using a wider pen. That's what Zentangle is all about--isn't it? What's your hurry?

Now that I have all these finished tiles . . . .

what do I do with them? That's the question that will come up after you've been doing Zentangle(R) for some period of time.

I have a funky picture display "thingy" that's composed of rods with loops at the end sticking up from a base. I put tiles that I particularly like on that display for a few weeks so that I can enjoy looking at them. It's also a nice way to show friends what I've been up to.

Then I might put them in a drawer in my studio storage cabinet for a while.

Finally, I'll get out my Zentangle PocketzPages from CropStop (this is not an endorsement of their product one way or another) into which the square tiles fit perfectly. I put the tiles in the pockets according to date. Then I put the pages in a notebook. I like being able to look back at what I've done in the past to see how my Zentangle work has progressed (or not).

I tack the Zendala tiles onto card stock (three will fit slightly overlapping on one page) with removable stickum of some sort and then put those into vinyl inserts at the back of the notebook. And I just recently learned that Zendala tiles will fit into CD/DVD pockets as well.

What will I do when the notebook is full? Stay tuned . . . . .