Sunday ATCs

I seem to have ATCs on the brain since my lovely Italian surprise (thank you, Black Pumpkin!  I don't think you have any idea what you may have started here - heheheee!).  These cards are a mere 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches large; filling them with a string that isn't too intricate for the dainty size, then tangling them in a way that remains visible and pleasing... it takes a bit of consideration to end up with something that suits the constrained space and also pleases aesthetically.  At any rate, I was a bit worn out today so I spoiled myself with an art break and made two new ATCs to trade (Black Pumpkin and Phine, let me know if you like any of the ones posted yet - I know I'll be making more so don't worry if you haven't seen "the one" just yet..!).  I tinted one with pencil crayons and the other with a black pencil crayon.  It's interesting to see the completely different feel that colour or shade gives to a piece.  I really can't decide if I prefer them either way; both techniques have something special to offer.  I'm also really excited because it's only one more week before I take my CZT training.  After that I'll be planning Zentangle classes, etc., I hope (accreditation is NOT a guarantee, but I'll do my best to make the cut!) and I hope to have permission to cross-link to the official Zentangle sites and definitions, etc.  I'm so pumped!  Do you think my little ATCs capture any of that?

Happy Sunday!

Sunday in Colour

Today was fun - all afternoon spent beading and then all evening spent tangling!  In such a great environment I felt the need to bring out the pencil crayons and play a bit in colour.  This is actually a tiny little tangle - it's done on an ATC (2.5 x 3.5 inches).  This made for a challenge - to make an interesting string in such a constrained space, fill it with some pattern without overwhelming the tiny dimensions of the shapes, and then add colour, again without overpowering the entire composition.  I found my brain blanked out (I do have an excuse - I was the teacher this afternoon!), and had my friend, Ruth, give me the name of a tangle and that's what would go in the next open space.  It was actually a really fun way to fill a string.  I made the string and did the artwork, but Ruth chose each pattern.  It was like a collaboration with only one pair of working hands.  Fun!  Do you think it worked?

Happy Sunday!

Double Strung - REDUX

Gee, I'm having a lot of fun revisiting previous challenges from the Diva (http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/).  Today I played with the double-string concept again.  I made this voluptuous, twisting string and got stuck.  I liked the string, but what to do with it?  Since my imagination tends to follow a bent (not TWISTED, just BENT! *G*) path, I decided to fill in the spaces with only grid-based patterns.  Then I took yet another bend in the path and decided that all the grid patterns also had to be CURVY (see what I mean? okay, maybe twisted is possible...).  Once I was happy with this, the "ribbons" formed by the string needed to be filled.  This time I decided that only lines could be used.  Not only that, but STRAIGHT lines to fill the CURVY ribbons (yes, twisted is showing real possibility here....).  When these were completed the overall design felt a bit like a roller coaster, but somehow lacked life.  Life?  Let there be life!  I "grew" some lovely vines from the indentations of the form and voila!  I finally liked it.  In fact, I liked it a lot - do you?

Happy Tuesday!