More Morris

Well, it took me until Saturday afternoon to create the time, but I finally managed to finish a piece for the Diva's current challenge, "More Morris" (Challenge 19 already, for those who want to know!).  This was a challenge for me, not only due to time.  I don't usually place a great emphasis on black grounds in my work and I had to keep this in the forefront of my mind while creating the design.  I found it needed to be a constant and deliberate choice for me - who knew that linework was so much more natural an expression for me?  Also, it would have been much easier to work in my usual style and simply use a white pen on a black ground, but I was trying to stretch and do something different with this piece.  The Morris effect that's been under recent discussion is the technique he employed to great effect, of working in "spots of light" on a dark ground.  This gives the work of William Morris great depth and dimension as well as a more complex textural effect.  So this is what I was aiming for.  Unfortunately, I'm not very happy with the way the white gel pen (Sakura Gelly Roll) went down over the black ground (Sakura Pigma Micron).  Perhaps I should have let the black ink cure overnight before adding the white accents...hmmm.  Food for thought and future experimentation.  At any rate, enjoy (I hope - crossing fingers*G*)!

Happy Saturday!

Carving Out Another CZT Tangle

Today's tangle was designed by my fellow, CZT, Ruth.  Ruth has the capacity to look at the exact same thing as everyone else, yet see something more than the usual.  This pattern earned its name from its origins in a section of moulding at our CZT training site.  Detail oriented, Ruth focussed in on a segment of wood beading trim and brought to life this elegantly simple tangle.  I haven't used it yet, but I'm gonna!

Happy Thursday!

Rainy Day - Flowering Tangle!

Continuing my week of posting new tangles, I'm offering up a tangle that I like to use as a filler.  It works well into long, narrow shapes or can be branched out to offer a more luxurious effect.  It's drawn from a memory of my years in Folk Arts.  I think it was an Austrian pattern, a kind of stylized blossoming stem, that caught my imagination.  I can remember being entranced by the smoothness of the embroidery in which it appeared and how fascinated I was to think that someone had the skill to produce this work of art.  I have used it here and here and here.  I hope you like it.

You know, it's really become quite a fascination to do a week-long exploration of things.  It seems to both motivate me and allow me sufficient time with a concept to explore it reasonably well - at least to the point where I think it begins to reflect a little more "me" with each use.  Does anyone out there have anything specific they'd enjoy seeing in a series of explorations?  I have so many ideas myself that I may be the only one interested in....but who knows?  Tell me if you have something you'd like worked out and I'll see if I can oblige!

Happy Wednesday!