Thursday, January 20, 2011

Orbs

This week, Laura Harms' zentangle challenge (#5) asks that we use orbs. To be honest, for some reason I wasn't particularly taken with the challenge. At one point I thought maybe I'd skip this one.

Yesterday, we had a lovely evening with two of our daughters and five friends playing board and card games for three hours. After that, I went down to the studio. My automatic pilot takes me there a lot. The orbs appeared! To be honest again (not that I'm usually dishonest!) two of these tiles I think are among my best ever. I'm also fascinated my how different they are, one from another.

Those blind strings got me into going off the edge of the paper, and even filling the entire tile. 
This first one started with a blind string. I admit to using a circle template for some of the large circles.

Orbs full tile

Then I decided that I should use a border again, having got quite away from that.  I added some random circles with my eyes closed, none of which met at the ends; I made some adjustments!

7 orbs in a box

Then I did a 2-pencil string just going 'round and 'round a few times. 
It didn't look like much at that point.

Orb

I'm delighted, and occasionally dumbfounded, by how much difference shading can make! Shading can adjust, correct, hide, enhance, improve, and even salvage.

Now here's an added treat.
My daughter - the one who just got married - gave me a little pack of
rainbow Scratch Magic Mini Notes. 'Orb' to me seems to include 'lighted' or 'glowing'
so I tried an orb-y thing on one of those notes.

Orbs? Scratch magic mini note. Memories of lava lamps.

See a follow-up to this post here.

25 comments:

  1. Breathtaking as ever!!!
    Especially the first is so amazing… That´s my favorite. Apart from the scratch magic.
    Love your work.

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  2. I really like all of these... but the color! Where do I get me some of those magic mini notes? :)

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  3. What a delightful feast for the eyes. With each one I said favorite - hard to choose. Loved the scratch art.

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  4. Oh wowie!!These are GREAT tiles. Like you , I am not all that keen on this challenge, but after seeing yours, I'm off to start mine!!

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  5. These are great. I love how you used orbs in tangles, and also orbs as strings. And the Scratch Magic is awesome! I think I have some of that somewhere...

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  6. Love them all! Especially the scratch magic ones...yummy. Now I know what to ask for when my birthday comes around.
    Terri

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  7. FAN-TASTIC!! so orbolicious, and i love the rainbow scratchpad one!!

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  8. Wowsy! I think 'Enthusiastic Artist' is very fitting! Love the first and last one.

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  9. PS...gorgeous shading! I'm setting up a link for some great shading examples and will link to this page :)

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  10. All are really beautiful, looks like you went into "orb"-it with this challenge doing 4 of them. My favorite is the first one, however the rainbow one is stunning too. Got to find me some rainbow scratchpads!

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  11. I agree with Joni, all of them are beautiful, but the first one is my favorite. I love the shading that makes the orbs leap off the paper! The rainbow scratchpads look like a lot of fun.

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  12. they are all nice, but the color one and the ned is my fav! Delightful!

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  13. Really effective tangling, girl! And the scratch mini is absolutely inspired! Where on earth can you find those things? I haven't seen them since I was a little kid! Your orb tangles are stunning but your rainbow one took my breath away.

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  14. Wowee, thanks everyone! My daughter also gave me a pack of illustration board ATCs which they sell at Michaels, so I suspect the rainbow mini notes came from there too.

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  15. Fantastic! I really love the scratch magic mini!

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  16. Spectacular tiles and I love the 'Circle symbolism' thanks for sharing that!

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  17. ok...gotta go steal my kids scratchboard! :D Genius! Thanks for the inspiration!!!

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  18. Scratch Magic?? Must go get some.... looks like fabulous fun!

    Your 'orbs' tiles are inspiring - especially the top one. Your shading is so perfect (both in technique and wise use)

    Thanks for your comment on my blog ;-)

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  19. Mararet......that shading in the last one in the white space......makes me proud to know you! All of them: well done! Maria

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  20. wow!awesome tiles! great,harmonious joint of forms and tangles !

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  21. I am just uber delighted to look at your beautiful drawings!

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  22. Your orbs are beautiful! Love your combinations they are yummy!

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  23. You are an amazing artist. Your orb challenge was definitely my favorite of the week. Thank you for showing me the best of the best!

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