Sunday, June 5, 2016

ZIA Ideas: Clouds

Puffy, poofy, soft-looking, marshmallowy, cumulus clouds.
Tangles: Floo, Tipple (Caviar version), Auras, and a tangle that's not yet public.
Susan Szathmary had done the color wash and the
green gem-pebbles. I added the 'clouds', the 'waves', and the 'sand'.
I received an interesting comment when I posted the above tile on a Facebook group page:
"I'm getting fascinated by your use of tangles to suggest textures... that would make a great blog topic if you wanted to share your thinking."
This topic is closely related to a class I offered at CanTangle 2015 drawing streetscapes and wonky buildings, and I've had a many inquiries about that. So, I've decided to start an occasional series called ZIA Ideas in which I'll offer suggestions, and show examples, of tangles that can be used to suggest particular things.
I want to emphasize here that a proper tangle is non-representational. A tangle is simply a pattern - a structured pattern - with a simple series of steps to accomplish the end design. Of course, many patterns are inspired by a floor, upholstery, a fence, a pattern on a carpet, a stack of dishes, a pile of stones, flowers, and the list goes on. But the intention is not to do a representative drawing of that thing.

Here are some of my favorite tangles that may give you
 THOUGHTS OF CLOUDS 

DUST BUNNY (from Margaret Bremner)
Find step-outs at this link.

ENNIES (from Zentangle)
Find step-outs at this link. Example below.
"Lollipop Tree" (c)2016 Margaret Bremner
FLOO (from Zentangle)
No step-outs online. Example in the tiles at the top and bottom.

POPCLOUD (from Carla DuPreez)
Find step-outs at this link. Example below.
"Mountain Ash" (c)2014 Margaret Bremner
PRINTEMPS (from Zentangle)
No online link. Example below.
Detail from "Overcast" (c)2016 Margaret Bremner

There are two tangles I haven't tried as clouds yet, but I think would be very good:

KANDYSNAKE (from Vicki Murray, CZT)
Find step-outs at this link.

GINILI (from Randi Wynne-Parry)
Find step-outs at this link. I find this tangle has more impact in a larger area.

Of course, there are tangles unfamiliar to me, 
and tangles that will strike you as perfect for a 'cloud' you need somewhere.
Experiment. Have fun. And let me know if you come across a jim-dandy 'cloud' tangle!
"At Home in the Clouds" (c)2015 Margaret Bremner
Examples of Printemps, Floo, Pop-Cloud, and even Opus and Pixioze as 'clouds'.

6 comments:

  1. This will be a very helpful series. Your thoughts in clouds are great and the example tiles are fabulous. Thanks for your help

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  2. Hi Margaret--Thank you for this great post. The following tangles by Jane Monk of Australia also came to mind:
    Cloud Swirl http://onetangle.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Cloud%20Swirls%20JM
    Rain Dotty http://janemonkstudio.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20Tangle%20Patterns
    http://tanglepatterns.com/2010/06/how-to-draw-raindotty.html
    Sharyn

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    Replies
    1. It doesn't seem to be available to view, only in an e-book that one can purchase.

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  3. your work always inspires me.... with envy! ;) Thank you for sharing

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  4. I loved your little houses from the very first time seeing them. The application of patterns to convey an idea has always been a love of mine too. You are so good at it!!! Thanks for your ideas on clouds!

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  5. Wonderful post! I have to say I was most taken by your onion dome series when it first appeared here. I love the way you do those clouds. Thanks for being such an inspiration;-)

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