Sunday, June 29, 2014

On tan zendala tiles

I admit there are qualities I dislike in the tan paper of the zentangle tiles, but I sure do like the results! The paper doesn't much like getting wet, and yet washes are something I do a lot these days.

LOTUS OF PASSING TIME
(c) 2014 Margaret Bremner
 Here I used brown and white inks and some metal leaf.
Shading is in brown pencil.
Tangles: Aura, Opus, Printemps, Tipple, stripes

IDYLL
(c) 2014 Margaret Bremner
A gray wash on the tan paper gives an overcast look to the sky.
Tangles: Aquafleur, Seljuk, Tipple

(as yet untitled)
(c) 2014 Margaret Bremner
I had trouble with the sky area, reworking it a few times,
and still thing the orange is a bit too strong.
Tangles: Aquafleur, Bunzo, Pearlz, Wildwood, and Zander-esque

13 comments:

  1. For not liking the tan, you sure make it sing. Love these.
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  2. These are fabulous, Margaret. Your colored pencil shading always looks so smooth and natural. Do you use a blender on it? I find the tan tiles don't care for blending much. Also, do you lay down your shading with the side of your pencil tip?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ann! Some of the 'shading' is provided by the washes, which I usually do with acrylic paint or water-soluable pencils.

      For the final shading, however, I use pencil. I've been using Prismacolor pencils forever and because they're a bit 'waxy' a tortillon (blending stick) doesn't work. I've just purchased some Irojiten pencils, which are lovely, not waxy, but I haven't experimented much yet, and I won't use them in artwork until I do some light fastness testing. I sometimes use Verithin pencils too, but not on soft paper as they're a very hard lead.

      Generally I shade with the side of the pencil, but for precision areas I use the tip.

      Delete
  3. Actually what I hear Margaret saying Terri is not that she doesn't like tan, just than the tan paper that Zentangle provides doesn't like to get wet. When I went to CZT training I have to admit that I fell in love with the renaissance tiles. Up to now I had not really played much with them. I am not a huge fan of Zendalas (as you've heard me mention like a million times) but when I am done, I love the results. Go figure. We did a black Zendala at training with powered soap stone. Have you tried that? ps…I love your new pattern Morse! So dramatic!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Absolutely stunning, all of them!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I Love what you do to trees, Margaret. So, so beautiful. Thanks for your ideas!
    On another matter, may I once again request that you remind me of that tangle you
    named for Zentangle - romanancy or something similar to that? Thank you for the rescue!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Romanancy. Very fun look! Jointly named by me and... Oh dear, I forget who.

      Delete
  6. I love your experimentation. The grey wash is Fabulous and the orange from here is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  7. So, Margaret, I can't find the step outs for Romanancy in tanglepatterns and also with Zentangle. Didn't you also create a fun tile with Romanancy recently? Thanks again and I'm in awe of your trees. I'm showing them tonight to a group coming over... Thanks for all you give us!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's on the Zentangle blog here: http://zentangle.blogspot.ca/2013/02/tangle-heart.html
      Also, it was a Diva challenge, #109.
      I used Romanancy in an Ensemble here: http://enthusiasticartist.blogspot.ca/2014/01/angular-ensemble.html
      and on the first tile here: http://enthusiasticartist.blogspot.ca/2014/05/three-tiles-with-color.html
      Not sure if either of those is what you're thinking of. Possibly elsewhere that I forgot to label. I've also used it in a tree that hasn't been posted yet! ;)

      Delete
  8. Good morning :) I absolutely love everything you do but I have one question. Do you provide the templates that you just shared with us? I've been looking for a Lotus mandala and I just love trees :) great job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mary, and thank you so much! No, I don't have templates. All the work above developed as I worked on it.

      For the lotuses I often use a looped string. You can see a little how-to on a square here:
      http://enthusiasticartist.blogspot.ca/2012/10/news-flash-looped-border-creates-its.html
      and some more examples on round tiles here:
      http://enthusiasticartist.blogspot.ca/2012/12/looped-border-string-x-2-mandala.html

      Hope this inspires you! If you try a looped string to make a lotus I'd love to see the results. E-mail me a picture.

      Delete
  9. These are absolutely exquisite Margaret! I just don't know how you do it! What awesome inspiration, thank you!

    ReplyDelete