Zendala Dare #55

Thank you to those who answered my question last week. I was curious to know what your process was in completeing the Zendala dares. I found it interesting that the majority of you who answered said that you started from the middle and worked your way out.

I tried that this week, and drew a blank. I think for me, the middle is an after thought.
The template this week on its own was "pretty" - very special indeed.

Diva Challenge #115 - Earth Day

The Diva's Challenge this week was to tangle a piece celebrating "Amanda Day" - that was her sons interpretation of Earth Day last year. Don't kid's just amaze you with their thought process sometimes? Check out the Diva's story on her blog.

This is my interpretation of Earth Day. While we must take care of our earth, we must also care for our oceans and our skies.

 Zentangles used are: Angel fish, Pais, Antidots, pop-cloud, and starawn

Zendala Challenge #54

Okay, so I was watching a show on TV about aliens and UFO's, and I got caught up in the whole story while I was doing this weeks challenge. Before I knew it, the following image appeared. The initial intention was to use wavez and the pais as the main tangles, but I only got them half way done. I guess the aliens took over.

QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS OF YOUR ZENDALAS?  

1. DO YOU SEE THE TEMPLATE AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY KNOW WHAT TANGLES TO USE?

OR

2. DO YOU SEE THE TEMPLATE, PROCRASTINATE A LITTLE, PUT IT AWAY, COME BACK TO IT, PUT IT AWAY, REALIZE THE WEEK IS ALMOST OVER AND YOU NEED TO GET IT DONE, THEN PRODUCE A MASTER PIECE?

OR

3. JUST START FILLING IT IN AND JUST SEE WHAT EMERGES?

My process usually starts off with good intentions to use this zentangle or another zentangle. In keeping with the principles of design, I like to stick to the design elements of 3's. However, the best plans don't usually produce something I'm happy with. In that case, a little improvising and movement in a different direction works best. In this case my thought process seems to have been influenced by the "out of this world" story I was watching.

What's your process? 
Thoughts?

Zendala Dare #53

I'm late posting this week, and it's a simple one.

Have a great weekend!

Diva Challenge #114 - The Star

It's been quite an eventful week as my mom came to visit us for about 2 weeks. It's so refreshing to have someone from home in the flesh. Since she's been here, we've been cruising the malls, as that is a main event in Doha. Hopefully this weekend we can do something more culturally enriching like go to the museum or something like that. The kids have been so excited to have her here it's been almost impossible to get them out of the house to go to school.

When I saw the Diva's challenge I knew exactly what I was going to do. The challenge was to use a star as the string, and since my mom brought us all sorts of well wishes and treats from the Caribbean, I thought of one of my favorite elements in the Caribbean which are the beaches. I used a starfish as my string but used zentangles outside instead of in. It's a simple sea theme, with sandswirl and pais as the tangles.

For the first time ever I was also able to do two versions of the challenge. Here is the second. It is meant to be a 3d version of the star. Very simple this one, as I only used Starawn in this.

Have a great weekend!!!!

Diva Challenge #113 - Hip To Be Square

The Divas Challenge ths week is all about squares. A square with in a square with in a square. The string is the square.
So mine has a slight Japanese theme to it - notice I say slight. I'm missing Japan these days. Spring is slowly creeping in and the cherry blossoms are emerging.  Spring has to be my favorite season in Japan, and I'm kind of wishing I was there now.

So my string is the square bamboo frame, a rope frame and a basic plain frame. For the backgrounds I used sand swirl which will represent the sea and twile to represent the tatami mats and of course the flower stamp  for cherry blossoms.

Zendala Dare #52 - Hollibaugh And Another Challenge

This weeks challenge is to use Hollibaugh as the string. Use hollibaugh as the string - as the string. Huh? Okay here we go. This was a sweet challenge to work with.

But this was not my only challenge this week. Nope I had a bigger challenge to deal with. Let me introduce you to this little fellow.

Isn't he sweet? He has such a lovely personality. Loving, protective, and highly intelligent. But here's the problem. He is NAUGHTY. Shilo is his name, and he has just been plain naughty for the past week. He's is a jack russell mix, mixed with what we don't know. But he is an A type personality jack russell on a permanent caffeine high.

This week he learned how to open the cupboard door. The magic door that hides the snacks. Not his snacks mind you, the snacks that belong to the kids. The snacks that he likes - more specifically, the potato chips and the pretzels. He also likes freshly laundered clothes and sheets. There is no room for error with this dog. Leave them in a pile and he will find a way to get to them to have a luxurious rest.
He is also a tip toe-er. We can usually tell where he is in the house by the sound of his nails clicking on the floor as he walks along but when he is off to make mischief, you will never hear him sneak away.
Yes Shilo has been busy this week and keeping me busy along with his secretive escapades. But how can you stay angry with a face like that?

Now on to the challenge

Erin also revealed that she does not like circles. For a person who is such an expert at these zendalas you would never know. She does such a great job with coming up with circular challenges weekly.
Here is Hollibraugh as the string. Hope I did it justice.

Other tangles used were groovy, shattuck, and h2o lilly

Have a great week. I am off to go find you know who.

Diva's Challenge #112 - TUXEDO

Our challenge this week was to use the Tuxedo zentangle from LeeAnn a.ka. Ledenzer.
I find these grid type patterns hard to do. My brain just does not work that way. The zentangles with the more flowing lines are easier for me.

These 2 are just tests, and me just playing with the pattern. I'm quite happy with the results, and look forward to using it again.

Modern Masters Challenge - Dali

Another entry for the art journal. A study of Salvatore Dali. I really like him. He was an out of the box thinker. I like out of the box thinkers who bring that to their art.
I saw an exhibit of his in Singapore a couple of years ago at the Singapore Museum of Modern Art. The museum itself is a piece of art.

A scale model of the Museum as seen from above

 A favorite piece by Dali

 

 

I have to say that I am very fascinated by his melted clocks, and the drawers coming out of peoples torsos.

HERE'S MY TAKE ON DALI:

High Fashion Dali.

I used watercolor markers on this. I think I would like to explore this on canvas and acrylic one day.

See the Modern Masters Challenge on the Art Journal Ning group.

Zendala Dare # 51 - Starburst

I can't believe that this is the second week where I am not struggling to finish one of these Zendala's.
Perhaps after all this time I've finally gotten into a groove.

There are so many elements to this but yet it is so simple. The Zentangles I used were ving, ticking, and whistler.