Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Blue off . . .

. . . the beaten path.

Maria writes,
One benefit of a 40 year-old studio is instant access to all sorts of artist "toys" I've collected over decades - beautiful papers, wild & crazy pens, hand-made inks, but most important of all, heart. This last one, "heart," is my true reward for having done something consistently for so many years, a confidence to try new things and a passion that doesn't worry about mistakes. This confidence and passion of heart is what we strive to make available to others through Zentangle . . . without the 40 year wait!
Maria created this piece as her contribution to Challenge #12 from Laura Harms, CZT - "Something Blue."


She describes her process . . .
This ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Art) started off with Arches hot press water colour paper with a heavy wash of blue gouache (an opaque water colour). When the paint was still wet (very wet) I added some drops of walnut ink around the edges. After it was completely dry, I used an oblique pointed pen with Dr. Martens Bleed-Proof white and a Sakura Pigma Micron 01 for the black lines.

I started with verdigogh because it is easier to place tangles around it than it around tangles . . . or maybe not . . who knows!

Here's her original before cropping.


When I was photographing this, I noticed the white ink joined in our fun and tangled itself within its own string.


Thanks once again to Laura Harms for creating this series. We encourage you to visit her blog and enjoy slide shows of previous challenges.

Click images for larger views.
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23 comments:

  1. Karen WoodbineMarch 8, 2011 at 9:00 AM

    Maria, that is such a pretty piece. And, your heart is absolutely shining through this lovely art!

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  2. ClaudiaMarch 8, 2011 at 9:31 AM

    Maria, what a beautiful ZIA! I'd like to take this opportunity by thanking you for bringing the joy of Zentangle in my life!! I can't do without it anymore... It brought back my creativity! Thank you so much.

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  3. Carole OhlMarch 8, 2011 at 10:24 AM

    Holy Moly, Maria:) What a beautiful feeling in this piece. I haven't started my challenge yet... I was waiting for my 'out of the box' moment. I think you have given me a big push to open the lid!! Thank you!

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  4. TimareeMarch 8, 2011 at 10:27 AM

    Now THIS inspires me! I have a different brand of ink but have switched to dip penning because gel pens and others just don't work. I love the combo of paint, inks and color. Wowsers!

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  5. i am the divaMarch 8, 2011 at 11:28 AM

    LOVE!

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  6. ledenzerMarch 8, 2011 at 11:45 AM

    This piece is amazingly beautiful!. Thanks for sharing your technique.

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  7. Margaret Bremner, ArtistMarch 8, 2011 at 11:57 AM

    Quite stunning. I'm speechless (well almost). How delightful! I love the tiny flecks of black against the white Betweed.
    --Margaret

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  8. Sue ClarkMarch 8, 2011 at 12:25 PM

    Maria, Your art continues to blow me away! This piece is so VERY stunning!

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  9. kateriMarch 8, 2011 at 12:32 PM

    This is beautiful Maria. I sometimes make painting I call breath portraits, where I do wet on wet watercolour, then add pools of a strong colour and blow at them through a straw. After it dries I use waterproof ink and/or graphite to make lines and suggestions of things I see, sometimes even a "tang;e-like" pattern. I never thought of using white ink, although I did try a gel pen once and it didn't work very well. I think I will try to find some white ink and give it a shot!

    ps...when i first glanced at your painting I thought it was etched on a piece of copper. it's just beautiful.

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  10. stARTMarch 8, 2011 at 1:00 PM

    This is beautiful, Maria. What fun that the ink itself decided to participate! *G*

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  11. Ellen WoltersMarch 8, 2011 at 4:29 PM

    Wow, Maria, it looks so fragile. Very, very nice!

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  12. Shelly BeauchMarch 8, 2011 at 5:32 PM

    The highlights, the colour, the passion...pizzazz, a wonderful creation!

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  13. SandhyaMarch 8, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    Wow...This is sooo beautiful...love it

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  14. AnonymousMarch 8, 2011 at 11:04 PM

    What a delicate dancing ice dragon. Delightful.

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  15. ShirleyMarch 9, 2011 at 1:10 AM

    Maria,
    This is beautiful. In my case, I collected these wonderful tools long before I knew how to use them or if I would ever really create art. I am approaching my 2 year anniversary as a "practicing artist". It is such a joy to review the progress of my work over this period of time. Zentangle is helping me discover new territory I never expected to find. Thanks for your heart and for Zentangle.

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  16. ShirleyMarch 9, 2011 at 3:49 AM

    Thanks for ZIA - Zentangle Inspired Art. I did a palm tree as a ZIA image last week at the Dead Sea.

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  17. Kit @ DreamscribeMarch 9, 2011 at 4:45 AM

    Amazing ZIA, Mia! xoxo

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  18. Mary ElizabethMarch 9, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    Breathtakingly beautiful!

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  19. Sue DoranMarch 9, 2011 at 12:48 PM

    Spectacularly beautiful piece of art by a very talented person. I love it.

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  20. MariëtMarch 10, 2011 at 10:23 AM

    Amazing, so very inspiring !

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  21. Heather Victoria HeldMarch 10, 2011 at 7:03 PM

    I don't know how I missed this entry!!! This is spectacular Maria! It jumps off the page! I love this piece of work!

    xo,
    Heather

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  22. Laurie PattersonMarch 11, 2011 at 4:17 PM

    Beautiful. When I first looked at it I thought it was etching on glass, or maybe frost on glass or something like that. It has translucent or ethereal feel to it. Is the white ink really 3D?

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  23. ZentangleMarch 12, 2011 at 5:08 PM

    The white ink has a bit of height to it, depending on how much weight I give the stroke. The pen I use is very pressure- sensitive, with the ability to make hairline strokes as well as VERY bold ones and depending on the thickness of the ink (which is really more like paint) This is what I usually use to letter. Maria

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