Ink, Red, Dead

That's Joanna Campbell Slan's title for her most recent novella.

In Ink, Red, Dead, heroine, sleuth and scrapbooker extraordinaire, Kiki Lowenstein, discovers Zentangle and has lots of fun with it. 

We like to think that by creating Zentangle art (see cover), Kiki is better able to help her friend and maybe solve a murder!

This is such a fun milestone - to see Zentangle as part of a book's plot line! Joanna Slan does an excellent job of weaving an accurate portrayal of Zentangle into her book.

Thanks, Joanna!



Click here for Kindle version.

Medicine Cabinet . . .

Or, what have you tangled lately?

A couple years ago,we found an old clock case at a yard sale that had glass shelves in it instead of a clock.

Maria said, "Let's get it."

"OK."

When we got home, Maria cleaned it up and applied gesso to the border to create a white background. She used a black Sakura® Pigma™ Graphic 1 to tangle on the gesso.  After distressing it with some sandpaper and stain she topped it off with a couple coats of polyurethane.

A local glass store replaced the glass with a mirror and, Voilá, the medicine cabinet!

Materials:

• 1 antique clock case ($20 at yard sale)
• Gesso
• brush
• Pigma™ Graphic 1 (black)
• Stain 
• Polyurethane
• Mirror

Tell us some interesting things that you have tangled!


Click images for closer views.

Positive or Negative?

We had a phone meeting recently. At most meetings both of us usually take lots of notes and this time was no exception. Here's how Maria began hers:

Remember tripoli? That image above is one of tripoli's many possible iterations. Those soft three sided shapes play and interact with each other - forming and sharing groupings. A common interpretation is to see the triangles as "positive space" and the white outside the triangles as "negative space." (For a quick intro to "Positive and Negative Space" see this page.)

Then Maria did something she does often and effortlessly, she turned a negative, positive.

Extending that negative space between triangles turned it positive. Whenever paths wanted to cross, then in hollibaugh fashion, she drew one behind the other.

Here are Maria's complete and unaltered "notes" (I played with the first two images in Photoshop):

We had a great meeting. (It was with Arlene.)

Click images for larger views.

A Bit of Bubbly . . .

. . . for your New Year's Celebration.

Maria Writes:

I never manage to stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve, even when I was younger. It just never seemed to have the appeal . . . watching the ball fall.

When we go to parties, we are the first to leave. I love to go home. (Ironically, I love to go out, too!)

But home is the bees knees . . . great food . . . warm fires . . . great company (even when I am alone) . . . the best rest . . . and comfort and joy. Always comfort and joy.

Here's a bit of Zentangle technique I'd like to share with you. Something really simple that you may have already figured out, but I'll say it anyway. (Sometimes the most obvious is the one we just do not see.)

When you are tangling your favorite tangle and you want to add dimension (depth), character, contrast, or just some fun; instead of darkening the background, play with tiny orbs.

Starting around the perimeter of a space, draw the tiniest row of "orbs" (our word for circles) all around. Then the next row, just a smidge bigger orbs, then the next, you guessed it, a little bigger . . . and depending on the size of the space just keep going until you reach the center with the largest orb. Then shade around the edge . . . maybe the first two rows of small orbs and VOILA!

You have filled in a space with a tangle without even breaking a sweat. You can also go from large circles to small ones, too.

This is a great way to "tone" an area and increase your focus at the same time. Focus on keeping the orbs the size you want, increasing or decreasing them ever so subtly. It will result in a shell-like texture, especially with shading.

So give your Zentangle tile some "froth" and see what happens!

A Year of Health, Wealth, Happiness and Love to all our Zentangle friends.

Rick and Maria

Click images for more froth.

A Thought

Rick writes:

In this morning's websurf, I landed on, Why You Learn More Effectively by Writing Than Typing.

The act of writing helps you clarify your thoughts, remember things better, and reach your goals more surely. Here's a look at the science and psychology behind writing, and why the pen may be mightier than the keyboard. 

Zentangle is all about putting pen to paper, so I wanted to read this. I encourage you to read it, too.

Today there are fewer and fewer reasons to put pen to paper. So when you do put pen to paper, it has a greater impact. Putting pen to paper creates an intimate closed loop as your eyes focus on your pen and its ink. This experience is primal and immediate.

In other systems that loop is broken. If your fingers are on a keyboard, mouse or tablet, your eyes are usually on a screen. If you're watching your fingers type (even on a typewriter), the result is also elsewhere. Even if you are using a stylus on a touch screen there is a technical gap between stylus and screen image. As your movements are translated through computer processors and software into pixels on your display, your stylus never really "touches" your creation.

My takeaway from this article (not surprisingly) is that the magic of writing longhand is in what happens because you put pen to paper, not just because you are writing.

This article reinforces how valuable the practice of Zentangle's method is. The benefits of putting pen to paper don't depend on how good you are, they depend on doing it. Zentangle's method provides the structure and freedom for you to enjoy this process without expectations or self-criticism. I think that's an important and easily overlooked reason for the benefits and enjoyment that Zentangle provides.

As you enjoy creating something in a Zentangle way, fresh and creative ideas have a way of popping up. Keep another sheet of paper handy to capture those idea jewels!

-----+-----

Oh yes, to answer our puzzle blog . . . "The envelope please!"

Click image for larger view.

Christmas Puzzle

Here's a larger image of a Puzzle Christmas Card that we described in this newsletter.

Why is this a Christmas card?

We invite you to post your answers and comments below.  (But if you've already seen this and know the answer . . . "Shhh!")

As we said in our newsletter,

. . . We are so grateful that you are part of our Zentangle community. Thank you for your purchases. Thank you for sharing your Zentangle enthusiasm and creations with us and with others. And for all of you whom we've had the pleasure to meet, thank you for your friendship.

We look forward to sharing a wonderful 2012 with you all!

Click image for clearer view of puzzle.

Joy

It's nice to be reminded of the joy in simplicity.

Thanks to Jeannie Mahood, CZT, we received this elegant reminder.

Wishing you all the simple joys of this season.

Rick & Maria


Click image to see larger view of pointed-pen tangling of swarm and other tangles.