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Searching for that “it” factor

It’s that time of year again when I realize I am truly awful at regularly blogging! What can I say? I prefer drawing to writing and other responsibilities!

Mental Health day from work turned into drawing a lot, a lot, a lot of lines!

I’ve spent this year trying to identify my creative aesthetic. What do I love doing most? What do I love most about others’ work? What pushes my creative buttons, inspires me to continue on? What makes me go “Oh, I love that!” or “How can I do that myself?”

A lot of this introspection and observation also reminded me of my Dynamics of Psychology in my undergrad program. While the first half of the class had me scratching my head and questioning everything I had learned about psychology thus far, I’ve realized years later that what I didn’t seem to learn in that class left an impression on me. Without getting too sciencey and breaking my own brain trying to explain, I’ll explain a little about what I absorbed from that class.

Fractals are everywhere. Repeating endlessly to eternity, forming the fabric of the existence of everything physically tangible. How it relates to psychology? I dont quite remember, but they’re pretty! And they consist of repeated lines and patterns. Sound familiar?

Fractals in kale!

And, humans and other living creatures will continue to behave a certain way until they approach an event or stimulus that causes them to change their actions or way of thinking, even if minutely. That small factor can completely change their lives both immediately and forever. Kind of like the butterfly effect, but not really. Again. Repeated behaviors, linear until they’re not.

Hmmm… brain broken yet? Mine is a little!

So how does this relate to my art and Zentangle practice? Let’s go back to my journey to discover that “it” factor.

It comes down to auras. Repeated lines. Echos. Halos. Vibrations. Rings from drops of water in a puddle. The steam rising from a pot of boiling water. Rays of light emanating from the sun and the moon and the stars.

So what if I just draw a line and aura it over and over? What if my pen gets bumped and now that line is no longer perfectly straight? Aura that new silhouette, that’s what!

And so, I set about to intentionally focus on auras in my work. Sometimes a border, sometimes wiggly lines over and over and over.

So now, a technique introduced to me by the Zentangle Method has woven itself into my life and my creative work in a way that I can only explain as revolutionary.

Am I being dramatic about a silly little concept? Probably. But for me, this epiphany and exploration has been really grounding and a great wellspring of creativity for me.

A 9x12ish canvas painted with super matte black, and tangled on with white ink

So, do you want to learn how to harness the power of the aura? I have just the thing for you (you saw this coming, right?).

Yep, I have a new Skillshare class available! I had every intention to publish this class 3 months ago, but life and excuses, excuses.

As always I am giving my email subscribers a free access link and a 2 months free link – use whichever you prefer! Skillshare does require an account, but if you’re just using the free access link you shouldn’t need to enter any payment information. If you decide to use the 2 free months, you will need to enter payment information. But, I know for a fact that it is SUPER easy to cancel your subscription and Skillshare doesn’t make it difficult or give you a guilt trip for doing so.

Free Access Link: https://skl.sh/2qOyUTQ

2 Free Months Link: https://skl.sh/2QThdxc

If you can leave a review, you’ll have my eternal gratitude! And I’ll have your feedback to use to improve or keep doing what I’m doing!

Examples from the Auras class

I hope you’ll enjoy!

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Summer is winding down…

Ha! As soon as I said I might start blogging on the reg, I should have known that was a lie. Summer is now winding down, and it’s my favorite time of the year: fall! and my birthday! At the beginning of summer I started a new job. It occurred right after my last post and it’s been a whirlwind summer ever since! I’ve actually been working two jobs as I stuck around and helped my old employer out while they found a replacement. I love my new job and everyone there is amazing. I hope to stick with them a long time and grow in my adult education background.

  • Infinity Room at WNDR museum
  • Perspective is everything
  • Love this quote and this exhibit

I’ve also had a lot of fun this summer. Ted and I took a bus down to Chicago and had some amazing deep dish pizza followed by a trip to WNDR museum – super fun and super Instagrammable. My mom came to visit, which was so wonderful and so needed! We went kayaking, which I’ve never done before but can’t wait to do again! I showed mom around Madison…now I’m looking forward to my BFF’s visit next week for my birthday! I love my birthday, and even more so here in Wisconsin because the weather is always amazing — not hot like it was growing up in Phoenix! We’ll get some kayaking in as well as a little Ice Age Trail light hike, eat some good food, and catch up!

  • Let’s kayak! At Devil’s Lake
  • Penny loves when Grammy’s in town!
  • Me and Mom on Capitol Square

I have been working on another Skillshare class the past few weeks. Since I’ve been working with auras so much in my practice recently, I figured I might as well find a way to share my approach with the world! It’s funny timing, too, because Zentangle HQ also released their Project Pack series that featured a lot of auras. I find it curious how so many tanglers seem to be on the same creative wavelength. If you haven’t checked out Zentangle’s videos yet, I highly recommend them!

  • New pen from Ted as a reward for starting my new job! Isn’t it pretttty?
  • Blackest black background canvas
  • Melted Wax Mooka
  • Got the blues?

If you’ve followed me on Instagram you’ve seen me playing with a lot of fun art supplies and techniques. I recently picked up Blackest Black acrylic paint from Culture Hustle and it’s gloriously black (read the amazing back story to this pigment here). I painted a canvas with it and I am currently working on tangling over it in white with one of my fountain pens. I was really excited to discover a white fountain pen ink, and I think it’s really going to increase my white on black tangling productivity–as well as help me reach my goal of using all/mostly sustainable and renewable art supplies, one less thing to throw in the garbage! And, it’s going to look awesome! I haven’t decided yet if I will sell it or keep it, I guess it depends on how it actually turns out!

So, as summer comes to a close, keep a look out for my next Skillshare class! It’s going to be thorough and include several different completed tiles. I’ll also start working on my next class – white on black!

A peek at my upcoming Skillshare Class

I have received a few reviews on my older Skillshare classes that have mentioned the video and audio quality. It’s been something I have wanted to go back and change for a long time, and as time goes by I think it becomes a more glaring issue… but that happens when technology is constantly updating! So, I have high hopes too for going back and updating my older classes over the next few months so that the videos are shot with more modern technology 🙂

Until next time!

Tangle.Sip.Repeat.

-Sarah

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Two weeks in a row, say whaaaat?

Last weekend I had a lot of fun watching everyone join my new Skillshare class! I have high hopes for this class and it’s renewed my motivation to get a lot more classes out and more regularly.

I also had a chance to finish a small watercolor commission for a friend. She wanted a large watercolor piece to hang in her bedroom, over her bed. We chatted about size and budget and decided that a tapestry with a print of the watercolor piece would be the best route! She’ll also get the original. It was a nice change of pace for me to work with my watercolors after working so heavily on my computer the previous week. The looseness of how watercolors can be used is a dramatic contrast to working with technology and deadlines!

One of several layers. Using a beachy palette that I just love!

While I was waiting for one of the layers of paint to dry (and there were many!), I was playing around with my Rotring Isograph pen. The ink had dried up a bit, so I had to clean it out and get it writing again. Once I started to get the ink going again I was playing with a few tangle-y elements and out popped this cool pattern!

Rotring Isograph with white ink, on black Zentangle® Apprentice tile

I named it Spirawings, and I’ll share here with you the deconstruction and a video! It’s basically a Frankenstein’s monster of multiple tangles – Joki, Mooka, Dra-wings. So, I won’t say I created it, instead I composed it.

Pen: MonteVerde Regatta Northern Lights,
Ink: Noodlers Cactus Fruit Eel

I think Dra-wings is a pattern that this is closest to. But it’s also a pattern I just.cannot.do. I don’t know why, but it just turns out like mush. So Spirawings is probably the closest I’ll ever get to what is intended by the steps.

If you’d like to watch me complete the steps, check out my video on Youtube, just below. I’ll also have it posted on Instagram! Otherwise, feel free to download a copy of the steps I created just for you!

If you haven’t already, check out my Skillshare class! There are still a few free links available, but they do expire on June 7th! You don’t need to enter any payment info in order to use this link, but you may have to enter your name and email address (Skillshare likes to make sure you’re human and not a robot I think). Link: Choose Your Own Tangle Adventure

I am going to try and revive this blog a bit, so hopefully you’ll be hearing from me more often! I expect to write a little bit each month!

Until next time! – Sarah

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It’s been awhile…Updates and New Class!

So, it’s been a hot minute since I updated my blog. The last year has been, to say the least….interesting. A little bit of a dark period for me, if I’m honest. But, I feel like I’m coming out of the tunnel now. I’m refocusing and getting my ducks back into a row, even if that row is a little uneven and chaotic still.

Good news is, I just hit the publish button on my new Skillshare class! This one is a lot of fun and I put a lot of work into it, so I hope you like it.

Can you do me a favor and check this class out? It would be most helpful to make sure this class gets off the ground as soon as possible. I’ve included a link here, so the first 25 people can access the class for completely free! Once you’ve watched the class, if you could give it a thumbs up and maybe even a review to let me know what you think? It would be immensely helpful! And, you’ll have fun doing it! Click here to access the class

This class is the first in a series I’ve dubbed “Becoming a Confident Tangler.” I want to share my “wisdom” with you about tangling and getting to a point where you feel comfortable tangling on your own. In the past I’ve always said that practice is key when it comes to Zentangle®, but I know that just doesn’t cut it for most people. So, here’s to making something tangible to help you become confident and independent!

So even though it’s been a rough year, it hasn’t stopped me from tangling and drawing. I’ve been really inspired by Peter Draws in the past few months, and his style has helped me realize a few things about my own style and what I enjoy most about different patterns and how I compose my artwork.

Enoying a cold brew and tangles/doodles at Barrique’s

I’ve also been thinking about ways I can reduce waste. I use a LOT of paper and pens and other art supplies. But I thoroughly enjoy the tactile aspects of pen and paper, so I’ve been researching and trying to find ways I can use traditional art supplies with less waste (without going digital).

What I’ve found so far, and it’s become a bit of an obsession now, is fountain pens! Infinitely reusable, with infinite ink possibilities. Many pens are pieces of art themselves (most are WAYYYY out of my budget, too!), and the inks are gorgeous. The pen in the picture above I was able to purchase used (reduce! reuse! recycle!). I’ll share more of my fountain pen finds in future posts, too. I also found an option to replace white gel pens, which I love to use on black paper, and this is the Isograph pens. They have a white ink that is really lovely and you can achieve super fine lines. A little expensive at first, and a bit of maintenance is required. But, a great way to reduce waste!

I’ll update more in the next few weeks. Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day to read this! I hope you enjoy the new class, and if you have any requests/suggestions for my future classes, please drop me a line!

Take care!

Sarah

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Layering tangles for an added dimension of depth and focus

Hello lovelies!

Just a quick update. I have added a class to my Skillshare offerings. This class explores layering tangles to create depth and dimension. I hope you’ll check it out!

I cannot sing the praises of Skillshare enough, I myself have learned so many things from taking classes, it has become a really useful tool for me. You can find classes on almost any subject, taught by people with experience and in-depth knowledge!

Here’s a link to try the premium membership for free  – https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/sarahu-czt

I hope you try it out and I hope to see your projects!

Cheers!

Sarah

Zen & Zin

 

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On Following “The Rules”…

Happy Labor Day, everyone! I hope you are all enjoying this extra day to rest. I wanted to share something near and dear to my heart, the reasons why I love Zentangle® so much and credit it with my creative awakening. I’ve included here some wonderful words by CZT Sandy Hunter on the “rules” that separate Zentangle® from other forms of art such as doodling or line weaving. Here is a link to the post, I hope you take a moment to check out her site, it’s chock full of goodies!

 

Wednesday, September 02, 2015

a post with no pictures.

“I don’t really care what the “rules” of Zentangle are! I’m not a rule-follower…it’s my art and I’ll do what I want!”
I see this subject get kicked around on Zentangle fan forums from time to time. I don’t normally engage because I don’t really feel like handing angry people a stick to beat me with, but it’s hard for me to see something so inherently good and useful be misunderstood. So, I want to try to explain it. Please bear in mind that this is my own point of view and I’m not representing anyone else.
Books and Pinterest and YouTube videos are all wonderful sources for patterns for doodling/tangling/patterning/line weaving…. but all of those words are used interchangeably, and that’s where the conflict arises. The confusion seems to come from the fact that that people will refer to any intricate piece of line art as a Zentangle, because they think that’s just the latest buzzword for ‘that thing I was already doing years ago in the margins of notebooks’.
It is possible to place identical drawings side by side where one is a doodle, and the other is a Zentangle. The reason that’s possible is because the art itself does not make a drawing a Zentangle. The art is the byproduct of the complete mental immersion in the process of ‘tangling’. It all depends on where your mind is when you do it. If you’re in this for the art, these guidelines don’t matter one iota. Doodle/draw/sketch away. But if you’re craving a temporary, effective escape plan from pain, grief, or stress (or you just need a mental break) read on, because this information just might come in handy one day.
Yes, the rumors are true: there are guidelines (they’re just roads to a destination, really) with Zentangle. And they don’t exist to crush your spirit. Think of them as stout little pillars that work together to support a single purpose: to refocus the mind. Zentangle is mindful. Every guideline exists to make that complete mental immersion possible, and sustain it. That’s no easy task in a fast-paced culture (with a constant barrage of distractions) like ours.
#1: The first step in starting a Zentangle: a border and ’string’, drawn lightly in pencil.
Reason: The pencil line, or string, creates sections to draw within. The string line is merely a suggestion and a place to begin. It is drawn lightly in pencil so that it will disappear behind the ink that follows. Some people have never faced a blank piece of paper and been intimidated and overwhelmed by it, but for those who have, something as simple as having a place to start is a huge relief and can easily mean the difference between success and failure.
#2: Zentangles are completely abstract.
Reason: This eliminates the preoccupation with whether something looks ‘right’. If it’s supposed to look like a bird but something about it doesn’t look the way it should, that is what you will be preoccupied with. This actually eliminates a whole bunch of other mental hurdles that go along with drawing specific things, e.g. proportion, placement, what goes around it, etc.
#3: Zentangles are drawn only in black ink.
Reason: This keeps the tangling process as right-brained as possible. To keep the focus on the repetition of the patterns, the slow, deliberate drag of the nib across the paper, the ink soaking into the paper in its wake. With color, decisions must be made: Paint or gel pens? Or marker? How many colors? Which ones? Where do I add them? Do they work together? If you start to add color, that is what you will be preoccupied with. And limiting drawing materials can inspire creativity in surprising ways.
#4: Patterns should be created by drawing repetitive strokes… structured, non-representational, and easy to draw in a limited number of steps.
Reason: The goal is to focus on the strokes of the pen used to create the pattern, and the controlled breathing that happens along with it. The primary goal of drawing a Zentangle is not to draw complicated tangle patterns. Some people are in it for the Zen, some are in it for the art… and there can be a pretty big difference in the way it looks. Which brings us to…
#5: No planned outcome.
Reason: This aligns with minimizing decision-making. Relaxing into the process and just letting a Zentangle unfold as it appears line by line is calming, and it’s fun to see all those little nuances coming together here and there when opportunities present themselves.
#6: Paper, or ‘tiles’, are 3.5 inches square.
Reason: Zentangles are designed to be finished in a short time. They’re friendly. They’re manageable. There is a sense of accomplishment that comes from creating something beautiful from start to finish in one sitting. The small size also makes it portable (Doctor’s waiting room? No problem. Two-hour wait for an oil change? Yes please!). And because it’s small, it’s easy to turn, making drawing in one direction over another more comfortable.
#7: No using stencils, rulers, or graph paper.
Reason: In short, there is no zen to be had in the preoccupation with perfection. There’s a certain joy in letting the pen wander without being confined to a grid or rigid space. Imperfection makes art more interesting… embrace it! Also, see #2.
“It is the nature of all greatness not to be exact.” -Edmund Burke
#8 No erasers.
Reason: Anything that interrupts the drawing process is going to create a shift in focus. Then it becomes less about drawing those slow deliberate lines and breathing, and more about fixing/changing stuff. Just keep drawing and let it evolve. Get comfortable with the idea that mistakes can be turned into something good and unexpected (and exciting!).
If you’re not a rule-follower, it’s ok. Not following these steps does not mean your line art is in any way bad or wrong; it just means it’s not technically a Zentangle. I’m a CZT and 99% of what I draw isn’t technically Zentangle… I’m here for the art too. It’s good to know the difference, but don’t let it be a label and keep you from enjoying the journey.
• ❃ • ❋ • ❁ • ✿ • ✽ • ❀ •
Thanks for stopping by!
Feel free to join me here,
where I frequently share artsy things that inspire me,
invite tanglers to share art,
crack silly jokes,
and offer up the
occasional
tangle
prompt.
:oD
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New Skillshare Class! And a FREE one!!

I have a new Skillshare class available! Zentangle® 102 covers what we usually do in my physical classes, during the second tile. For a limited time, I’ve made my Zentangle® 101 class FREE! So please go check it out and give it a thumbs up, if you like it 🙂

Even if you’ve taken my classes before, this is a great opportunity to brush up on what you learned. I’ll also be putting more and more videos up, my goal is 2-4 per month! I’ll focus on Zentangle and mandalas, but if there is something you’re interested in, let me know by emailing me or contacting me on any one of my social media platforms 🙂

If you’ve never tried Skillshare, I highly recommend it. For less than $100 a year you can learn anything from marketing to watercolor. I absolutely love it and try to tell anyone I meet who loves learning! Here is a link to check it out, and you can also access the Zentangle 101 and 102 classes there!

I’ve also been working on some fun mandalas the past two weeks. I’ve been inspired by dreamcatchers and have been experimenting with different ways to create dreamcatcher mandalas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been exploring ways to do the same thing over and over again, but still produce different results. In my next post I’ll write a bit about my experience with “tangles stuck in my head.” Think of how you get a song stuck in your head, but instead it’s a set of pretty visual patterns! Until next time!

 

Cheers!

 

Sarah

Zen & Zin