Certified Zentangle ® Teacher Training and CZT 32

Welcome to The Tireless Tangler everyone! I’m Cyndee Pelley and I am a brand new member of the Zentangle ® family! I’m currently sitting at the Delta Airlines gate in gorgeous Providence, Rhode Island, waiting for my flight home to Oklahoma. I’m so very proud to say I am now a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT 32)!

This was such an incredible, joyful, amazing week! I will try not to annoy you with my exclamation marks but I am feeling so completely blessed you will probably see a lot of them! I have not been able to post in several weeks. My personal life has been in control and creativity has been lost to me but I knew if I could just get to Providence for CZT 32, I would be inspired! This week was both the hardest and one of the best weeks of my life! Singing in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, driving through an ice covered forest in Germany with the sun sparkling off the icicles, seeing whales and dolphins in beautiful Alaska with my mom, and hugging my little boy are really the only things in my life that come close to rivaling the experience this week in Providence!

The landscape was lovely but I realized last night I had taken only a few pictures of it! So I snapped a pic of the Providence Biltmore last night.

This is the view from the event site on the 17th floor of the Biltmore.

I do, however, have many, many pictures of art and the amazing people I met while there! Many were uncomfortable with sharing their pictures online so with one exception, I’m not sharing my people pics. This one is particularly dear to me! I gave Maria Thomas a compliment one day and she took my hand and said “let’s have coffee”. Wow!

I would like to tell you this cheesy smile was an accident and I wish I looked better, but honestly, I wore this silly grin in all my pictures and it was a true representation of how happy I felt! (Maria Thomas is as wonderful and full of whimsy and joy as anyone I’ve ever met!) I will mention some of the other people I loved meeting but no pics.

I will share some of the art pictures and just a few of the mosaic pictures I took. Honestly, by the time I thought of taking pictures, I had missed some opportunities! We managed to do 26 mosaics in 4 days!

One of my biggest joys this week was meeting in person some of the dearest people I’ve known online in our community! In particular, meeting Anika of Zen.linea, who I was blessed to write about in one of my artist focus posts! What an amazing thing that was! She is an amazing person and now a fellow CZT 32! I was also able to meet 2 friends from India with whom I have been blessed to become close to online, Aish is living in India, and dear Prathima from India but living in Connecticut. Ladies, you own a special place in my heart! Jan from Florida, Leslie from Indiana (can’t remember where you live now) and Judy from Ontario, Canada, you ladies saved me from severe grumpiness last night over dinner! What a fun bunch! I want to especially mention dear, amazing, Juliette, my newest friend from France who now lives here in the states. She is one half of the awesome TanglePod podcast. What made Juliette such a beautiful friend? Besides being an incredible person and having that awesome French accent, she is loosing her hearing and was an American Sign Language enthusiast. She was so fascinating to talk to, we spent many meals together where she translated our conversations into French while I signed! I spoke German, ASL, English, learned a bit more French, a few words of Japanese…what a feast for my language starved mind.

To say this trip was a feast for all 5 of my senses is an immense understatement! I am completely enriched today! And I can now say, I am Cyndee Pelley, CZT32!

None of this would have been possible without all of the artists and CZTs who so generously donated to send me this week. There are not enough words in my admittedly large vocabulary to adequately express my deep gratitude to you all! 💜

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Diva Challenge 358 “Pickpocket” by Tomàs Padrós

Hey Y’all, this is Cyndee and I’m the Tireless Tangler! It is time for this week’s Diva Challenge number 358. This week, the diva has challenged us to use Pickpocket, a pattern by Tomàs Padrós. You may remember that I published an artist focus article on Tomàs in January, sharing his life, his art, and his journey into Zentangle! You can find the link for the artist focus below and it might give you a new perspective on Tomàs and his patterns. Tomàs is a fairly recent Tangler starting around the same time as I did two years ago.

Artist Focus Tomàs Padrós

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Tomàs’ Pickpocket pattern. We had to play around a bit to get an enjoyable result, however, now we have made friends, this pattern has become one of my go-tos for tangling. Grid patterns have never been my best thing, but I managed to make friends with Pickpocket and put my own spin on it. Now it’s become an instant favorite. I will never produce the perfect lines and spaces that Thomas is able to produce. He is an incredible artist and a skilled teacher. I’m learning that it’s not about a competition, it’s about the process and the sharing the joy in the creativity of art! I made a short video demonstrating the part I struggled with and how I made it work. Probably easy for most but I’ve learned if I struggled then someone else might have as well.

As I couldn’t stop drawing pickpocket, I have many tiles to share! Also, don’t miss the YouTube video featuring Tomàs’ art with a flavor of his taste in music. With music, we were muy simpático!

You can find Tomàs on Instagram @tomas_padros, where he shares his wonderful patterns with everyone!

You can join the Diva’s challenges by visiting her here at iamthedivaczt.com

Artist Focus: May Wu

Last week, I was browsing one of our wonderful Zentangle® Facebook groups, and I came across an amazing piece of art! As I’ve been waiting for some artists for the focus, I thought I’d check out her Facebook page and this is what I found!

 

Incredible! Right?! This week we have another artist from Taiwan, CZT22, May Wu! She is in the city of Kaohsiung, and with respect to her, I’ll post the Mandarin first and then the English. I am thrilled to feature her here on The Tireless Tangler, and although this post is shorter than most, May is preparing to publish a book with her art included and we didn’t want to give away too much of her work! I’ll be excited to see it when it’s published as her art is stunning and I would love to learn her methodology!

Here is May in her own words. 

有一天在書局閑逛的時候發現一個非常吸引人的圖片，當時正在尋找靈感為下一個珠寶設計圖而煩惱，圖片的內容不太符合邏輯但卻又獨特美麗，看似複雜卻也似乎不難，於是好奇的打開書本，這就是我第一次接觸到禪繞畫（zentangle)

身為一個珠寶鑒定師及設計者，對於真品或仿品，甚至於寶石尺寸的測量都必須小心且精確，也就是說畫設計圖是有壓力的。我必須說禪繞畫跟我的職業的思維完全是相反的，它不需工具，沒有對錯，沒有目的性，唯一相同的是專注於當下，當然對於沒有繪畫技巧的人都可以創作出一幅美麗優雅又獨特的畫這件事又更令我驚訝了！

2016年4月，我前往波士頓探訪親人，也在Providence 完成了一趟禪繞畫認證之旅，我親自探索了這個令人好奇又不可思議的繪畫世界，之後我成為了第22期的認證敎師（CZT22)，Rick及Maria是我的啓蒙老師.

現在我仍然從事於寶石的鑑定及設計的工作，但我對於能敎授大眾以簡單及放鬆的方式就能享受畫畫樂趣這件事讓我更有成就感。

我以寶石結合禪繞畫的ZIA創作方式，似乎受到了很多禪繞畫認證老師CZT及學生的歡迎，我也樂於把繪畫寶石的技巧敎授給他們，當大家完成一張閃熠寶石光芒的禪繞畫時，大家的臉龐也充滿了喜悅及滿足的光芒，這是一種美，襌繞畫讓大家享受了繪畫的樂趣，我也因敎授襌繞畫的關係把這些我喜歡的漂亮寶石介紹給大家。

每個人都有創造美的能力，禪繞畫誏我及學生們為這世界創造更多的美. 

你們可以在FB打上 fb.me/maywuzentangle 或是Instagram 打上  @maywuzentangle  找到我 

May Wu

Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

 

“May Wu ( Kaohsiung, Taiwan)

It was purely by coincidence that I discovered Zentangle. As a career jewelry designer, I was looking for inspirations in a bookstore when a book on Zentangle drew my attention; Simple yet elegant, illogical but beautiful, the illustrations opened a new world for me. I have never looked back since.

As a professional Jewelry Appraiser and Designer, I am always looking to be precise and accurate. The freedom that Zentangle gives me is liberating. I love how easy it is to express yourself through the art form and how accessible this art is to the masses. As long as one is focused on the moment, anyone can create a masterpiece.

Three years after the fateful discovery, I was certified in April 2016 in Providence, Rhode Island during CZT22. My passion has taken me across the oceans and I am forever appreciative of Rick and Maria for showing me the way.

Now, even though I am still a Jewelry Designer/Appraiser, I have found joy in introducing Zentangle to the public, and I teach and share my joy in my corner of the world, in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.

I tend to bring my knowledge from Jewelry design into my artwork, and I apply the Zentangle method in ZIA along with the unique way I draw my gems. It is a style that defines me, and I really love to explore what I can create. The style reflects who I am and my professional training.

Everyone can create art, and Zentangle gives me a tool to do that together with my students. It is gratifying to see people brimming with joy and satisfaction from what they have created. I hope to bring more beauty into the world we live in, one Zentangle at a time.

You can find me on [ @maywuzentangle ] or [ fb.me/maywuzentangle]. I am working on a book which will detail my methodology and feature some of my best works, so stay tuned!”

 

 

 

 

There are several more focus posts coming up and they are all so awesome I can’t believe I get to write about them! Make sure you check back often or follow me here and subscribe to my newsletter. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Links are in the sidebar or at the bottom of this post on your mobile device!

Artist Focus: Anica of Zen Linea

Hello and welcome to The Tireless Tangler!  It’s been awhile since I posted here and a lot of changes are in the works! One thing that hasn’t changed and won’t change is the Artist Focus posts highlighting these incredible artists and the personalities behind the art. I’ll be honest and say that I sometimes am stunned and amazed at who these artists are and how they arrived on my radar! I’ve been admiring the artist this week for quite some time. Her lovely style and composition always combine to create something incredibly beautiful! As I prepared this focus, I was almost speechless at the wonderful person behind the art. This week’s artist in focus is the talented Anica of Zen Linea! Many of you will recognize her art from Facebook and Instagram. I will let you see for yourself what she has to say. Let me introduce you to Anica aka (also known as) Zen Linea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hi, my name is Anica and I’m very happy to be the featured artist on thetirelesstangler.com.

 

 

 

 

 

I am a 42 year old living in Croatia. If you asked at least 90% of my friends and acquaintances to describe me, they would tell you that I’m a wife and a mother to a teenage girl, that we own a beloved Maltese dog. They would also know that I’ve been working in the financial industry for 15 years, taking the CFO roles for the past 12. My husband’s and my love for music and traveling has brought us to many cities, countries and a few continents, seeing dozens of concerts of our favorite rock bands and getting to know fellow concert goers with which we share our passion. 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there is also that precious area of my life that I tend not to disclose to everybody. My nearest friends know just how passionate I am about arts and crafts, as well as those fellow artists that know me from some craft forums, closed Facebook groups or other social network outlets.

 

 

 

 

 

As a kid I loved to draw but my professional life took me into other directions so I doodled on every little paper at hand, while keeping my nose stuck mostly in spreadsheets or specific software I used for work. After I gave birth to my daughter, who will soon turn 16, I got the sudden urge to make something with my hands. I purchased some beads and wires and made a set of Christmas ornaments that I use to this day. Later I decided to develop the wire working skills and started making jewelry. I connected to a group of Croatian crafters through an internet forum and spent hours making intricate jewelry pieces. At that time I stumbled upon Eni Oken’s web page and invested in her stunning tutorials. After I decided that it is a shame to waste so much time on craft materials, I started purchasing silver supplies and gemstones and finally decided to take a formal class so I now own a title of a Contemporary Jewelry Designer that accompany my Master of Economics title. I was smitten with jewelry making for a few years, but my daily job started to occupy me more and more, which led to less and less jewelry making.

 

 

 

 

Fast forward a couple of years and two years ago I came across Eni Oken again, only this time it was to find out that she switched from silver and pliers to pens and pencils!!! You can imagine my excitement when I found out that there is this structured doodle art form called Zentangle! I was immediately hooked, started an online search and tried to get my hands on as many books and art supplies as possible. I discovered many talented and supporting artists which inspire me on daily basis. So here I am today, with an album full of drawings, drawers full of supplies and a brain full of ideas.

 

 

 

I started from the old-school white tiles with black pen for line drawing and graphite pencil for shading. Then I discovered tan and grey tiles and fell in love with the use of white pens and pencils. Getting good quality art supplies can be a challenge in Croatia so on a trip to the US I purchased a big set of Prismacolor pencils. They sat on the shelf and challenged me to try them out for some time, before I finally grabbed them and fell in love with using them for coloring and shading tiles. It is so important to be curious and fearlessly try different directions. I find that my interest in art making is helping me face challenging life decision that not only affect my hobbies. I’ll try to explain why that is so and what Zentangle means to me.

 

 

 

 

 

There are many things that I love about Zentangle. Not being a patient artist who works on the same piece for days, weeks or months, I appreciate the small format with a standard 9×9 cm tile size. It is so comforting for me to see a small blank paper tile, as opposed to a big white canvas. You can have only a few fairly cheap supplies, carry them in a purse and draw almost everywhere. You can pick and choose among working on an intricate piece or a simple drawing that can end up being as impressive, or even more so. And even if you opt for a complex piece, you can finish it at one take, right after getting back from work. I tried meditation as a means to relax and recharge but I find my mind wandering and obstructing the process. With Zentangle I suddenly find myself breathing calmly, focusing on one line at a time and everything seems to be so peaceful and simple, just as life should be. My alias that I use on social media sites is Zen Linea (linea is a Latin word for a line) and I believe that those two words are the nucleus of Zentangle art form. There is a lot to learn from mindfulness practices, and Zentangle is a perfect choice for those who tend to express themselves through art. There are many who believe that they can’t draw even a straight line and change their mind while using Zentangle method, getting self-assured and taking back the power, not only to tackle paper and pen, but also other life challenges. That is the power which Zentangle represents to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My goal is to keep exploring, try new techniques and art forms and never stop being a curious child with a passion for making things. There is nothing more rewarding than taking something raw and simple, being that a pen and a paper, a piece of wire, an acrylic paint tube, some modeling clay, a piece of fabric or a wire, and turning it into something new, giving it a new life. That’s what everything is about and I’m confident that it pays off to pursue this passion and share it with others. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have an Instagram account (instagram.com/zen.linea) and a Facebook page (facebook.com/zen.linea) so you can check and see what I’m up to. I am not a traditional artist by profession but I’ll be delighted if my work sparks someone’s inspiration for creating. I am so grateful to many great artists I stumbled upon through all the past years that led me to what I am and what I’m yet to become.”

 

 

 

 

Anica is so wise in so many ways! It has been a real honor and privilege to get to know her better! I’m a real fan of her art and I encourage you all to follow her social media!  It’s always a wonderful surprise to see her newest posts! I also invite you to see my first video featuring Anica’s art on YouTube! This is where I beg you to like and subscribe to my channel! Anica’s art is so awesome with music! https://youtu.be/J-K6Tfdi5l4

 

I have so many new artists to share and you will love them all! As always, dont forget to leave a comment or like! That’s how I know I’m doing the right things, or complaints are also a chance for improvement! See you soon for the next Artist Focus!

Artist Focus: Liz Brott

Happy Halloween! I’m so glad to finally bring you a new artist focus and this week I have something really special to share. You will have to read on to see what I mean! These artist focus articles have become my favorite part of blogging. To discover such richness of art and especially a bit of the person, is a true gift and blessing. Each time I learn something new and interesting about someone, it’s a new insight into what brings art and artist into singular focus. Merging the amazing art and incredible stories is a wonderful experience and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share with each of you!

This week is no different, as our artist in focus is an incredibly talented woman! This is Liz Brott, mom, professional architect, wonderful artist and incredible person! I met Liz in Eni Oken’s Art Club where we share a love of Eni’s art and teaching methods. Our current lesson is on fractalized tangles and I can imagine it is just perfect for Liz. If you are looking for an art exploration to enhance your drawing, you can join Art Club here!

 

  

“I am an architect, musician (flute and piano), and single mother of a wonderfully challenging 14 year old daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been drawing all my life and have a passionate interest in art and science. Architecture became a natural path to follow as it falls at the intersection of the two. I specialize in healthcare architecture, designing hospitals and medical office buildings with the goal of creating healing environments for patients and healthy buildings for the families and staff who take care of them. I’ve traveled all over the world and always bring my sketch book. Little did I know that my favorite sketch pens, Microns, would become my go to pens for tangling!

 

 

 

 

 

 One of my friends and hairdresser, Romi Marks, is an artist and CZT, and introduced me to Zentangle over the past year. You can find out more about her at tangledyogi.com. The timing was perfect as I had been dealing with a lot of stress in my personal life in addition to chronic pain and needed a creative distraction. I started slowly by buying the Yoga for the Brain card deck. That’s it, I didn’t know anything more about Zentangle. I flipped through the card deck over the weekend, but didn’t know how to use it, what pens to use or even the term “tile”! It wasn’t until I took my first class from Romi, a Zendala class, that I learned there was a method behind the patterns. My Instagram name, TangledRebel refers to the fact that when I started posting some of my tiles to the Facebook tangling sites, I received messages that I wasn’t following the rules. I didn’t know there were rules! I must admit to being confused and frustrated at first because I didn’t understand why there would be rules around art. However, I’ve since learned the guidelines for each site and respect each facilitator’s desire to define the types of tangling they wish to feature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As an architect, I am most comfortable with the basics of ink and graphite. Romi introduced me to COLOR. I put that in bold, because Romi really pushed me into the deep end of the pool kicking and screaming, initially. And, with her encouragement and support as well as a reminder that there are no mistakes, only opportunities. Moreover, I think the best thing she ever told me was to “be curious” and that was all it took to launch me into the world of color. I now own probably 10 different brands and types of colored pencils from chalk pastels to watercolors. I’ve taken classes in all types of tangling including black and tan tiles. Romi also teaches “found poetry” by tangling in books. This made me curious about tangling over mathematical equations and formulae. I basically explore putting patterns on everything, e.g. my bull kelp obsession. I also have fun by pushing the boundaries of tangling by seeing how I can still follow the rules, but create a piece that is really on the fringe, e.g. my creepy “FLUX” or rotating Aquafleur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When exploring all the Square One sites on Facebook, I discovered Eni Oken’s and really was intrigued by her work and her way of taking the two-dimensional patterns and making them into seemingly three dimensional art. Since Eni was also trained as an architect, I really appreciate her approach to Zentangle, her rigorous explorations and complex compositions.

 

 

 

 

Now, back to the card deck. Since I now bring a little tangling kit with me wherever I go, I usually use the Tangle Patterns app on my phone. However, when my daughter needed an MRI (3 hours long!) I wanted to draw in the magnet room. Since I couldn’t bring my phone inside the magnetic field, my card deck came in handy as they are non-ferrous. 😉

I try to draw every night. Inktober added the additional challenge of doing a tile every day. You can see my Inktober work on Instagram at Tangledrebel.”

I’m a huge fan of Liz’s now. She won me over when she chose one of my favorite classical pieces to match her ad. Rachmaninoff, Prelude Opus 3, no. 2, in c# minor.  Check it out on my Facebook page and Instagram.  

Next week, I have another focus you will all appreciate! But you’ll have to check back and see who’s next! Thank you Liz for opening your life and art up and sharing it with the world!

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Artist Focus: Tracy Lucero, CZT

This week’s artist focus features CZT, Tracy Lucero. She’s a bit of a mystery and  tends to stay in the background! But when she does post, WOW! It’s something spectacular! I had no idea she was a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT)! I first became aware of Tracy’s art in Eni Oken’s Art Club. Tracy’s art had a polish to it that you don’t usually see in beginners like myself. I began to watch for her posts. When she joined the Facebook group Tangle It! Pattern Club, I started planning this article! I love merging the art with the artist!

 

Here is what Tracy shared about her art, life and the Zentangle ® Method.

“Hi everyone!  I’m Tracy Lucero and I live in Overland Park Kansas, USA. I have a wonderful husband, 3 boys, a lovely daughter-in-law, 2 Great Danes and a cat.  I’ve been interested in art for as long as I can remember.  Drawing, painting, crocheting, mosaic, etc.  The list is long and I love trying new things.  Probably the one thing I’ve always done though, is doodling.  Drawing on pretty much anything I could get my hands on – even things I shouldn’t be drawing on.  🙂  

I don’t quite remember how, but I found a book online called, “One Zentangle A Day” by Beckah Krahula, CZT.  The introductory pages talked about the creators Rick and Maria, the history of Zentangle and most importantly, the  Zen that comes from tangling.  I was hooked.  I worked on the lessons each day until I finished the book.  It was so much fun and I loved the “structure” of learning each tangle and creating little pieces of art combining different tangles together.   I joined the Zentangle blog and when the Seminar dates were announced in 2016 to become a CZT,  I knew I had to go.  I have an extremely stressful job, so when I got done with Seminar, I couldn’t believe something in this world could be so uplifting and people could be so kind.  I hadn’t felt that happy and at peace in a long time I realized.  It was quite literally, one of the best experiences of my life.   The positive, creative energy from CZT Seminar #23 was so wonderful.  I’m pretty sure I drove my husband crazy when I got home and went on and on about it.     

One of my favorite things about Zentangle isn’t just the art, it’s the sense of community, love, friendship, and positive support from people I don’t even know.  It doesn’t matter if you’re from Kansas City, Canada, Switzerland or anywhere across the globe, everyone is just there to be encouraging and helpful.  I went to ZenAgain in Nov 2016 and it too, was such a great experience.  I joined Eni Oken’s Art Club this year and I find I really enjoy the structure of learning a specific lesson and working on that challenge until the next one comes out.  The positive feedback and “caring critiques” have really helped me to grow as an artist. Seeing all the stunning artwork posted is so much fun.  It’s not always easy to post my artwork online, but it’s getting easier and more fun as I become more confident in my ability.   I look forward to more learning, meeting new people and growing as an artist.”

Tracy is another member of this great, compassionate community, that continues to awe me with it’s creativity and warmth for others. If you would like to follow Tracy’s Facebook page, you can find her here! There are many, many stories like Tracy’s, and each one is full of encouragement and hope! Take a moment and visit Zentangle.com. Find out for yourself why this Method has changed so many lives!

Amanda Rose Rambo: Faceted Gem Masterclass

Faceted gem done in watercolor by Amanda Rose Rambo

This week I am honored to focus again on the Gem Queen, and my friend, Amanda Rose Rambo! This artist never stops producing quality products for teaching gem art. The above gem was done with watercolor! It’s one of the loveliest gem renderings I’ve seen done free hand.

In the artist focus I did on her a few months ago, I learned she had a Facebook group dedicated to those passionate about gem drawing. I immediately joined because well, her art is amazing. She frequently adds video tutorials and exclusive content just for her “Gem Ho’s”, and I am happy to be one. Amanda’s new Gem Coloring Book is getting ready for publication, and we’re currently having an exclusive coloring contest, the winner of which will have their art published on the cover, runner-up may be featured on the back cover. I’m totally focusing on gems for the next week!

In this post, I wanted to highlight her Faceted Gems, Master Class. It’s on etsy.com here. Amanda graciously allowed me participate in the master class and it is terrific! Below, find the art, both before the class and after, of several of Amanda’s “gem ho’s”, including myself!

Amanda’s Faceted Gems Master Class is a 3 part series of videos accompanied by a short ebook that includes links to the videos and material lists, as well as some really great coloring pages for practice. Amanda takes you through 3 different gems types using her technique for faceted gems.

I found the first video the most important as to the techniques used. I’ll admit, my first try was disappointing but, practice makes everything better and after the 3rd try they started to improve. The 2nd and 3rd parts talk about shading and highlighting incorporating different shapes, colors and facet configurations. These are my weakest areas for sure and I feel it’s intimidating to most people. Amanda and I have agreed to disagree about which pencils rule! I am a Prismacolor Premier Soft-core pencil lover (but I own both) and she swears by Faber-Castell’s Polychromos oil-based colored pencils. Amanda recently borrowed a full set of Prismacolors and used them exclusively for a month, so i can’t truly complain about her preference. For me, my Prismacolors are soft and smooth on like silk. Using odorless mineral spirits helps to dissolve the binding agents (here it would be wax or oil) and unlock the pigments on both but the Prismacolors seem much richer pigmented to me. This is an ongoing disagreement among colored pencil artists and one that wont be solved today! Here’s an example of both pencils in similar colors blended with odorless mineral spirits.

 

Here is my practice page for the gems covered in class. By the time I did the last green, I felt I was getting the hang of it. It’s not very good but given it’s copy paper (the cheap kind) which limits the amount of layering it would accept from the pencils, maybe you can understand.

Once I finished the videos and practice sheet I was ready for something more challenging.  Here’s my work in progress on one of the contest pages.  There is a huge difference in my confidence and understanding of how faceted gems are drawn. They attracted me but intimidated as well. I have put off learning this for some time and now wish I’d done it much sooner! Of course, now I want to learn the watercolor gem at the top!

I love Amanda’s tutorials because her presence is so relaxed it reminds me to have fun and take my time. I’m pretty pleased with this one, though the white lines are a true challenge for my shaky hands.

This next art is by colorist Sonya Griffin, also in Amanda’s Facebook group.

 

 

 

 

 

This last one will be stunning when finished! I love the ice blue gem!

Next is colorist Kim Henderson. She is really good at these!

Lastly, we have colorist Mara Lula, who definitely has a talent for these gems!

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all the artists in the Gem Ho’s Facebook group who allowed me to share their art with you!  Amanda’s Faceted Gems Master Class is a perfect course for the gem enthusiast!

Being in Amanda’s Facebook group is a great way to get advice, see exclusive content and videos and even receive discounts on her merchandise. I was also was given a sneak peek at some of the coloring pages from Amanda Rose Rambo’s newest book, Color a Creation, Gemstones Volume 5 being released soon at Amazon.com. These pages have an elegant look and lots of creative room to explore.

Here is a preview of some of the pages.

 

You can find Amanda Rose Rambo on facebook at facebook.com/vitruvianart

On Youtube at http://youtube.com/c/vitruvianart

On Etsy at etsy.com/shop/vitruvianart

Now newly on Patreon/vitruvianart

And on Instagram @vitruvianart

 

Dont forget to come back to see the contest entries! 

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Artist Focus: Debra Huff

 

 

Welcome to thetirelesstangler.com! Home to some of the greatest abstract art you’ll see anywhere! (Oh and some of my art too! 😀) This week’s artist does not disapoint with her incredibly beautiful work! I think besides her art, what I love about Debra is that she struggles with the same insecurity as I about displaying her art. Once you’ve seen it, you will be amazed at this but it’s how most of us feel. Now imagine this blogger is bugging you for art and a bio and you’re really stressed! Thank you Debra, for sharing your beautiful art and story with us all. You inspire me. 

 

I’ve been a fan of Debra’s art for some time. She seems to hide in the background but when she posts, its always stunning. She has an innate ability that brings out the grace in patterns and finds organic ways to combine them that is, well, inspiring.

 

 

Debra Huff

 Here’s what Debra shared about herself, her art and the Zentangle ® Method.

“Hi, my name is Debra Huff. I can overcome my fear and call myself an artist. 

I stumbled on Zentangle about two years ago. I have an auto-immune disease that affects my lungs, heart and other systems. I had a sudden decline with my heart and felt a driving need to find something new I could learn and grow with as well as reduce stress while living with very limited activity. 

 

I came across an article in Psychology Today about meditative drawing called Zentangle. I googled the word and saw images that reminded me of childhood squiggle drawings that I would fill in with shapes and patterns. I read everything I could find online about Zentangle, bought a multi media journal and began drawing. 

 

I found Zentangle Facebook groups and challenges. I lurked trying the challenges and filling pages. It took a lot of courage for the first posting, but there was such a positive response I continued. 

 

 

The lessons, feedback and suggestions on Eni Oken’s Shading group spurred my growth and ignited my passion to learn more and more. 

 

 

 

The community/world connection was started with Stephanie Jennifer‘s Traveling Tangle Project. I couldn’t get enough of holding this beautiful start from someone halfway across the world, that was made just for me. 

 

Each group I am part of holds that special community. There is compassion, connection and love that fosters hope in the craziness of today’s world through the Zentangle meditative art.”

 

 

 

 

 

You can find and follow Debra on her Facebook page here.

 

I chose Debra this week for a couple of reasons. First, of course, her artwork is incredible. To know she’s been drawing for just 2 years means there may still be hope for myself and others who struggle with calling ourselves artists. The second reason is that she mirrors the struggle that I, and so many other new artists, have in trying to appreciate and share their own art and ideas. She is as supportive and compassionate to others as they are to her. After all, we all share this journey. Some are more successful than others, that’s true, but the real lessons and values found in the Zentangle® Method aren’t really about art at all. They’re different for each person, as we each gain something intensely personal from Zentangle®. As different as we all are, this shared journey is cherished by all of us. It’s what makes this community so special.

A few of the Zentangle groups Debra and I share are:

Eni Oken’s Art Club on Facebook (Art Club members) (enioken.com)

Tangle it! Pattern Club, Pattern-collections.com on Facebook 

Shading Zentangle and Beyond (Eni Oken) (those who follow Eni’s ebooks and lessons) enioken.com

Square One:  Purely Zentangle 

Zen and Zin Facebook group (DrShazia Azmi)

The Traveling Tangles Project (Stephanie Jennifer)

 

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Artist Focus: Ching Weng

我備感榮幸可以為這位禪繞畫認證教師同時也是藝術家的Ching Weng(白雪老師)寫一個專題。她來自台灣，我覺得在不同語言中要一起努力合作是很有趣也富挑戰性的。我們都是用Google翻譯來溝通，雖然常常翻譯不精準，我們還是試圖用這個方法一起合作完成這篇文章。
以下是這位亞裔藝術家Ching Weng(白雪)用她的語言-中文，翻譯給使用中文的人們閱讀的，包含他的家人、朋友與粉絲們。在中文文章的下方，是我用英文撰寫的文章給所有Ching Weng(白雪)在英語世界的粉絲與朋友們閱讀。(希望也有一點我的粉絲)
我當一位翻譯者已經許多年。當然，其中不包括中文 ! 對我來說能夠用這種方式跨越文化跟語言的隔閡真的十分有趣。
這裡有翻譯的按鈕可以給讀者直接點擊，但是基於我想要能妥當的傳達在這次合作中的文化多元性，我希望讓白雪老師親自用他的母語來撰寫翻譯中文版本。再者，儘管距離很遠，但是在心靈上和冥想作畫以及畫禪繞圖樣的方式也會是大家所能共享的一個經驗。也許這些文化與地區的不同就是所有禪繞畫愛好者最大的共通點。

I am incredibly honored to focus this week on Certified Zentangle Teacher, and artist Ching Weng (Snow).  She is in Taiwan and it has been especially fun and challenging working between languages! We are using Google Translate to communicate and while it isn’t perfect, we’ve still managed to come up with a post by working together. Below is Asian Artist Ching Weng(snow)’s translation in her language for her friends, family and fans! Following the Chinese post, is my English translation for her English speaking friends and fans (and hopefully a few of mine)! I’ve been a translator/interpreter for many years! Not in Chinese of course! This is so fun for me to cross language and cultural borders in this way! I have a translation button here for people to use but I felt to adequately convey the vast cultural diversity in this case, I wanted Ching Weng to have the chance to have this in her language first! More telling, perhaps, than the differences are the similarities between tanglers, despite the vast distances, in spirit as well as in the shared experience of meditative drawing and the Zentangle ® Method.

CZT, Ching Weng in Taiwan

白雪的禪繞寶石作品是我看到過最可愛的寶石設置！她精確的線條和細膩的優雅帶給了大家一場視覺盛宴！她是一個不可思議的藝術家，我愛她表達的言語和想法。這是藝術家和禪繞認證教師 Ching Weng(白雪)談到禪繞畫，藝術和她的生活！

These are some of the loveliest gem settings I’ve seen drawn! Her precise lines and delicate, graceful figures attract the eye to a visual feast! She is an incredible artist and I love how expressive are her words and thoughts. Here’s what artist Ching Weng (Snow) says about Zentangle, art, and her life!

我非常高興和榮幸能成為你藝術家專輯的焦點人物。

我一年前開始學習禪繞畫，禪繞畫改變了我的思想和生活，也使我更有自信，我在去年年底成為禪繞認證教師（CZT Asia＃1），現在致力於禪繞畫延伸藝術（ZIA )的創作與教學，特別是畫禪繞寶石，這是我想專研的藝術領域，希望你們能喜歡我的作品。

“I am very happy and honored to be your artist focus.

I started learning Zentangle over a year ago. Zentangle painted my mind and life, and made me more confident. At the end of last year, I became a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT Asia #1). I am now committed to creating Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA) and teaching. I especially like creating Zengems, which is the art field I want to study. I hope that you will like my work.

嗨！我是Ching Weng(白雪),住在台灣，是一位高中老師和禪繞認證教師(CZT),熱愛文學與藝術，從小就很喜歡塗鴉，但是從來沒有接受過美術的訓練，後來因為升學考試的壓力，讓我放下了畫筆，也停止了藝術創作，甚至遺忘了畫畫時的平靜與美好。

I am living in Taiwan, and I am a high school teacher and a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT). I love literature and art. In childhood I liked free hand drawing but never received formal art training. Because of the pressure of an entrance exam, I put down the pens and pencils, but also stopped creating art completely, even forgetting that art can be calming and beautiful.

直到2016年的5月，我任教的學校舉辦了一場Zentangle初階研習,當時的我對Zentangle 不了解也沒有興趣，但是因為我14歲的女兒想參加這個研習，我就陪她一起上課了，經過了四個小時，我對Zentangle深深著迷，愛上了畫畫時專注而放鬆的感覺。之後我每天都會抽空畫畫，我的女兒也不斷給予我鼓勵，還建議我設立FB的粉絲專頁，讓我透過分享作品而得到更多成就感和創作的動力。

In May 2016, I taught at a school that held a beginning Zentangle class. At that time, I did not understand Zentangle and was not interested, but because my 14-year-old daughter wanted to participate in this course, I accompanied her to the class. After four hours, I was deeply fascinated by Zentangle, and fell in love with drawing and focusing on the feeling of relaxation. After that, I took the time to draw every day. My daughter also continued to encourage me, but suggested that I set up a Facebook fan page that lets me share my work and gives me more of a sense of accomplishment and motivation.

 

      從此我的創作能量又被重新啟動，並源源不絕，因為創作和分享讓我變得更有自信，生活也更豐富充實。

Since then my creative energy has been restored, and is endless. Creating and sharing my art allows me to be more confident, as well as enriching my life.

Shih Misha是我在禪繞延伸藝術(ZIA)上的啟蒙老師，她的作品和為人都很有個人風格，她曾經跟我說：「如果你想成為一位傑出的禪繞藝術家，就要保有自己的風格和特色，不要盲從，也不要隨波逐流。」這番話對我影響很深，也讓我更清楚自己的路要怎麼去走。

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1645269925730856

And instgram: shihmisha

CZT, Shih Misha is the teacher who inspired me to start creating Zentangle Inspired Art. She focuses on ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Art) creation as well. Her art and demeanor have a bold personal style.  She told me, “If you want to be an outstanding artist, focus on your own style and characteristics, do not follow blindly like sheep, do not follow the crowd.” These words affected me deeply, let me know how to go my own way.

在我的創作歷程中，我最喜歡畫禪陀羅(Zendala)和禪繞寶石(Zengem)。我喜歡禪陀羅的均衡美，而寶石和禪繞圖樣結合之後，會顯得更有生命力，因此我的作品中，大部分都會出現寶石。許多人稱讚我的寶石畫得很逼真，其實這是不斷練習而成的，我至今已經畫了超過300顆寶石，只要你有熱情並且能堅持下去，一定能畫得跟我一樣好，甚至更好。 

In my art career, I like Zendalas and Zengems. I am obsessed with the balanced beauty of the zendala. After combining Zendalas and Zengems, the combination is even more beautiful. So in most of my work, gems will appear. Many people have praised my gems as being very vivid. In fact, this is from constantly practicing. I have already painted more than 300 gems! As long as you have the enthusiasm and can stick to it, you will be able to draw as well as me, and maybe even better! It is good.

不為自己設限，就能創造無限的可能，將心動化為行動，就能看到人生的另一片風景。

Without placing restrictions upon yourself, you have the potential to do anything. Actions speak louder than words, and if you put what’s in your mind into practice, you can know this world from a totally different perspective.

感謝Cyndee Pelley的賞識，讓我可以在這裡和大家分享我的故事，如果你們喜歡我的作品，歡迎到我的粉專和IG看看。 ”

Thanks to Cyndee Pelley’s appreciation so that I can share my story here with you. If you like my work, you’re welcome to visit my Facebook and Instagram to see.”

Facebook Fan Page: https://m.facebook.com/Snow.creationpack/

or my Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/zendala.snow/

Author’s Note:

Author: Ching Weng (Snow)

Author : Cyndee Pelley (Thetirelesstangler.com)

Translator extraordinaire: Simon Hsieh

這個專題是從一篇小文章開始的。我原本完全沒料想到要完成這項任務是那麼的艱鉅且耗時，然而Google翻譯軟體於中文翻譯上的謬誤與文意不通使我們的合作更加困難。不過我有幸得到Ching Weng(白雪)的兒子的貼心相助，協助我們在語言的溝通上更為順暢，這意味著我們可以對文章加上一些細微的修改而讓文意更通順、也更貼近中文表達的美感。

This article began as a simple profile. I had NO idea how difficult and time consuming it would be. Google translation and the Chinese language do not work well together! I was very lucky to have Ching Weng (Snow)’s son, Simon Hsieh, volunteer to help with the translation. This meant that we could add subtle nuances and stay closer to the beauty and meaning of the Chinese language and culture.

Thank you to Ching Weng and her son Simon Hsieh for making this a wonderful project!

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Artist Focus: Carlos Cano

Welcome back to thetirelesstangler.com! This week I’m bringing another incredibly talented artist, Carlos Cano, from Spain! I’ve had plans to feature Carlos for weeks and I’m so glad I can now showcase his amazing art! Carlos’ story is a fascinating tale of artistic progression. Personally, I am a big fan of the first picture below! Let’s get to know Carlos Cano!

“Hi, I’m Carlos Cano, and  live in Madrid, Spain. Since I was young I liked art in general, and drawing in particular. My initial attempts were drawings with ballpoint pen, first only in black and white, and little by little I introduced some color. I have to say that I have always been a simple amateur, I have never received any kind of art (except zentangle, I will get to that). My drawings were always abstract, in somewhat twisted ways, so much so that some friend always said that what I drew was “guts.” Sometimes I relied on something from my surroundings, but I always experimented with it: I was looking for shapes to attract me.
One of the things I always tried to achieve was color gradients, which took me for hours with the ballpoint pen. I also started to test gradients with stippling, but with this technique I did less drawings
I have always enjoyed experimenting with shapes and techniques, and always tried to go to all the art exhibitions that I have been able to. After each exhibition, when I got home, I came back loaded with inspiration, and I turned in blocks of drawing trying to do something similar to what I had seen (which I never got, but that really amused me).

 

Let me show you some of my old drawings, with ball point pens, and one stippled: 

This is an amazing example of stipple (using tiny dots to shade or make pictures). I’ve done these and they are incredibly time consuming but the effect is very cool!

 

 

In 1988 I left up drawing and began to try many other unfinished activities (including learning Japanese, or play rock guitar)

Three years ago, I took again a pen thinking on try some idea. In this case I used fountain pens, also drawing with dots. I did four drawings. The next is the one I prefer:

 

 

But it’s not good idea stippling with fountain pens: the ink always dries, and it changes color. And the nibs, well, they oxidize and also change the ink color.

Then, I discovered zentangle, and before I learned the technique, I made the next attempt, also with stippling and fountain pens:

 

This astounded me! All small dots! I can’t imagine the time this took! Stunning!  

 

Since 2005 I have been attending Zentangle classes with María Pérez-Tovar, and I have always tried to experiment with the different tangles, modifying them and trying different ways to use them. For example, these are some personal versions of three tangles. Tri-Bee, Inapod, Niuroda: 

 

 

I’ve used also some sense of humor in my drawings (the first is a version of the tangle Drawings, the second was for Halloween) :

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I’ve mixed different media in a drawing, as in this hand I’ve used micron, alcohol markers, color pencils and stippling:

 

 

Spend a minute looking at this. There is so much subtext and the attention to detail is to be appreciated! I think my favorite element is the single Printemps on the index finger. A perfect example of the line weighting we’ve been working on in in various groups! Perfection!

 

Recently I have recovered the desire to experiment with other techniques, and I have redrawn with colored ballpoint pens. This has been my first attempt for more than 30 years.

 

Ballpoint pens are what’s really amazing about this and all of them. With a pen like Pigma Micron or other technical pens there is a nib with ink flow like a felt tip pen. Stipple takes a light touch down for each dot. Ballpoint requires pressure with a circle movement each time. No big deal. Until you work on this scale. Incredible!

 

In this drawing I’ve used Copic markers as color background, and ballpoint pens:

 

 

 

 

One technique I discovered recently is that of shaving cream. With it you get backgrounds of random colors very interesting. I use it with liquid watercolor, although you can also use food coloring, even acrylic paint. My way of drawing on these backgrounds is not very orthodox: I try to draw shapes following the colors of the background and then modifying and adding figures as they occur to me. I must say that my way of drawing is formed by 90% of improvisation, and some previous idea that I quickly modify as I discover possibilities in what is coming out.

The following sequence shows more or less of what I’m talking about:

 

 

 

The next example correspond to a version of StaubKorn’s Pico:

 

With patience and imagination, you can transform any background in what you want. For example, I transformed a partial blue tile in a “tree of life”:

I’m still in awe of Carlos’ techniques both old and new! I’m going to try the shaving cream trick for sure! I’m so excited and blessed to have the opportunity to get to know these artists from across the world! You are a fascinating bunch and I cant wait to show you who is next!

 

 

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