Thank you dear ZT friends

Sometimes you just don't have the energy to do anything besides your job, being there for your kids and doing the household. And then all of a sudden you get the urge of expressing yourself by creating something. The energy you seemed to have lost comes back during this creative process. 
Zentangle has always been a very dear friend to me, especially in times when things got rough. You just draw these wonderful repetitive patterns and your mind gets in a calm and meditative state. We are programmed to always strive for results, but with Zentangle it's all about "one stroke at a time" and your state of mind while doing this. 
The Zentangle community is a "family" like I've never met before online. Helpful, open-minded, respectful, supportive....only positive features describe the members of this wonderful Zentangle group.

Thank you all for your support and positive feedback.

Claudia

Do you remember me?

You'll probably think: "Who is this? I don't know this Claudia person in Zentangle land."
No wonder, since my last post here dates from more than 2 years ago.
This doesn't mean I haven't tangled since 2013, but just not that much as I used to do.

So I think it's time to show you some of my latest "work".
I hope you'll like them.
(Maybe some of you will recognize these from my Facebook page)

I am the diva Challenge no. 103

It's been quite some time since I posted something here.
The past 18 months have been hard and emotional, moving to another house together with my daughter and finally the divorce.
I did try tangling but I wasn't satisfied with any of them. Totally forgetting that Zentangle isn't about creating something beautifull or perfect, but all about finding yourself and that "one stroke at a time" is like real life.

Challenge #103 of the Diva:
"And now on to the actual challenge. To raise awareness for this disorder, use the Moebius Syndrome Foundation's logo as your string, or create a moebius strip out of paper and tangle that... or some other awesome creative thing that i haven't thought of."

And this is my entry:

 

I must be honest.... I printed and then traced the MSF logo.

 



Aboriginal "Dutch" dot painting "Dutch Glory"

Another experiment with Aboriginal dot painting...in Dutch style, named "Dutch Glory".

I used some cheap paintbrushes, which I saw in two pieces for the 'dotting'.

This is so much fun....!!!!!!!!

Aboriginal dot painting

I doubted whether I'd publish this on my Zentangle blog or not...
Since the aboriginal dot paintings also have repetitive patterns like Zentangles I thought it was okay...

Just a while ago I saw the aboriginal dot painting "Dream Sisters" made by Colleen Wallace Nungari, while I was googling for some inspiration. 

I was captured by the "simple" beauty of this painting. And I'm always in for trying something new...that's why I wanted to give it a try.


This is the result:

I'm experimenting with acrylic paint at the moment and this was so much fun to do that I know for certain more paintings like this one will follow....

With thanks to Colleen Wallace Nungari!!!

I am the Diva - Challenge #32

The challenge on the I am the Diva blog is to use a 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 inch tile, if you still have any left...which I don't. So that's why I drew this one in my A5 notebook.

Use any string you like with these four tangles:
Pais (by Mikee Huber),
Zedbra (by Laura Harms and Margaret Bremner),
Keenees (by Donna Hornsby),
Baton (by Laura Harms).

This is my first Zentangle since last April...and it felt great, fabulous, liberating...etc. etc.

So here's my entry for challenge #32

Today (31st July) I  made another one with the same tangles.... just wanted to show you...

A total ZT's block... It feels like I've lost a very very dear friend

Something really strange happened to me after having attended an official Zentangle workshop last May. I experienced a total Zentangler's block!!!


I purchased the official Zentangle tiles and pencil and I managed to make some ZTs the following two days. And then...I got stuck...not a bit, but totally stuck!!!


My precious Zentangles which had accompanied me during a very hard and difficult period in my life didn't give (?) me the mental peace and calm anymore. 


And today it finally struck me.... I tried to tangle according the Official Zentangle way. Using official Zentangle tiles and draw without a pre-planned intention....


I confined myself too much to the meditative part of Zentangle and completely forgot the creative part I like so much. And that doesn't work for me at all.


I will show you my ZTs here and I think you'll notice the lack of enjoyment, inspiration.

It feels like I've lost a very very dear friend..

Sorry for not being around lately...

My very dear Zentangle Friends, sorry for not being around lately.
I've been busy with work, family, painting the house and some other projects.
Just a few weeks ago my dad fell with his bike and broke his hip.
So he got a new hip and was hospitalized for a week. Now he's rehabilitating at home.

Our house was in desperate need of some paint and as you all know probably, this takes more time than you estimate.

I also initiated a sort of campaign for the women's shelter in Dordrecht. Together with ten girls of my daughter's Child Care facility we painted 5 large canvases/canvasses (don't know the right word in plural for canvas..) to brighten up the rooms for the kids who are staying there.

Just wanted to let you know that I did not forget all of my dear Zentangle Friends, but there have been some other things in my life which had more priority.

Challenge #16 - Mooka

This week's challenge on I am the Diva blog of Laura Harms is to create a traditional Zentangle tile or ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Art) using the new official tangle: Mooka.

You can see directions on the official Zentangle blog or have a look at this You Tube video.

I think it's a great and gorgeous tangle.

Here's my (first) attempt for Mooka:

One thing's for sure I'm going to use this lovely tangle more often.



Laura Harms' Weekly Challenge # 15

Laura Harms' weekly challenge # 15: Love your curves, Baby  was to only use curved lines.

I thought this wouldn't be too difficult...but when "filling in" some patterns I used straight lines... Oops, I was just in time to change them into curved lines.

Here's my attempt:

I used "Tuffit" from the book Yoga for your Brain by Sandy Steen Bartholomew for the main focus point and "Tung" to wrap Tuffit in.

Like my Dress?

I just love the girls of Suzi Blu !

Totally inspired by her art I made the following ZIA.

Do you like her dress?

Let's make some beautiful ZTs to show the world that we care...

Morther Earth seems to be warning us... Are we exploiting the world's natural resources too much? Or is it "just" the way our planet earth works?

Nevertheless, what's happening to Japan, Chili, New Zealand, Australia, America etc etc is affecting "real" people. Families have lost their dear ones, their houses completely washed away, their belongings gone forever etc etc. How much more can they take? 

Let's make some heartwarming Zentangles just to show we care!!!!

 News from CNN Earthquake Japan

Check Maid ( my Zetti girl)

And now for something completely different... LOL

I also love Zetti Art or Zettiology (go and have a look at the Flickr's group).
So every now and then I'm experimenting with this. 

In Cloth Paper Scissors edition 2006 Violette presents some Art Journaling Techniques. That's where I saw a lovely Zetti-like face, which inspired me to draw the following face of my Check Maid.

I'm anxious to learn from you what you think about it...

Weekly Challenge # 12 - Blue

This week's challenge on Laura Harms' blog is to use the colour blue in your tile or Zentangle inspired piece.

I decided to let the color do it's work in my "ZT".

Blue is one of my favorite colors!!! For me it represents "space, freedom, tranquillity".

Weekly Challenge # 11

This is my attempt for the Weekly Challenge # 11 on Laura Harms' blog I am the Diva. The challenge is to create a Zentangle by using just one tanglepattern.

I don't know whether my pattern really has a name, but I use it quite often.
It's very dynamic and the way of how you shade it can also change it's feature (if that's the correct word for it....)

Since I am a huge fan of Ledenzer's way of coloring Zentangles I tried to color some of the tangle spaces like she does. Better try next time.....

Challenge # 10 - The Space Between

The weekly challenge on the I am the Diva blog is called "The Space Between" and it's about creating a tile or Zentangle inspired piece being aware of the space between the tangles, leaving some white space. 

Sometimes people do tend to forget that there are no patterns, figures, objects, words etc without space between them. This space defines the object... It's like the saying: ""There's no music without the pause between the music notes" (or something like this...;-)  )

I created a very simple Zentangle with some coloring to emphasize the effect of space between the patterns. Yes, I know it's not my most wonderful Zentangle, but it clearly states what "The Space Between" can mean for your drawing. Or even for your life.... We all need a pause, break, rest every now and then to become more aware of our surroundings and really learn to appreciate what's surrounding us. Don't you think so?

Wow, did I really learn something these past 45 years? LOL ;-)

Okay, here it comes:

A part of me is saying: "Do you really have to share this ZT with other people? It's not such a special or beautiful Zentangle..." But on the other hand, what's wrong with simplicity? Life is already as complicated as it is...

Theme 3 on Dutch Zentangles group: "Geluk" (Happiness or Luck)

The 3rd theme on Flickr's Dutch Zentangle Group is ""Geluk", in English "Happiness" or "Luck". It's how you interpretate the Dutch word Geluk.

To me it stands a.o. for Love, Commitment (as in marriage), having good Luck in your life (every now and then)...

Hopefully I captured this all together in my Zentangle:

Especially For You

I made this Zentangle (with the pink ribbon) for a dear colleague/friend, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in January last year. She's had breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy: a lumpectomy is a partial mastectomy, because part of the breast tissue is removed) and radiation therapy during 6 or 7 weeks in 2010. So far she's doing quite well.

Coming Monday her ovaries and oviducts will be surgical removed on her own request. Just as a precaution measurement.
My thoughts are with her!

Challenge "Life Imitates Doodles" - Tell Your Story, Be Part of the Art

Sandra Kay Strait (Molossus) had a challenge on her blog Life Imitates Doodles, since I am a huge fan of her Zentangle artwork I decided to participate.

 

Sandra asked us to do the following for this challenge:

 

"Well, I ask you to look at a ZT you've just finished (no fair planning ahead of time).  Take note of the movement, the flow, the texture.  Spin it around.  Look at how the dark and light work together.  How do the tangles work together>  How do they resist each other?  What objects seem to appear?  What's the mood?  Do this immediately after you finish, and look, and do not second guess yourself.

Come up with a title based on your immediate impressions.  Then invite your viewers to tell you what they see or feel.  In other words, invite them to invest part of their world experience into yours."

Well, this is what I came up with...

It's titled: "Shattered, but keeping the pieces together"

 

 

Shattered: "burst suddenly into pieces, as with a violent blow".

This is what I see in the pattern "Scraper"...shattered, as with a violent blow...of life itself. You burst into pieces, but you know you have to keep the pieces together... using all kinds of strings and finally you succeed. Although it feels like surviving and not living, this is what you are capable of at this moment.

So the strings in this ZT are keeping the patterns (pieces) together.

The L in the righthand corner stands for Linda, a dear old friend of mine from highschool.

Zentangle swap on Flickr's Dutch ATCs group

Today I received 6 gorgeous Zentangle ATCs from our Dutch ATCs group on Flickr....  As soon as it light enough I'll make pictures and post them here.

What I can show you are my own Zentangle ATCs, since it was light enough in the house to make pictures before I put them in the mail. ;-) 

Waiting for spring to come

Made with micron pigma pen 01 and watercolor pencils.

Kept inside the color

Made with micron pigma black 01, pink 01, green 01 and orange 01 pen.

Hopefully we'll have a Zentangle ATC swap soon again... (hint, hint)