Project Pack 07

Have you seen the latest project from Zentangle HQ? Project Pack 07, with its focus on gray paper with blue and gold inks and blue chalk pastel was released about a month ago. As always, the project videos are available to all for free, and you are welcome to play along with whatever materials you have. I had bought some gray card stock and made a journal using mid-tint papers for the project lessons. Slowly but surely, I've been working my way through the 12 days. I've enjoyed every minute! Here's what I have so far.

Copper metallic ink with purple pastel chalk

Gold metallic ink with blue and white pastel chalk

Gold metallic ink with blue and white pastel chalk

Notice the two blue inks. One is a blue back PN (plastic nib) pen and the other

is a blue Micron. These are gorgeous on gray.

Gold metallic ink with brown Micron on tan paper

Gold metallic ink with blue watercolor on gray

Gold metallic ink with blue and white pastel chalk

Purple PN with white and violet chalk on gray

Somewhat surprised at how I like the gray paper, I still have some exploring to do. I was pleased with the purple ink, as well as the copper. I'm having some trouble blending the pastel chalks on the card stock. It's probably easier on the gray tiles from Zentangle, which look like they have a soft, fibrous feel that really takes well to the chalk.

Have you tried the new paper? What do you think?

Happy New Year! Meet Khala, my new friend...

What do you do when you feel dispersed?
This is something that is not normal for me. I usually focus well, and easily follow the "one stroke at a time" concept of the Zentangle Method. In a recent conversation with my friend Connie, who has known me for about 20 years, I mentioned that I was finding it extremely hard to focus on my artwork. "That's not like you," she replied. We discussed possible explanations, like the holidays,  my age, my husband's changing work schedule, but never really found an answer. To make things worse, one of the items cluttering up my drawing table was a typography piece I had begun, intending to tangle it.

Every day, it seemed to taunt me! I even found it impossible to follow along with the new Project Pack 07 videos.
Then, last week, I met a new tangle, Khala, by Zen Linea on Facebook.

I'm not a huge fan of Celtic knots, but for some reason this one was calling my name! Alas, I worked for several days on it without success. My frustration and even fear that I was somehow losing my ability to tangle mounted. Nevertheless, I persisted in my efforts to befriend this tangle. Once I finally "understood" it, I couldn't get enough!!!(And to be perfectly honest, I still do it in pencil first!) I mounted the first successful attempt on a black Zendala tile and added some typography. It now hangs over my drawing table.

While I'm still a bit "off" in the focus area, I feel that things are getting back to normal. In future posts, I hope to share some of my recent distractions, especially architectural details re-imagined with tangles, my 2020 tile, working with gray and blues, red backgrounds, and even wood burning!

In the meantime, I leave you with my best wishes for you and yours, for a focused, productive and meaningful new year!