The 100 Day Project (4): Words to Remember

"Stuck" best describes how I've felt since the last post ten days ago. At the time, I mentioned I was experiencing some growing pains in multiple areas of my life. These have continued with less growth, more pain, and just an overall feeling of being stuck on so many levels. I missed two days of the 100 Day Project, and then thought, "What now?"

Luckily I receive a weekly email from the organizers of the project, to encourage reflection and growth. I decided to address their questions in today's post. I invite you all to consider them in your life, our major act of creativity.

• What's giving you joy? Using a freestyle calligraphy, lots of white, border tangles and watercolors was fun for me. 
• What is not giving you joy? Doing all of the above on a 2 x 2 inch square is tricky! I inevitably smudge something, or lose my grip on the small surface when I try not to smudge and then get a wobbly line or color where I didn't intend it. As I write this, I think that being more patient and letting things dry before moving on would solve the problem. But I intended for these small pieces to take 30 minutes tops.
• What are you learning about yourself? I can be really impatient!! My fingers and hands are not always as nimble and steady as they once were.
• What are you committing to this week? I would like to continue with words to remember, and use some organic tangles.

Here's what happened this week:

Day 21/100

Day 22/100

Day 23/100

Day 24/100

Day 25/100 A milestone!

Day 26/100

Day 27/100

I have started another project on a 10.5 in x 10.5 surface. I'm using blossom tangles, as inspired by the new Zentangle Project Pack 20. The videos are free if you're feeling stuck and need some ideas! Pictures coming soon...!

The 100 Day Project (3): Color

The past week brought some growing pains on many levels. The 100 Day Project was not spared! I was excited to pull out some 2-inch colored tiles I had made using pigments and ink. After the previous weeks of black and gray with limited color, I was pumped to begin. Since I had enjoyed using the Glaze 3D pens on black last week, I decided to continue with them, only in color. I struggled, with smudges, with the colors being wrong, with patterns that didn't work with the large nibs and the thick ink. Sigh. No mistakes in Zentangle! Here they are:

Maybe some can be used for gift tags? I never throw any tiles away, so we'll just see what they turn into. I'm kind of thinking that somehow sewing them into a quilt pattern might be fun and different. I feel better already. Maybe I'm growing as an artist?

Do you ever have growing pains?

The 100 Day Project (2): Black on Black

Happy March! My intention for this month is simplicity. "Simplicity is nature's default position," says Dr. Deepak Chopra. We've made it through the exciting energy of new resolutions and celebrations. For me, March is a time to hope for simple things: an emerging bud, longer days, greener grass, drenching rains that soften the soil so I can more easily weed and plant. 

For my 100 Days Project, which I wrote about last week, I finished February with the same color palette: gray tiles, pink ink, white charcoal and graphite. I liked the unity it gave to bring these tiny 2-inch pieces together. With the beginning of March, I was inspired by Stephanie Jennifer, Singapore CZT extraordinaire. She posted some black tiles drawn with black ink. I've done some black on black before, and was eager to do it again. I used a 3-D ink, Sakura Glaze pen, in black. 

First attempt

I rubbed some soapstone powder over the tile before drawing.

I tried to create textures to catch the light.

A tangle that has always challenged me, CanT, with this technique, seems more friendly!

I'm not sure how this will evolve over the next week. Black on black is fun, but a little rough on the eyes! The bold nib feels great, so I'll see what transpires tomorrow!

I hope you have a fun week, with light to make your black days shine!

PS: Just a gentle reminder that I am switching to another mail service on March 10. Please let me know if you would like to RENEW or UNSUBSCRIBE. Thanks!