[If Zentangle is a new concept for you or if you’re wondering whether it’s addictive, start here.]
This week, we were challenged by guest Zentangle Diva, Jane Reiter, CZT, to do stacked tiles, using a Bijou tile (2 inches by 2 inches) as the centerpiece. After the simplicity of last week’s “use Shattuck in a monotangle” challenge, this week’s seemed almost daunting. I admit my eyes glazed over a tad when I read Jane’s description of the project and how she approached it:
I cut five squares of mat board, in successive sizes to correspond to my Bijou tile: 3”, 4” 5”, 6”, and 7” squares.
Dino, our cute, but insistent dog.
Jane explained that she frequently tangles on mat board because a friend of hers has a framing business and supplies her with mat board scraps. Back in the day, I might actually have had mat board scraps available as my father was an artist and did a lot of framing for himself and others. However, he went to his art studio in the sky five years ago (at least I like to think that’s where he is because he was at his happiest when doing art). Consequently, I no longer have any mat board scraps lying about. Jane explained the next step:
After tangling, glue the stacked tiles together with a glue stick (not the disappearing purple type) or paper glue such as Scotch Scrapbooker Glue.
Ruh roh. A quick survey revealed that the only glue sticks in my possession are the “disappearing purple type” and I’ve never scrapbooked, so scrapbooker glue is not found on the premises. I might have been more inclined to improvise if I hadn’t been awake for most of the night and then had a cute, but insistent, dog stymie my plan to sleep in. Instead, I decided to go with what I call faux stacked tiles.
I’m not sure what tangle that is on the Bijou size square. The next border tangle is Phirst (a tangle I “invented”). That’s followed by what is some variant of Knightsbridge, then Sand Swirl and finally a fun to do Rick’s Paradox border. The outside square is 6 inches by 6 inches.
If I hadn’t spilled the beans, might you have thought that there are actual stacked tiles in my composition? Actually, I’ve fooled around with faux stacked tiles before, just for fun.
As some of you know, when I’m not tangling, teaching tangling, being a recovering lawyer, or walking the dog, I’m a travel blogger. I’ve been wondering if there’s a way to combine some of my personas. Would any of you be interested in joining “Zentangle at Sea” or “Zentangle on a River Cruise”? I’m not envisioning something super formal, just a group of Zentangle types going on a cruise with others who also like to do art “one stroke at a time”. Loved ones would be welcome. Dancing would be optional. We will be in western Europe in very early September because London will be hosting Mr./Dr. Excitement and about 25,000 of his fellow pulmonary peeps for a European Respiratory Society conference. (They invite some well behaved Yanks to attend.) So, I’m thinking about maybe doing a cruise of some sort after the conference.
While you’re thinking about whether you would consider a Zentangle cruise, come along on our recent hike up the extinct Hawaiian volcano, Diamond Head in Honolulu.
