Tangle Journal

I’ve been working on creating my own tangle journal and just about done with it, but I have been trying to find the right paper to print my pages on.  I really like the way is coming out and hopefully will soon be able to show it to you all soon.  In the meantime I have been using a Moleskine® storybook notebook to draw tangles I like and learned.

What I like about this notebook is that the pages are thick enough that the ink does not bleed through so you can use both sides.  Another great feature is the boxes it has on every page.  It has 4 boxes lined horizontally on every page and next to every box is a blank space where you can write the name of the tangle, creator or any another short notes you might want to add.  The boxes are not big, but I find them to be just the right size to draw just the tangle.  The notebook has your typical Moleskine features; the back pocket, ribbon bookmark and it is hardcover.

The reason I am creating my own is that is it of course more economical, the Moleskine is about $14 at Amazon, which is the cheapest I have found.  This particular notebook is 5" x 8-1/4", it has 4 frames per page, 104 pages and the paper weight is 1655 gsm/111 lb.; FSC Certified Paper; Acid-Free (pH Neutral).  I really love it and wanted to share it with everyone.

Leave me a comment or post and let me know what you use and how it works for you.  Thank you for reading my blog in this little corner or Cyber space and as always be safe and enjoy your creative journey.

WonderingMindField

Zentangle Tile No. 16

A quick tile to start for start of the day!  I’ve been trying to practice both my Zenspirations® and Zentangle® so every time I learn a new tangle I try to practice on a tile to get better at it.

Mind you is not the easiest thing to do on my busy schedule but I try to always travel with some king of journal on my bag.

I got a new journal I'm loving and will show you soon with a pocket on the back where I store a couple of tiles and blank bookmarks to create on the go.  It is specially great when you are having a stressful moment and just need to take your mind away for a few minutes, you are ready to go with you Zentangle or Zenspirations.

God know I have many stressful moments so creating these tiles is an almost every other day occurance!

On future blogs I will try to post picture of the string or initial outline I use to create the tile or any other so everyone can see my starting point.  Here is my 16th tile for my Zentangle® practice.

As always I hope you get inspire to create..it’s the little things that make life more interesting.  Be safe!

WonderingMindIFeld

Zenspirations No. 6

More Zenspirations from my Journal.  I’m still going at it with this method, can’t stop!!!  I am taking a school course and every time I get a 30 minute break between periods I dig out my sketchbook and my little case of gel pens and start practicing.

I have not abandoned the Zentangle® method I am working on a series of Chinese symbols I'm decorating with some tangles. I will be showing them soon!  It's been a little crazy lately since I do have a  full time job and just started a certificate program that takes about 15 hours a week.  My time at my studio has been cut down significantly, but I'm trying to fight for time by taking my pens and pads with me and nab whatever little time I can squeeze in to give my creative soul some nourishment.

That's the beauty of Zentangle® and Zenpirations, they travel well.  The only thing suffering from neglect is my art journal, it's a little hard to carry my paints and supplies with me.  I'll figure it out, I do love getting my hands dirty with paint!

On this practice drawing I tried to do more patterns on the columns and more color on the bottom.  One thing I did not like too much is that I put too much color on the bottom of the drawing.  I was actually trying to see some more colors but the effect was not pleasing to me.  Next time I will keep color to a minimum at the bottom in order to draw the eye to the top where all the cute patterns really are.

"Life is colorful, embrace imperfections and know that humanity is complex...Live yours to the fullest and it will ripple through those around you." - Consuelo Morales

Have a great day! and keep creating....

WonderingMindField

Zenspirations No. 5

Zenspirations® method is turning out to be really enjoyable creative medium for me.  I enjoy the way I’m able to introduce colors into some of my drawings and the use of gel pens.  You really can't mess up this form of drawing (at least not too much).  As I said on my previous Zenspirations post, I have been using the Joanne Fink, Zenspirations Workbook and this is another drawing I practiced!

I did photo distressed the background since I am using the image on a journal card for my scrapbook.  The colors on the patterns is from some gel pens I got at Wal-mart at their office supplies department.

I can't seem to stop doing these...they're fun and make me smile, imperfections and all.

“Practice makes perfect” it’s been said but for me in art perfection is overrated.  Is the journey of the practice that carries the joy, because perfection is an illusion.

Find your journey and enjoy every moment…

WonderingMindField

Art Journal Page No. 19

Feeling very tropical!!! 

Always been fascinated with mermaids.  I think the idea of an under water world is very cool and just plain fun.

To be ale to breath under water and discover all those coral reef and amazing marine life is the stuff of dreams.

So I took a mermaid tail and a paper doll form I had and combine the two to created my very curvy mermaid!

Creative Notes:

I started with decoupaging some scraps of music sheets and drywall tape (my favorite) to add the wave movement effect of the ocean.

I followed with the mermaid, which was created by taking several pieces and putting them together.  I drew the tail then the upper body form and finally glue them together.

The corset was from a stamp I have from Enchanted Gallery.  I stamped the form on card stock and then cut the form out and used it to trace the form on a emerald green scrapbook paper, then cut it out and glued to the corset form, I also decorated the paper with some stamped swirls.

The hair was the tricky part, but I printed the hair from some clip art I had saved and them cut the hair out and colored with red markers.  I then colored the background of the page with turquoise acrylic paint and then aged it with Tim Holtz® distressed ink pads.

For a flowing look I took a white pen and drew the leaves to mimic seaweed under the water.  I finished the whole thing by using Tim Holtz distressed ink pads and just stamps the long streaks of brown you see all over the page, like old bubbles!

I enjoyed this page and its whimsical feel.  That is the idea after all to just create to give your creative soul a chance to soar.

Have a great day and enjoy your journey, you only get one chance at it!

WonderingMindField

Zenspiration No. 4

Ever find yourself learning a new art or skill and not been able to stop?  This little houses are my new obsession!   I keep drawing them and need to stop (maybe).

I finally got the hang of drawing them and really loving how they turnout.  The dangles just keep everything so dreamy and fun that it is had to stop.  I will definitely keep incorporating more writing.

Joanne Fink, creator of Zenspirations is a very talented calligrapher and she incorporates a lot of writing with her Zenspiration art.  She seems like a very nice and spiritual person and her art is really beautiful.  I will keep my practicing going and express myself through the use of words in my art.

The importance of words is taken for grated but it is what set us apart and how we communicate and express ourselves.  They can bring joy or sorrow, happiness or sadness and words can nourish our soul.

"Love, Peace and Family" are what my soul needs the most..What does yours needs the most?  

Have a great day and remember to always thrive for creative joy!

WonderingMindField

Zenspirations No. 3

Another try at practicing my Zenspirations®.  I am trying to practice at least everyday for a few minutes so that I can incorporate this method in my crafts.  My goal is to fill all 24 pages of my drawing pad with all kinds of practice patterns and Zenspirations®.

This is drawing no. 3 and I was practicing with columns and trying to find more patterns to decorate them and adding more lines and squares.  Another thing I'm trying to do is practice with different color mediums.  The Sakura® gel pens have been my weapon of choice but I have a very nice set of Prismacolor pencils I can wait to start using to see if it will work better.  I like the gel pens but I keep forgetting to wait for drying time and in a few occasions you will notice some little smudges from my hand landing on wet ink. I really need to be a little more patient!

Here is my Zenspiration® Drawing #3:

This little house looks like is crying some tears.  Total accident...I was in a very good mood when I drew it.

Keep creating and be kind to your soul…

WonderingMindFIeld

Zentangle tile No. 15

I was in an ocean mood, I guess it has to do with coming back from vacation.  I have been practicing some new tangles and started this tile with BTL Joos (left side) and decided to just go with it and the end result was a under water mini garden.

The tangles I used are:

BTL Joos
Fesce (Zentangle)
Tootsiemoon (Alice Hendon)
Doolee Do (Ksenija)
Buggee (Texasdoxiemama)

In this tile the new tangle I learned is "doodle do".  I am not sure if this is an official Zentangle pattern but I saw the tutorial on Tanglepatterns.com® (link) and wanted to try it out.

This is a simple and quick tile which I completed while waiting for the laundry to finish.  Yes! I was doing laundry during my vacation because I do go on vacation on a budget and like to have clean clothes!

I find it so relaxing to do this on my vacation without all the craziness of daily life.  I try to take advantage of the little time I have and create as much as possible.

Have a great day and keep creating for your soul.

WonderingMindField