Sharing the Development and Progression of an Idea

 I had an idea ... I wanted to draw a large tangle ... something I could frame.   I was inspired by Maria Thomas' beautiful original works of art, so thought I would make my own.  

This piece is about 11.5 x 17 inches - Movlin A Paper d'Arches 300gsm Smooth 100% cotton - beautiful paper that I love to work on.

This is the start of my idea ... roughly sketched out and starting to ink.

 I was inspired by the Master Class held by Maria and Rick and the use of colour ... I have used Brown Pigma Pen (can't give you the number as it has rubbed off the shaft of the pen. )

So here is some more inking ... with black and brown

working backwards, as what you want in the foreground has to be drawn first

 A close up of the bottom right hand corner ... I am really loving doing this .

 The top right hand corner ... I love those seashell inspired tangles ... and I couldn't go past the Knightsbridge pattern with an adapted black alternate squares,  and Printemps ... they remind me of the little shells you get on our beaches here ... the snails door stops!

 More work done in this area

And where I am up to now .. you can see I have changed some of my design with the pencil ... trying to get those smooth curvy lines ... I expect this drawing will take me about 40 to 50 hours based on what I have already spent on it ... then there is the shading ... I can't wait until I get to the shading.

Now for the next few days I won't be attending my blog ... I have a customer quilt on my quilting machine and it is a custom job that I have to finish in the next few days ... so I am going to be busy with that ... I will be drawing at night though and will show you the next steps in a few days time.    Happy Tangling for now ....Jane x

The Owl & The Pussycat

 How could I resist such a beautiful little owl ... I just had to put Zentangle patterns on it ... very cute indeed!

 Side view ... still working on the back!

 And Jet the pussycat ... keeping a very very close eye on that owl lest it start flying!

Another little Zentangle drawing ... the rope pattern was designed by one of the 'CZT's in our class with Rick and Maria of Zentangle - now I didn't write her name down ... but it is a great pattern - tell me if it was you!

Happy Tangling....Jane x

Class List and Tangly Tangles

 This is my class listing ... I must learn how to use my scanner - taking photos and uploading them is so much easier though!  I might work on working out the scanner this weekend.

These are some tangly tangles - just playing with borders and stuff.  None of these are shaded yet but I am pretty happy with them nevertheless.

Happy Tangling for now ... Jane x

Something A Little Different

 I have been playing with Zentangle pattern borders ... I could make them exact or have the lovely freedom of the "organic" look - I like both precision and freeflowing ... this one is the freeflowing type!

 Trying a few twists to patterns ... I love the big black bubbles - they remind me of tadpole eggs.

A darker border ...


I have been informed by my "Quality Control" person (ie - Dear Husband) that I should be quilting because that is what I had planned on doing today ... so I guess I am off to do that now instead of playing on the computer.

Believe Me When I Say ...

You CAN draw and create Zentangles.  Anyone who can hold a pen can draw - it might be a wonky line, but they can draw!  I have had a lot of people say they could never do what I do with Zentangle - of course you can't do what I do - but you can do what you do!   Everyone has a different interpretation because they are looking at it (and life) from their own unique perspective.

When asked how long Maria Thomas' beautiful calligraphy and Zentangles take her to do, Rick Roberts responds 40 minutes plus 40 years.   40+ years is how long she has been drawing her exquisite pieces, although I'm sure some of them take more than 40 minutes - lol!

So you see ... it does take practice to obtain proficiency ... but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the process and even the first piece you create in a class with a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT), will be absolutely beautiful.  Please do not belittle yourself or your ability to create.  I believe creativity is inherent in us all ... we just have to let it out a little at a time.

Hugs .... Jane x

My Journey In Zentangles

 This was done prior to leaving Australia ... it is nice where a Tangled String can take you - this lovely lady turned up without any provication and I think represents my travels well.

 I arrived in Whitinsville earlier than anyone else did - so had a day to settle down and do some tangling.

 I had fun ... as you can see

 The next evening and days were busy doing CZT class with everyone.

 Leaving on the 16th and waiting at Boston's Logan airport for quite a few hours.  President Obama flew into Boston while I was there - didn't get to see him though!

 The next few are while on the 6 hour flight from Boston to SanFrancisco ... I think I converted the fellow sitting next to me ... he was going to go home and Google "Zentangle".   Interesting fellow who visited Australia a lot to go scuberdiving on the Barrier Reef.

 On the long haul from San Francisco to Sydney

Crossing the International Date Line
and the second perhaps I was inspired by flying for so long over the ocean - it does have a marine flavour to it don't you think.

 We went through a few bits of turbulance ... really freaks some people out - me included at times when it got a bit rough.

 International travel in economy is like being a sardine in the slipstream ... you think you can tell this by my
Tangle?

And then landing in Sydney ... it was beautiful to come around over Western Sydney and see the Blue Mountains,then over Paramatta into the city and see the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House - certainly made me feel like I was home (I used to live in Sydney for awhile with my husband and my son was born there too)

 I love this Tangle ... Making Connections - the three flights I took to get home to Launceston .. I might work on this one to make a bigger fine art picture.

And the second one here is home after a lovely long sleep.

 A closer look at connections - yes I really do like this one.

 This is a Zentangle inspired drawing of the Sydney Opera House - can you tell - lol!

As I was flying over it I noticed the shadow of pattern tiles on the building and came home to see if I could find a closer picture of it ... the tiles have a real pattern to them - this is a rough interpretation of my new Zentangle pattern .. I will post it with steps at a later date.   It was quite easy to deconstruct the pattern and modify it as a tangle.

Maria Thomas wrote on my mini kit box ... isn't it cute!

I really hope you have enjoyed looking at this very long long picture heavy post and my Journey in Zentangles.

Happy Tangling ... Jane x

I am HOME

 Rick and Maria's Zentangles ... this was very special - a visit to the home of Zentangles and all this entails.  I really appreciate why they only have the Certified Zentangle Teacher training in Whitinsville, MA.  Anywhere else and it wouldn't be the same.  Going to Rick and Maria's is almost like a pilgrimage, it has certainly changed my outlook and ideas about Zentangle.  I say the following without meaning to be self-serving ... but taking a class from a CZT will be much much better than taking a class from someone who says they can teach Zentangle.  The reason for this is that the training has something special that anyone who hasn't done it cannot understand.  The underlying  and supporting structure of creating Zentangle is really quite wonderful and you won't get this from just anyone!

So I have to tell you all that I am the Only Certified Zentangle Teacher in Tasmania, Australia.  There are three of us CZT's in Australia now - two lovely ladies from Melbourne also attended the training with me in MA. 

This is Maria, Terri (from Oakhurst Retreat Centre) and Rick - checking out the light for the group photo!
Rick and Maria are such a riot - great people, great fun and wonderful hospitality - Maria is a fabulous cook too!  Rick introduced me to Soft cheese with Honey and Maria added to that with Blue Cheese topped with honey and chillie flakes - oh divine with a good wine!  Oh and they teach mean Zentangles too!

I can't thank them enough ... I had a wonderful few days with them and all the other people training with me.  Hi everyone out there in blog land from CZT #4.
I am home after a marathon 39 hours of travel and waiting - thank goodness for Velocity Members lounge in Sydney where I refuelled and had a long needed shower before heading off on my last flight to Launceston and home to my family.    I am having a few days down time to get myself together and then I am back quilting and teaching.

If you are interested I have a Beginners Class at Adult Ed Launceston on the 7th of November.
I will be booking a room for a Beginner and and Advanced class in Launceston for November as well - email me if you are interested in attending.
I have a booking for March 2012 for NSW.   Yes, this means I will travel to teach a class - anywhere in Australia as long as we have the numbers for a good class.  
I will be doing 2.5 hour classes as well as full day and weekend retreats
I can be contacted at jane@purrfectlyquilted.com.au for further information.

Okay ... a nice cup of tea and some Tangling for me ... oh I have a little story about that for you .. tomorrow!
Hugs
Jane x

Australian czt

Hi everyone it has been a fantastic time over here in the USA - I am finally a certified zentangle teacher. I have some fantastic ideas about teaching classes when I come home so look out for my class schedule - I do have a class open with adult Ed in launceston on the 7th November -go to their web site to book in.

I am here for a couple more days then I will be home - blogging again. I am not blogging from my iPad -but I love it ! I have got to get one of these -hugs from Jane xxx

Zentangle Teacher Accreditation

Okay this has nothing to do with becoming an accredited Zentangle teacher  but you do need a picture to look at.

This is my portrait of Lilly Allen - the British singer - not finished yet but it will have zentangle patterns for the background ... I am probably a third of the way done with it and have stitched it all on my Bernina (not the longarm)... so watch this space after I get back from America.

I am leaving tomorrow morning to go to Whitinsville to do the Certified Zentangle Teacher training with Rick and Maria from Zentangle ... very exciting ... I will be the first Tasmanian /Australian to travel there to do the course.

I hope you have a wonderful couple of weeks Zentangling and I will catch up with you upon my return as I won't be able to blog while I am away (at least I don't think so).

Happy Zentangling to you all....Jane x

Home Sweet Home

How is this for a happy face ... Jo Northcott the day after my Zentangle class ... she is definately addicted and look at that fantastic Zentangle.  

This is my First Zentangle class at the AMQF in Adelaide ... it was a great success - everyone did really really well - but I wouldn't expect anything less from a bunch of longarm machine quilters!

Thankyou to you all for making the class a success!

I did forget to take a photo of their drawings - kicking myself for that.


And I am back home .... long flight delays and I was very tired ... caught up on some sleep yesterday and now it is after 3.30am and I am wide awake .... my brain is going a million miles a minute with anticipation of leaving for the USA on Sunday.   I will finally be going to Massachusetts for the Certified Zentangle Training session with Rick and Maria.

Happy Zentangling for now ... Jane x

AMQF Wonderful

The AMQF is finished ... it has been a wonderful 4 days ... a fantastic effort on behalf of Tracey Browning of Constantine Quilts and Sharon Parkinson of Patchwork On Parade - both of SA.  A wonderful show full of interesting vendors, lovely quilts and great teachers ...  Our Australian teachers have so much to offer and were absolutely wonderful ... I can't say enough about them - loL!

So I am travelling back home tomorrow and will be able to upload some photos on Wednesday.

Cheers for now ... Jane x

In Adelaide

Hi .. I am in Adelaide at the Australian Machine Quilters Festival ... the weather is absolutely devine, sunny, warm and beautiful.  I am teaching this afternoon at 3pm ... and then a whirlwind of classes and sights to see until I return home next week.

Catch you all next week.
Hugs
Jane