Working on setting up the blog & creating a watermark for the photos has taken me a little longer than I anticipated, so I apologize if you have already visited.
Glenda Waterworth's post in February 2011 was my first encounter with both the term & the art form of Zentangle. I was intrigued & tempted but not at all sure whether to give it a try as I have never been able to doodle but have looked longingly at what others do - I don't draw or sketch naturally either. Many know me as a perfectionist & trying to produce a doodle just makes me freeze & ask the question -
How? In my mind I dismissed Zentangle as an art form for natural doodlers.
During last year I noticed more Zentangle art appearing amongst the blogs I follow (
Gina gave some information
here &
Kathy here, but it wasn't until the weekly Wednesday live chat on the
Chocolate Baroque Forum (in which I participate) some weeks back - Glenda explains about that
here - when the subject of Zentangle & doodling cropped up again that I had to reconsider my conclusion. Glenda mentioned that Zentangle is a structured form of doodling & thus a way in to learning how to doodle, additionally she was going to get some pens & books into stock at
Chocolate Baroque. I ordered myself a set of pens & a Basics book & accidentally saw a project in Zentangle 3 involving moveable paper dolls. Those paper dolls have caught my imagination but I want to start with basics & not run before I can walk, & that applies to my desire of shading & colouring Zentangles too. In fact I can see many advantages for me of "tackling" tangling: already I have been well occupied whilst having to resort to bedrest whilst readjusting my migraine medication. A tangle can be done lying down without the danger of my husband finding himself adorned with glitter or gems when he gets into bed, plus my frustration at not being able to craft or move about safely is assuaged.
I've always wanted to have a Moleskine - but couldn't think what for - now I have a purpose: an art journal of tangling. I set about finding myself one & stumbled across several blogs reviewing small journal notebooks (a whole new world in itself) which led me finally to order a little
A6 Rhodia Webnotebook. Having seen
Sandra Strait's post I decided to opt for the Dot Grid format & I'm absolutely thrilled with my purchase. In fact, after my first tangle in it, I'm so impressed with the quality & construction that I've included photos below (clickable for enlargement).
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front of book with elasticated closure
in place |
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open to show ribbon marker - the binding is sewn, I can fold
the book back on itself & it lies fairly flat once opened |
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| the right side |
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reverse of the page - incredibly no bleedthrough & very little showing
of the Sakura Pigma Micron Pen on the 90gsm smooth paper |
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I was pretty heavy handed with the black as
my hands are a bit shaky at present |
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close-up showing the pale dotted grid of the paper,
the dots are placed at three sixteenths of an inch intervals |
