Zenspirations Heart & Thoughts About Shading

I actually drew this at the end of August for a friend's wedding anniversary card. It was in inspired by Joanne Fink's book Zenspirations Letters & Patterning as well as Penny Raile's chapter in The Art of Zentangle book. Seeing my frustration after spending a whole afternoon trying to shade it (using photocopies) my husband suggested that I don't shade my tangles or similar designs as he likes them with just the penwork - this is where Penny Raile's artwork comes in for I immediately showed him her work without shading in the book. My initial response was "NOT SHADE - that's for beginners, I can't not shade, but........ there's Joanne's colouring & Penny's tangles & ........... they're not beginners." So, I've been thinking quite a bit about the subject.

I find that I can draw my tangles but when it comes to shading them - though I know the theory of it & where to shade - I can feel myself becoming tense,  in fact it feels like a chore looming ahead. I can see that shading adds depth & dimension but I really dislike the gritty smudginess of graphite. I'd be interested to hear anyone else's thoughts on the matter.

front of card - the names of the recipients were written
along the two little 'balancing' paddles

inside of card showing message panel

Supplies

Stamps Chocolate Baroque UDLSP0310 Swirly Pets.

Inks VersaFine Onyx Black (hearts).

Pens/Markers 01 Uni Pin Drawing Pen, Memento Tuxedo Black Dual Marker (edging message panel).

Cardstock White & Black from stash.

Paper Winsor & Newton Cotman 190gsm Cold Pressed/NOT Grain Fin Watercolour Paper.

Die Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Twenty-Two (message panel).

The pearls are Kanban.

Organic Chocolate Baroque in a Zendala Dare

October's Challenge (Number 19) for the Chocolate Baroque Zentangle Group is to create a tile or ZIA based upon organic tangles. It was when I saw the centre of Erin's Zendala template #75 for this week that I realised it would give me a super starting point using the tangle Cyme.

tangles: Cyme, Flux, Meer

I used the smallest of Erin's templates, initially thinking I would create a conventional Zentangle tile, but I was struck by how floral the whole looked without the outside circular linework. One thing led to another & so it was fussy cut & mounted onto some pearlescent black cardstock die-cut with a circular Spellbinders Nestabilites die (Standard Circles Small).