Tuesday 16 February 2016

Diva Challenge 255

Yesterday late afternoon, after clicking on the Diva Challenge link for the umpteenth time, it finally dawned on me that maybe Canada was having a public holiday. Off I went to the amazing Google and yes, I discovered it was indeed a holiday. No wonder the new challenge wasn't coming up! Apparently in Canada February 15th is either Family Day, Heritage Day or Louis Riel Day depending  on which area of Canada you live in. I really must take more notice of Canadian holidays. Apart from Easter, as far as I can see, I think the next Canadian holiday is Victoria Day on May 23rd. I will go and make a note of it on my calendar. . 

So whilst I was waiting for the challenge to arrive today I experimented with the drawing app on my iPad. It is just a basic app - Paper - but I thought I would see if I could tangle on it. I certainly had no luck trying to tangle on it with my finger, but I had more success using a stylus. The app, Paper, suggests buying their RL thing called Pencil, but I wasn't going to pay for something which I might not use again and I thought it could only be like a tablet stylus which I already had. My first attempts even with the stylus were not good, but I did manage to produce a rather large basic Knightsbridge.
Then I discovered that it was easier to zoom in on part of the pattern and do sections at a time. I even managed to do a rather basic Arukas, which can be a tricky tangle even using  proper paper and pen.
Eventually, after a couple of hours practice I managed to produce a decent looking tile using Chillon, Aquafleur, Ahh, and Bumper. I actually managed a bit of shading too :-) It is not a proper experience of course, but it was fun to try and whilst I won't be doing much tangling on my iPad, you never know it might be useful one day if I get caught short with no pen or paper to hand.
The Diva's Challenge this week is to look out a tangled tile from when we first started tangling and redo it now. I have not been tangling for long, I first found Zentangle® at the end of May, tried out a few patterns and then in June I discovered The Diva's Challenge and drew my first complete tile and started this blog. It was that time of year when The Diva does her Beads of Courage Challenge and this is what I drew.
I remember I did not like the blocked section at the bottom and so I was able to alter that this time round. Also this time I have drawn the beads in the zengem fashion. I did it just to make it a bit different from the original, but I don't think they really make good beads. Apart from that, and a bit of shading here and there, I can't say I can see much improvement, which is strange because most of the time I think I could produce better tiles than this. Perhaps I used to put too many patterns into one tile, that would change things, fewer patterns and more room to draw them really well.

3 days later:- Now that I have visited several blogs and seen how others have done I notice that quite a few people have put less tangle patterns into their updated version so perhaps it is something newbies do - try to draw as many patterns as possible into the one tile :-) I am now sure if I completely redid this challenge I would not use these tangles and string, and would then see a big improvement. The Diva is bound to issue the Beads of Courqge challenge again this year, so it will be interesting to see when it happens. In the meantime this is the remake tile I did back on Tuesday.

21 comments:

  1. That looks like a fun app. As you said, nice to have when you find yourself without your supplies. I do like how you changed the beads to the current rage, gems. They turned out nicely!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I discovered the joy of zentangle less than 2 months ago and I can see significant evolution in your two tiles. before you put MORE of the pattern in each space and now you allow your tangles space to BE. You have realized that maybe less is more and the over all flow and aesthetic of the tile is beautiful. well done.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can see a great evolution in your tile especially regarding the shading.
    And the colourful gems increases the value of your tile so much. But I also like your original. It's a bit more chaotic but also beautyful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is already evolution happening here. I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Shading certainly adds zing, great reno!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nicely done. The lightness at the bottom really pulls it all together.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just love the way you go with it just to see where it goes.

    ReplyDelete
  8. So nice to see the difference after some time, how you have 'grown'.

    ReplyDelete
  9. that does look like fun, tangling on an iPad...and I do like what I see in your two tiles. The second one is more subtle, with delicate shading, and the delicious gemstones on your beadline. Terrific work!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think the difference in the two tiles is that there's better balance of light and dark in the second one. I like the gems, especially in the second one. But I still like the spirit of fun in the first tile too. Good work using that Paper App, I haven't had nearly as much luck when trying to tangle with it

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lots of evolution! Great Beads!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the gem work you added nice work!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Both are beautyfull tiles. I still like the gems on the second.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I always learn so much for your posts--holidays and apps today! You are absolutely right about newbies wanting to use lots of tangles. I always have to remind myself that often less is more! I like the addition of Flux at the bottom, and the zengems.

    ReplyDelete
  15. It´s so interesting to see everyone´s development!
    Your current tile has more depth and it´s well balanced! Wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  16. There is definite growth to be seen, and yet there your first Version is also very nice. I especially like the shape of the Cresdent Moon on top there. Jennifer Hohensteiner

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love your revised tile and the use of the gems really makes the whole tile pop. I love the use of a little bit of color. Your first tile was well done, but the second one looks much more confident and relaxed. Thank you for sharing your journey :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I concur with what others have said. Your second version tile looks more sophisticated and artfully flows. I also think the touch of color is just the right amount. For once, I'm not sorry I don't have an IPad or I would feel compelled to figure out IPad tangling and I feel like I still have so far to go with plain out pen and paper tangling.

    ReplyDelete