Tuesday, January 24, 2012

my alpha beginning

I'm new to ALAW this year.  I lurked about the blog last year admiring the vast variety and creative results of all those amazing alphabets.  This year I just had to play along.  I gave lots of thought and sketches about to how to present it and for this first try I wanted to stay with something I feel somewhat confident in completing.

I live in Seattle, WA and just last year really embraced the idea of exploring my artistic self more fully.  I started a blog, started an art journal, started experimenting with acrylics, mixed media, collage and even digital art - it's all SO much fun!  I've made some new blogger acquaintances and love following along as they explore their creativity too - I can't wait to meet everyone joining in here.

I've become enamored of zentangling and thought that would be a fun way for me to combine my love for tangling and for experimenting in lettering.  So here are my letters for January.


Obviously, I've decided to do my 'dotty' alpha first.  I created dots of spattered watercolor as the background and the colors will progress through the color wheel three times (red, orange, yellow, yellow green, green, blue green, blue, purple).  The tiles will also be connected with the ribbon of circles on black (more dots) and then filled in with zentangle patterns.  I'm thinking I will bind it in some book format because I'm eager to try my hand at some simple bookbinding but that remains to be seen.


I'm loving what I'm seeing from others so far and can't wait to see what the year brings.....
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5 comments:

  1. rObfOsJanuary 24, 2012 at 4:26 PM

    Well, you learn something new everyday!
    I like your little squares.
    I never new this style of drawing was called "zentangle". I was doing a lot of this kind of thing with my yr 9 students through 2011 as part of our "street art" project. As you say it is lots of fun and a fairly meditative process. I like how your dots are part of the background as opposed to in the letters and the band leads through each little square to the next. Will make for a nice final composition I think.

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  2. marie heleneJanuary 25, 2012 at 3:06 AM

    it looks like you spent too much time on the phone :) I'm kidding, it's very interesting and as for my previous friend, I didn't know that was called zentangle. this kind of drawing was already used in the Middle Ages, around letters. the band leading trough the squares is a very good idea ! waiting for the new ones

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  3. Little bit of blueJanuary 25, 2012 at 3:30 AM

    Hi Terrie, I'm new too so I'm glad I'm not the only one.
    As above I had not heard of Zentangle and I have just spent ages looking at it on Google, it's very interesting, some of it would make excellent embroidery patterns. Looking forward to your other letters.

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  4. Jo MurrayJanuary 25, 2012 at 4:45 AM

    G'day Terrie... nice to see you've joined us. Love those 'zens'.

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  5. ArzigogolareJanuary 25, 2012 at 9:10 PM

    I love your lively 'zentangle' patterns. It seems like the ribbon of circles would work well in an accordion book, where its 'path' could be fully appreciated. Have fun with your next set of letters - and thanks for introducing so many of us to the 'zentangle' concept (it's new to me as well)...
    - Lisa

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Thanks for taking the time to comment on our work - it's always good to hear what folk think!

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