Tangled Thursday - The Never Ending Winter

Winter, winter, winter, I think it's time for it to start fading away, or at least warm up.  We have had about four winters crushed into one.  Most days of below -20C, most winter weather storm watches, most wind chill warnings, most anything involving cold and bad driving conditions.  The only thing it hasn't been the most of is days off school due to snow, but it's coming close. 

For my drawing today, I sought out tangles that reminded me of snow.  They are on a 5 x 8 inch white page.  Tangles included: widgets, betweed, flake, starry night, and web variations.  I have left open spaces for any others that I might find.

Thanks to Marie at Daisy's Book Journal for this fun challenge.  Next week's challenge will be posed by Tami at Just One More Thing.

 Welcome to Tangled Thursday.  A few of my local and online friends have joined me in an occasional Zentangle challenge.  We'll take turns choosing a theme  and them post our drawings in about 2 weeks time.  All are welcome to join in the fun.  If you are new to Zentangles, then visit the website for a complete explanation and all sorts of online resources.  I'm also a big fan of TanglePatterns.com.

I have posted this snowman previously. He is drawn on a window cling using a Sharpie marker.

I was visiting with my mother earlier in the week.  She started drawing tangles shortly after I did.  We have taken two classes together and plan to do more.  While she does participate in our challenges, she is finding it difficult to keep up with each weeks drawing.  I have reminded her that it's not a race.  It's supposed to be relaxing.  Each of us works at our own pace when they chose to.  It wouldn't be fun nor relaxing if we were only doing it because  we had to.   I'll admit that I do sometimes race to get mine finished in time for posting, but I'm mostly ok with that.  All readers are welcome to join in at any time they want, your drawings don't have to be complete, they don't even have to be the same topic.  Just relax and enjoy what you are drawing. 

One way to improve your drawings and to get more benefit from the process, is to take your time.  Don't rush.  Consider each pen stroke before and as you make it.  If you rush when you are making dots, they will not be round, rather, they will be ovoid smears.  Place the tip of your pen precisely and then lift it up.   Yes, it does take a bit longer, but you will get a better visual result, and you find that your concentration improves.  The rest of the house and all it's happenings seem to fade away when I am focused and drawing.

I've seen it posted in chats and heard it from others in comments, why should I buy a Zentangle book when I can get it all free online.  Yes, there is all sorts of free information online on just about any topic that you can imagine, but remember, treat it for what it is, as in "you get what you pay for".  I use lots of online resources, but I also purchase a fair amount.  I can't afford to buy every book out there, but I do have five Zentangle related books and will get more in the future.  They have every thing I need together in one place with lots of examples, not only how to draw an individual tangle, but  completed drawings using multiple tangles together.  They also show me other way to use these skills rather than just on a 3 1/2 inch piece of paper.  When I view these ideas in front of me, they feed my imagination.  I don't want to be glued to my computer and internet every moment of the day.  When I am drawing with friends, it's easier to share a book than it is to crowd around a screen.   

There are also tangles that can't be found online.  Some are only available when you take a class from a CZT (certified zentangle teacher) , these ones will never be in print, nor made available online.  If we only learn online, then the teachers and authors will haven no incentive to produce more materials. (we've all heard this argument that someone somewhere has to pay the bill whether it is books, music, movies, and it still holds true). 

You are welcome to disagree with my thoughts posted here, but don't leave me a nasty comment telling me how you don't have enough money to go and purchase books, that is not constructive information to further this discussion. 

Mr. Linky is below awaiting a link to your current tangled post.