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Monday, June 14, 2010

Guest Tangler - Carole Ohl

I've been exchanging emails with Carole Ohl who is working on a Zentangle for a mural above a piano  (we need to see pictures when it's done!) My fee for all my free advice was that she send me some pictures to post here on the blog. Don't you LOVE it when someone describes themselves in a way that makes it seem like they are a newbie... and then WHAM! ... you see their art and are blown away!

Here's what Carole says about these two pieces:

"Attached is a Zentangle-inspired piece i did. it is actually 22x30". I had so much fun doing this, and it was my first attempt at adding color. (Editor's Note: uh-wha!!?) I used watercolor and Inktense pencils. Because I was intimidated by the idea of color. I decided to approach the color the same way I approach a Zentangle: one step at a time, and it was great fun that way. This one is now framed and in a gallery.


I've also attached a group Zentangle (black and white) that is also 22x30". The string was drawn by me, and shaded by me, but the tangles were made over a period of a couple of months by about six different people. It was donated to a local non-profit."

Carole is a new CZT, too - take a look at her blog, Open Seed Arts for some really lovely new Tangles! I particularly love "Inapod".


As a an aside, Carole mentions Inktense pencils, which are made by Derwent. I've bought gazillions from Dick Blick, and here's a link to the pencils on Amazon, too. These are watercolor pencils and yet, they are something MORE! As the name implies, the colors get really rich and intense when water is applied to them. But the magic is that they are "ink". So when completely dry - the colors are permanent. That means, You can wash yellow over a dried blue... and they don't blend! Since the yellow is transparent, you will have green where the colors overlap, but the yellow will not pick up the blue and smear it. This can be really useful.   It can also be frustrating, if you don't work quickly - you can't re-activate the dried colors to do additional blending. If you have never tried them... DO! The colors are so freaking gorgeous. BUT - my advice (if you are OC like me!) is to make a swatch chart of each of your pencils (dry to wet), cut out the swatches and tape to the tops of your pencils. The colored end of the pencil is not very accurate. I just made a very quick scan of a few of my pencils so you can see how different the colors are (and how intense!)
Derwent Inktense Pencil- Teal Green

19 comments:

  1. Wow, wow, oh wow! These have just blown me away. Must try the inktense pencils.

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  2. I love InkTense pencils...I especially like the way I can layer them and then add water for blending...detail work made easy! I live in central NH and I bought my set at Wingdoodle in Warner, NH. Funky store with an unusual collection of art supplies and children's toys.

    Adele

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  3. Absolute masterpieces!! Beautiful!!

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  4. Thanks, everyone.
    Sandy, I love the idea of taping the sample color to the pencil. I made chart, but that's not very handy. Thanks for the tip. You are a wealth of info and I so appreciate it!! Going out to buy materials for the wall project. Can't wait to get started.

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  5. So exciting to see Carole's work here! She is an amazing artist that I met at the CZT seminar. Her use of color is fantastic!

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  6. Inktense also works great on fabric and when heatset with iron is permanent. Blend with water, dry with hair dryer then you can layer another color without mixing. Great for zentangles on quilts and other fabric applications.

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  7. Funny, I was just wondering about Inktense pencils on fabric, in relation to a project simmering in the back of my mind! Thanks for the hint on heat-setting.

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  8. Thanks for the fabric tip, Terry! That's one MORE thing to play with!

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  9. Yes, fabric! But I think it is "semi-permanent" - so something that got washed a lot like a t-shirt may not be good... but a jeans jacket and definitely quilts. OK - who's going to try it and post their results?!!!

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  10. I love inktense pencils too. As someone just learning the zentangles, may I ask what a "string" is? (and then a tangle?)

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  11. I was just reading an older post where you mention there are 102 official tangles ! Wow, I had no idea. Are they all shown in the official Zentangle kit ? If not do you know how many are shown in the kit? thank you :))

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  12. Bella - I believe there are about 25 tangles taught in the Zentangle kit. The only way to learn all 102 is to take the Certification Workshop offered through www.zentangle.com. If you have a CZT near you, you can learn a lot of those patterns too. Of course, even the Zentangle people keep inventing new patterns all the time! If you sign up for their newsletter on the site, they have new tangles every issue.

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  13. Teri - a "string" is a pencil guideline drawn on the "tile" (3.5" paper square)to break up the space. This space is then filled with "tangles" or patterns. Explore the zentangle.com website to learn all about it (or buy my book - "Totally Tangled"!!) ;-D

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  14. I had heard of this art form awhile ago, but, did not give it much attention til I saw your book...I am going to buy it, BTW, anyway, I tried some tangles on my own, and I must say i am "hooked"...my darling hubby of 30 yrs just recently passed away and i have found this to be very healing...my very first tangle is dedicated to him...on my blog
    BTW, I bought one inktense pencil at the art store...now i want the whole dang set!!!
    Heart Hugs,
    Coleen

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  15. TFS Carol's lovely work. I think I need some ink pencils. Never heard of them before and will check them out.

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  16. Wow! Carol's work is stunning! I too use Inktense pencils with my pen & ink, and I've also used coloured pencils. Thanks for sharing Carol's work, I'm off to visit her blog!

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  17. These are gorgeous. The colored one just took my breath away. I'm looking forward to payday so that I buy your book! I've done a few zentangles before, but did it out of boredom, and didn't have a name for it. Now that I know there is an entire...movement is the word perhaps?...I'm really excited.

    I also wanted to let you know that I referenced both your site and Carole's tangles on my blog. :)

    Thanks,
    Raye

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  18. I just bought your book and I am hooked! I am a fan of Ten Seconds Studios and saw their video tutorial Zentangle. I bought your book on Amazon and I was tangling all week last week when I was on vacation! I have also been tangling on metal! Love this! Thanks for the inspiration, and your book is fantastic! I wish I lived close enough to attend your workshops!

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  19. FYI....your book is much better than the others that I bought;)

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