It's spring which means we will soon be seeing something green popping through the still snow-speckled ground anyday now. After this very snowy winter, I know I am ready for the first signs of spring and am appreciating the warmer weather. I might not have the greenest thumb, but I love to create tangled gardens.
I had the great joy of teaching this fun and creative way of exploring organic tangle patterns with thirteen tanglers. We had a lovely evening discussing flowing patterns, new ways of shading, and adding highlights to our ZIAs.
While teaching the pattern Flux, I tried describing how when I draw this pattern it typically grows and stretches outside of my borders or even off of the edge of my paper. I think some patterns just want to be free. I encouraged the students to, "Go where the Flux takes you." After a good snicker, we moved on and tried several other fun patterns including Bumper, Sedgeling, Sanibelle, and Mooka. I love all the oohs and aahs we get while covering the pussy willow-like Cat-Kin pattern (from CZT Mimi Lempart) especially on these beautiful toned papers.
In this class, we explored shading with a woodless graphite pencil that provides a smooth, heavy shade. Within a minute, I could tell people were in love with the new pencil. I think once you go woodless graphite, you never go back (ok, maybe for borders and strings).
I love how each person has such a unique interpretation of the same patterns. Some of the gardens are newly formed ready for future growth. Others are well established, long-lived, and eager to be appreciated in their abundant beauty. I would love to visit each and every one of these gardens if I were a dragonfly!
Look at the beautiful gardens everyone created:
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