Doesn’t everyone who has visited the Old Greenwich Observatory have a photograph of themselves straddling the eastern and western hemisphere at the Prime Meridian?
For the first time since I started doing the Zentangle Diva’s weekly challenges some time in 2014, I missed several weeks in a row. No excuses. I left my summer digs in Brigantine, New Jersey on August 29th and left for two weeks in England and Iceland two days later, but I’ve participated in weekly challenges from South Africa, Spain, Turkey, and at sea, so that’s not really a good excuse.
The oldest part of Saint John’s Church in Devizes dates from 1130. And we thought Philly was old.
I’ve also been tripping down Memory Lane. At the beginning of my trip to England, I took the train from London out to Wiltshire to meet up with two classmates from the Devizes Comprehensive School which I attended when I was in 11th grade (fifth form) in 1969-1970. My father was an exchange teacher there. On Saturday, I gathered with over 100 classmates from the Philadelphia High School for Girls (an all girls, public, college preparatory school) to celebrate 45 years since we graduated in 1971.
For this week, the Diva challenged us to do a tile using only straight lines. One thing I like about tangles which use only straight lines is that sometimes, straight lines can combine to give the appearance of curves, such as with the tangle Paradox. Using just lines (with shading) also doesn’t deprive a tile of depth. Here’s what I came up with:
Straight line tangles I used: Paradox, Tripoli, Hollibaugh and Fassett.
The eastern edge of the North American tectonic plate at Thingvellir National Park in Iceland.
Our last trip was one for being on the edge of things. In addition to visiting the Prime Meridian and having the chance to stand in the eastern and western hemispheres simultaneously, in Iceland, I stood next to the eastern edge of the North American tectonic plate at Thingvellir National Park. This edge forms the western side of a rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are diverging. Goosebumps.
Iceland has mesmerizing primordial looking scenery. This photo is from outside the Blue Lagoon near the Keflavik International Airport.
The geothermal water and volcanic landscape of the Blue Lagoon near Keflavik, Iceland.
If you’re interested in reading more about Iceland (and seeing some more photos), I have published a blog post about our tour of the Golden Circle route outside Reykjavick, Iceland.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
You are so right about Paradox. I never use it in this form because there is something “not right” when I see rounded shaped grow from straight lines. I only do Paradox in a single square or a triangle. I do teach it your way though. Can’t impose my weird feelings about this great tangle on my students LOL! Glad you had another nice trip someplace most of us will never see. Wonderful to meet up with old (did I really mean it that way?) friends š
That’s OK. Old is good.
Good choice of straight tangles. Nice!
Loved hearing about your trip and nice nice tile!
Glad to see you back…missed your posts. And also enjoyed the photographs, as well as being happy for you to have had such a great trip.
Great tile…cubine is one of my go-to tangles.
Joyce
What a great picture to be straddling the line between the west and east at the Prime Meridian. I have never been to Iceland, but my brother and his wife had an exchange student from there and have been to visit a couple of times as well as my niece going to visit there too. I sent a Zentangle with my niece last year when she went to give to the now woman and mother of 2. Ahhh, life just moves on.
I really like your tile. Amazing what can be done with straight lines. Very beautiful paradox. š
Your tile with the straight lines is beautiful. I do have the same feeling about Paradox as Jean, that’s the reason I didn’t use it in this challenge.
I noticed you were gone and am glad you were just out there on the edge. Welcome back! Love the pics and the tile.
Beautiful photos! Great Diva tile too, I love the choiuce of patterns.
Welcome back Suzanne, I saw all the pictures of Iceland, they are beautiful and I am glad you have had a wonderful time in this special country. I have visited Iceland 3 times: for swimming in the Blue lagoon, for horseriding on these special horses, for visiting the national Park and of course for seeing the northern lights… I was there one time in the summer and two times in the winter, the weather was always bad but still I have had a good time and took 3 times a swimm in the blue lagoon, just WOW.
I like the composition and the tangles you have chosen for this challenge very much!
Love the straddle (smile) and the tile. I love all your tiles. Someday I’m going to get you to make me one to hang in my office. Some are so intense and dramatic. I love doing arm-chair traveling with you!!
Hi Suzanne – really loved following your trip to Iceland. Never been, as I said, but am fascinated by the country, the scenery, the history and the atmosphere it seems to create.
Nice straight line tangles – I also like how some straight lines create the illusion of curves – Paradox is a brilliant one for that!
Axxx
Great tile Suzanne and love the paradox! Looks like you had a wonderful trip. Would love to visit Iceland myself one of these days!
Love the illusion of curviness achieved by using Paradox. Well done!
We did use two of the same patterns – fassett and tripoli. I like your paradox split.
Many thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures!
I Love your tile. A wonderful composition of straight lines!
Lovely Diva tile. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos – sounds wonderful. I hope to visit Iceland one day…
How cool, to stand on the edge of a tectonic plate! wow.
cool challenge entry. I notice in Fassett, where you left out the corner lines, there is a flatness to it, complementing the deeper looking parts that have corner lines. You’ve added a great deal of interest, drawing it that way. And of course, Paradox is always scrumptious. good work
I love that tile! The straight lines are so dynamic. Thank you for sharing your travel pics. What an amazing trip;-)
I’ve been enjoying armchair travelling with you! Great tile with lots of depth. I too love that Paradox is made with straight lines, but ends up with curves! Nicely done!
Wow you have been on the edge and back! love the choice of tangles that you have used. Iceland looks beautiful…must visit soon! thanks for sharing your trip.
I love how paradox produces curves when you use multiples of them. Great tile and your trip looks fantastic.
Wonderful post and a beuatiful tile!
Your tile is great, really does show the depth and movement that can be achieved with straight lines and shading. Thanks for the beautiful travel shots.
Great artwork, Suzanne! Love your choices for straight lines that end up curving around. Thanks for sharing your travels. The question you posed put in motion an entire blog post!
https://1xeritas.blogspot.com/2016/10/on-edge.html
Thank you for the inspiration! Cheryl