[If you’re new to the Zentangle concept, you can read my take on it here.]
This week the Zentangle Diva asked us to use the “Colours of the Rainbow” in our response to her weekly Zentangle challenge. (No, she didn’t spell “colours” wrong. The Zentangle Diva is Canadian.) As many Boomeresque Zentanglesque followers know, I’m still learning about using color in Zentangle Inspired Art. I’ve been enjoying the work I’ve seen where people paint or otherwise color the surface on which they will tangle, so I decided to give that a try. I used colored pencils. Lesson #1: Colored pencils do not blend with a smudging stick. The silver lining could be that because the color doesn’t “move” once it’s applied, it is easy to use a Copic felt tip marker on top of it. Here’s what I came up with:
This white Congregational Church on the college green was the view from my fresh”man” dorm window.
It’s probably a good thing I wasn’t an “official” tangler yet when I studied in this reading room in the old Stetson Library on the Williams College campus. As you can see, both the floor and ceiling could provide inspiration.
I’m late to the challenge this week because I was in Williamstown, Massachusetts attending my 40th (gulp) reunion at Williams College. The quintessential rural New England campus, nestled in the Berkshire Mountains, still gives me goosebumps as it did when I arrived as a 17 year old fresh from a large, big city public high school.
*Williams College students and alums are known as “Ephs” because the school was founded in 1793 based on the will of Ephraim Williams.
Where did you attend college or university as an undergraduate? Do you have fond memories or—not so much?
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Ohhh…. I like this one, pretty colors. Have you tried Crayola Roll-up colored pencils? They’re my favorites.
I took my first college class as a 33-year-old wife and mom. San Jose State University. Graduated, went back 8 years later to earn my MA and 2 years after that I was invited to teach a course at SJSU, which I did for 3 1/2 years and loved it.
Except for 1 excruciatingly difficult math class, I liked my time at SJSU as an adult learner.
I haven’t tried Crayola roll ups. I’ll keep an eye out for them. Congratulations for going back to school and earning your degrees. A lot of people think that college educations are “wasted” on the young and a lot of masters programs only accept people who have had some professional experience in their field.
My bad…. “Twistables” not “roll-up” Crayola colored pencils. 😉
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of “twistables”, but I’ll look for them. Thanks.
Hello!
Beautiful colours, Suzanne! I think they blended really well with your use of copics. In particular, I like the purply, pinkish tones in your piece 🙂 In a good way though, your sand-swirl reminds me of fresh brains, but I think it is probably just the colour 😛 😛
Like you I am also only just learning about colour in Zentangles. I really need to get out there and experiment sometime!
<3
Hmm. Thanks for your comment, Debbie. Interesting. I don’t deal with fresh brains very often. Are they green? In a way, the n’zepple in pink/purple looks like brains—-assuming one was already thinking about brains.
Your color blending is so lovely! I think that is the hardest part. I love that you layered pencil and marker. Great idea with beautiful results. Love it!
Brave girl. And it works, doesn’t it? Your colours look pretty smooth but here’s a tip, it doesn’t matter because when you tangle over less than perfect colouring, the imperfections fade into insignificance. Win Win. I think your piece here is excellent, by the way.
Beautiful colours and patterns. I like!! 🙂
J’aime bien cet essai de ZAI en couleurs. j’avoure que pour moi c’est difficile de mélanger des dessins noirs avec de la couleur, j’ai l’impression que le noir va baver sur la couleur et la ternir. est-ce qu’il faut rajouter les ligne au feutre noir après avoir fait le fond coloré. C’est peut-être cela que je devrais essayer?
I like this try of ZAI in colors. I admit that for me it is difficult to mix black drawings with the color, I think that the black is going to besmirch the color and to tarnish it. It is necessary to add line to the black felt-tip having made the colored bottom. It is maybe it that I should try?
( I am a little handicaped in my comments by the English language which I do not master well.)
Christine, merci for your comment and for even writing it in English. I can assure you I wouldn’t even attempt to write one in French. 😉
Lovely circles of colour – and no, I didn’t spell it wrong…I’m English! I never noticed how Laura had spelt it but I know something new now! I find colour difficult but enjoyed this one and love the effects you have achieved in yours.
Axxx
Suzanne, your colors worked beautifully!!!! I especially love the Rick’s Paradox circle…the shading almost looks like a computer generated gradient (which I mean in a very good way–it’s so smooth!)…Maybe we can catch up for lunch one day we’re both in the city for lunch?
My high school just had our 50th reunion. I didn’t go. I’d prefer to keep the memories of the youthful, and full of hope and promise, people that I remember LOL! (Maybe I just don’t want them to see this old and wrinkled crone HAHA!) I don’t even know if my college (Arizona State University) has reunions, but I enjoyed learning more as I was an adult by the time I went back to college the second time. I hope that you enjoyed yours though. I like your overlapping and colorful circles this week!
This is so pretty. I love the glow you’ve achieved with your shading and highlighting. Beautiful depth, wonderful colors! The paradox and sand swirl are my favorites, but they all look great!
as for higher learning, I have three years at UofU as a linguistics major, which I loved. I didn’t finish, which is one of my big regrets….however, my reason for dropping was to start a family, of which I have zero regrets. 🙂