8 Hour Grid Tangle - Breaking the Rules

This is a drawing that I spent 8 hours drawing, coloring and shading. That's about the average time I spend on larger drawings now, but this was one of the first that I spent so much time on. I remember as I was using the graph paper to create these patterns, that I really wanted to color this purple and orange. I didn't really care that these two colors don't typically go together, I just really wanted some contrasting colors that I don't use very often and I just wanted to color some of the drawing. I used pencil instead of markers to create the appearance of different textures within the drawing. I really wish the shading showed better on camera because in person it's a unique effect.

If you've been a long time viewer of mine, you might have noticed that I like to "break the rules" when it comes to colors and even technique. I like finding my own style. If you research how to choose colors and how to shade, there's many resources on how to do it the "right" way. Even in my Zen Doodle Unleashed book I have the "right" way outlined, but I also stress that this isn't nearly as important with tangle patterns as it is with realistic drawings. I use shading in areas that I think it will look good.

Using graph paper is a great way of experimenting with different patterns that requires grid lines to create the pattern. I like to use 4x4 graph paper when I am trying new patterns and a smaller 5x5 when I want to create a detailed drawing. When I don't need a grid for the entire drawing, I will create grid lines with just a ruler and pencil in a few select areas and the size of the graph will depend on how large I want the pattern to be in the drawing.

Here's the video for the drawing. Please don't listen too much to the audio. I no longer teach classes through ANU, my classes are with Skillshare instead.

Blended Sharpie Tangle

Sometimes spending a little extra time is really worth the effort. Blending Sharpies can be a time-consuming process but I don't think I have ever regretted putting the extra time in.

Just like with shading with pencil, it adds dimension to the drawing. I actually like shading/blending with Sharpies better than just shading with pencil because of the bold colors. There are times where I might be criticized for the colors that I choose because they don't match or "go together." Putting miss-matched colors together is one of my favorite things to do because you never see certain colors together and doing so makes my art stand out...or at least that's what I tell myself.

Lately when I've been blending Sharpies, I choose just a few patterns to blend instead of all of them. This makes it so that the patterns I choose to blend stand out more than the other patterns. Also, another benefit to doing it this way, is that it doesn't take quite as much time to finish the drawing.

In the video below, the drawing probably only took about an hour but the blending of the Sharpies added at least another two hours. I really like this little drawing, and apparently it's well-liked around the internet as this is one of my most viewed videos!

Tangling with Shading

When I was creating this drawing, I was thinking of different patterns that look much better when they're shaded. There are some patterns that are detailed enough where it doesn't exactly matter if they are shaded. The patterns I chose this time have gaps or overlap so the shading really adds dimension to the drawing.

Another thing that shading does is help to cover up small imperfections that happened while drawing. The shading draws your eyes away from those imperfections so you can enjoy the drawing as a whole.

I used a very basic mechanical pencil and a blending stump to shade this drawing. Shading this way is easy and is sometimes frowned upon by those in the art community. Most prefer a more technical way of shading such as crosshatching. In my opinion, to use crosshatching in a tangle, takes away from the beautiful patterns that were created.

Here is the drawing for today:

Sharpie Tangle Bookmarks - Cutting My Art

This freeform tangle I created with Sharpie and Bic Markers is a very popular video on my channel with over 500,000 views. It's one of my favorite tangles that I've done. It took maybe 2 or 3 hours to draw. I like this one a lot because I didn't overthink this drawing at all. I put colors together that probably shouldn't go together. I didn't think about shading or creating depth. Honestly it was a very simple and free tangle.

What's funny about this video is that I did cut this drawing into some bookmarks and the comments really reflected horror in me doing this. I am not one to become attached to my drawings and I knew this one was going to be cut up when I started it. Although I did like the final look of the drawing, I didn't feel upset when I cut it up for bookmarks.

There's only a few drawings that I feel any kind of emotional attachment to. My daughter asked me one time how I would feel if my drawings all caught fire or were stolen and I told her I would be grateful I no longer had to find a place to store them all. I draw because I like to draw. I don't really care about the end result which is why I sell, abandon or give away a lot of my original art. I still have several boxes of original artwork that I keep in my closet. With 4 books and 500 videos, that's a lot of art! So, cutting them up and re-purposing them is not a big deal to me.

Pretty Purple Mandala - Derwent Pencils

This mandala is actually a Zendala and was created using my Staedtler compass with a black Sharpie and my Derwent Coloursoft pencils. The colored pencils were a recent purchase and I was looking for a way to experiment with them a little bit. These are my favorite colored pencils I've ever worked with. They blend nicely and have a really good coverage unlike some less expensive colored pencils. Sometimes I think paying a lot for art supplies isn't really necessary but when it comes to colored pencils, I really recommend investing in a set that is going to be a little pricier.

Now that I've worked with these pencils for over 3 years now, I have found other techniques with these pencils that yield better results than what you will see in this video. For example using a blending marker will help the pencils blend together flawlessly.

This Zendala is one I am very happy with. There's a red and orange mandala that was very similar to this purple one that I didn't record the drawing. Here is a photo of that mandala and the video of the purple one.

Zendalas and Filming Time

Once I started learning how to mandalas, I had a goal of figuring out how to incorporate patterns within the Mandalas. The result is a product called Zendala. I had done a few of these Zendalas before but while I was sick one day, I wanted to work on a piece that was a little more intricate and technical. I decided to fill a page with these Zendalas that are both overlapping and intersecting.

This video is different as it's just a series of scanned images instead of a timelapse drawing. Being sick at the time, I didn't want to draw at my desk so I just sat on the couch huddled under my blanket and scanning the progress of the drawing every hour until it was finished. I don't like this way of filming but it is convenient when I want to draw and upload a video but I'm not feeling well enough to sit at my desk for hours.

When I talk about how long it takes to draw a piece, you can usually double that time for how long I am actually sitting at my desk. This has a lot to do with the fact that I have ADD and it's very difficult for me to focus on a project for an extended period of time when I'm not on medication.

This type of Zendala project is one I've done a few times but it does take a long time so it's not something I do very often. Watching this video again has made me want to try doing another project like this sometime soon.

Inspirational Quote Tangle

I love this tangle. It was the first time I decided to use an inspirational quote within the drawing. It's quite a basic drawing but it was the start of something new for me. I also blended Sharpie and Bic markers which was a process I was continuing to perfect.

This drawing and coloring piece took a few hours to complete. Most of the time was spent on coloring the tangles. The look of the completed piece was very close to what I imagined in the beginning which was unusual for me at the time.

I've done a few more quote tangles and quote doodles over the years, and every time I do one I like to try something different. I am still in the process of figuring out how to make this type of tangle be my own unique style but I'm loving the process.

Zentangle of Walter White

Breaking Bad is one of my most favorite shows of all time. I started watching this show on Netflix after all of the seasons were released. That's what a prefer to do with any show I watch. I'm a pretty impatient person so when all the seasons are released, I can binge watch the whole show.

Anyway, I was looking through some Google images of the show and I found a simple outline of Walter White's face that I was sure I could recreate. I wasn't planning on making it a tangle of Walter White but once I started drawing the face, I thought it would make a good base for a tangle.

It took a couple of hours to finish this drawing but I am quite happy with the way it turned out. As usual, there are a couple things I would change if I were to draw this now, but there's not enough I would change to make me actually re-draw it.

This was a fun process to try out and it's something I might do again, but for now I'll let Walter White be my one Fan based drawing on my channel.

How I Blend My Sharpies

Blending Sharpie markers without any type of alcohol is a technique I figured out on my own. I remember looking at videos showing Copic blending and at some point I realized that Copic markers and Sharpie markers are both alcohol markers. So I wondered if I could create the same effect with my Sharpies.

It took some time, and I'll admit it was a frustrating process until I figured it out, but once I figured out how to blend Sharpies I had a whole new way of coloring my tangles and doodles. It was probably one of the most exciting times in my entire drawing career.

So why didn't I just buy Copic or PrismaColor markers? Well, they are expensive! I knew that I liked the way the blending looked, but what I couldn't get over was the cost of these markers. Back in 2013 there weren't as many inexpensive options for alcohol markers. I also knew that this type of coloring wasn't something I was going to use in every piece of art I create so investing in expensive markers wasn't something I was interested in.

Since this drawing, I do have a set of inexpensive alcohol markers and more than a handful of Copic and PrismaColor markers. Although I do like these markers, and the blending process is much easier than with Sharpies, I find myself using the Sharpie method more often than not. In my opinion, Sharpies have a much bolder look than other alcohol markers and I like the bold look.

Two tips I have for blending Sharpie markers is that the markers need to be new or close to it. Using a dry marker makes it difficult or impossible to blend. The next tip I have is to work in small sections without allowing the layers to dry. Allowing the layers to dry, makes it very difficult to blend the Sharpie. It will take some practice so keep trying and don't give up!

5 Hour Zentangle-Developing My Style

This tangle is really when I started developing my Freeform Tangle style. That is, using the patterns without the separation of a "string" that the Zentangle method depends on. I had done a few before this drawing but I believe this was the first time I spent a significant amount of time letting different patterns overlap each other.

I really enjoyed the process of drawing this tangle. I could really see my art developing into something I could count as my own. I was still in the process of figuring it out but this was the beginning of being on the right track. Eventually I added shading and different sized patterns for more dimension, and color for more interest.

Something I say quite a lot is that even if you use a technique that has previously been developed, find a way to make your art distinguishable from others creating the same type of art. To mimic another's art is a good way to get started in a new field of the world of art. However, if you continue to mimic, it will be really difficult to develop your own style. It may take awhile to figure out your own style, but keep trying and you will figure it out.

Zentangle on Patterned Scrapbook Paper

Let me start off by saying that I really love this drawing. It was a lot of fun to do. I think part of the reason it was so fun is that the pattern on the scrapbook paper took the pressure off to create a completely original drawing. Using a page like scrapbook paper or coloring pages to have portions already blocked off for patterns is a great way to practice new patterns.

There's a lot of ways to practice new patterns and using scrapbook paper or coloring pages is one way. I like to use this method after I've figured out the basics of different patterns and I'm ready to see new patterns together. This is a great way of discovering what patterns work well together and what patterns should be separate on a page.

Mandala Flower and Vines

Wow, I am not 100% sure what to say about this drawing. I am very surprised at the popularity of this video. It was a very simple drawing that only took a little over an hour to draw.

The design was inspired from a Google image search. I cannot find the original image although I've looked several times. I was hoping to show how you can use images as inspiration without completely copying the image.

I do like the way the final image looks. This was one of the first mandalas I drew that wasn't using a compass. I sort of let the mandala grow naturally and eye-balled the divisions of the mandala. I must admit that I didn't put as much effort into this drawing as I have for others. This is one of the reasons I am so surprised that the video has over 200,000 views.

When I look at some of my most viewed videos/drawings, I've noticed that a lot of them are ones that I didn't overthink and over-plan. Sometimes just letting things be a little simple and not trying to hard is what people are looking for. I think this is because it lets people know that it's something that they can do if they put their mind to. Simple drawings aren't as intimidating the way more detailed drawings can be. That's just me guessing at the popularity, but I can't say for sure.

Zentangled Mandala - Pushing Through Mistakes

This little mandala didn't turn out the way that I was expecting. The solid black lines were not supposed to be solid black lines. You can see that by the way that I started off the drawing. As I was going over the penciled lines with my pen, I made a mistake which caused me to have to make the lines solid. I remember being really disappointed by having to change this vision of what I was planning.

When I make mistakes like this, I tend to start over again, but this time I decided to keep going. I will say that the disappointment did cause me to choose more simple patterns than what I was planning. Apparently when I make a mistake, I let it effect me a little more than I should.

Over the years, I have learned to work around the mistakes that I make in a drawing, but I must admit that there's still a part of me that gets annoyed by my own mistakes. What's funny about that is most of the time, no one other than myself would even know that a mistake was made.

This is something that I try to impress upon my students. Even when you think there's a mistake beyond repair, keep going. There's a great possibility that the mistake will not be noticeable once you finish the piece.

Black and Red Zentangle

For this tangle, I was really looking forward to using this new ribbon technique that I taught myself. I like the way the ribbons turned out, I just wish that the patterns looked a little more polished, but I keep reminding myself that I was still learning new patterns at this stage of my channel. I practiced the ribbons over and over again, but only practiced that patterns a handful of times.

One thing I like about this drawing is the way the shading looks. It was something I was still trying to perfect at the time and I think it looks really nice. I can't remember exactly how long this drawing took to complete but what I do know is that the shading took longer than it would now. I guess the more you practice something, the easier it is to accomplish and the less time it will take to create.

This tangle is one that I plan on trying again soon with my own patterns, maybe with different colored ribbons.

January Tutorial Challenge & Playlist

Welcome to a new monthly series I'll be doing throughout 2018. In the beginning of each month, I will be posting a playlist with the tutorial videos for that month. I encourage you to try these patterns out and create your own drawing for the end of the month. If you follow along and create a final piece, I would love to see it! If you follow me on Instagram  tag me in your photos so I can see what you've created. It will take me a couple months to figure the best way to upload these little tutorials but for January, I've decided to release all of the tutorials at once in a playlist. HAVE FUN!

CLICK HERE FOR JANUARY TUTORIALS PLAYLIST!

2018 - A Whole New Year

I am not perfect and 2017 really proved that to everyone who follows my YouTube, FaceBook, Blog, Books or anything else in my art world. I kind of disappeared without explanation to anyone. My brother has asked me numerous times when I am going to post another video and I haven't even explained things to him.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with my art. I was continuing to draw while not on camera because I love it, but I was frustrated with my "professional" side of art. There were things that happened that were beyond my control that made my earnings drop severely. The money I made with YouTube and my books with my publisher were severely cut. It was disheartening to put over 40 hours a week into art and not receiving a check some months.

There was something in my personal life too that was causing a big barrier in me creating videos. I've never discussed this publicly but I suffer from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). I was on medication for awhile but because of insurance and the cost of my medication I was not on meds for longer than I should have been. What happens when I am not on medication is that it's very difficult for me to complete tasks, I become easily distracted and frustrated, and tasks that should take an hour take several hours.

As much as I would love to get into what it feels like for me to draw with ADD, not on meds, and having distractions like my earnings dropping, I can't really describe it without sounding like I'm whining but I'm going to try. The best way I can really describe it is like this. Imagine you have the best job ever and even though you're not getting rich by any stretch of the imagination, you're able to pay your bills and have a little left over to save. Then one day you're told, "hey, you still need to work 40-60 hours a week doing what you've been doing, but you now get paid 50% less than what you had been earning. If you decide not to put the hours in, we'll drop your pay by another 15-20%." Even though you might love your job, it suddenly feels like being forced out of a job you love because you can no longer pay your bills.

Anyway, while I've been off camera, I've been really thinking about what I want to do with YouTube and everything else. I seriously considered just letting everything go. It was a depressing thought but the thought of continuing to try only to continue to fail was more depressing.

Now that I am back on my ADD medication, I am able to fully think things through and analyze things until I reach a conclusion. I had to go back to the beginning and think about why I started recording my drawings to begin with. It was never to make money or to get recognized. I knew from the beginning that I was never going to be rich from my videos. I started recording my drawings because it was fun and I wanted people to learn the art I was growing to love. As my channel grew, I have loved communicating through the comments section and through Facebook and other social media. That aspect has never gone away no matter how frustrating the behind the scenes stuff got.

This made me realize that I really do want to keep going with my art on social media no matter what that means. I've spent the last part of 2017 working on a schedule that will keep me on track with my posts. I'm not saying I won't get frustrated again but I do know that I am going to keep going. I hope you all understand and will stay with me as I transition into this new schedule.

I can't promise that I will be perfect with my new schedule. I wish I could. What I can promise is that I'm not going to disappear for months again. 2018 is a whole new year and I plan on making this the best year yet.