Tanson, a New Tangle

I have a new tangle, a rather baroque, grid-like pattern that I'm calling Tanson (a combination of my last name and my wife's, as well as a reference to "tangle.")  I think it has so many possibilities. Because of the way you create the tangle, there are two different kinds of shapes created--one is essentially rounded, the other "pointy."  You can alter the connecting shapes from "rice" or ovals, fill the interior with various tangles, add more auras, etc.

While I've seen similar patterns in architecture, upholstery, woodwork, ironwork, and the like, the most direct inspiration was a piece of embroidery I saw online:

I played around with it for awhile, first with differentiating the "m-shapes" top and bottom, and then keeping them the same through one whole iteration.  It's hard to explain verbally.

Just some practice tiles . . . .

The tile on the left has the "m-shapes" in different directions for the top and bottom of each part of the grid--they sort of look like little bats!  The tile on the right has the "m-shapes" in the same direction connecting all four "rice" shapes, which then makes two rows of slightly different shapes.

Here are two different versions of the step out, one for submission to Linda Farmer's great Tanglepatterns and the other using a CZT-template from Zentangle HQ.  

And now on tiles . . . . 

Stagger the spacing of "rice" shapes

Connect "rice" shapes with m-shapes.

Connect four rice shapes with "m-shapes" all facing the same way.

Continue in same row.

If you do every other row with rounded m-shapes, then the alternate rows appear "pointy."

Aura the shapes.

You can leave it blank or . . . .

You can add filler, alter connecting points, perhaps even change the "m-shape."

Here is a single Tanson, with Sproing, Crescent Moon, Diva Dance Rock n' Roll, and a tangleation of Diva Dance with Orbs (Diva Dance Ball??)

Here is Tanson in the corner; a single row can also be used as a border.

Happy tangling with Tanson!

My New Tangle: NATHEA

At a friend's lake house for a summer party, I spotted this pattern draped across a chair.

I was inspired and spent the next several days playing with the pattern.

  

Until it became NATHEA!

The template is coprighted by Tangle Patterns.com, where I'll be submitting this soon.

This is an organic tangle that can also be adapted for a grid or even border.  I leave the inside of the tangle empty in the step-out so that you can add your own patterns to the middle; I've tried orbs, petals, lines, and auras.  I hope people will find many possibilities in this tangle.

With more practice, I think a grid of Nathea can become a meta-tangle with hearts--NATHEARTS!

The non-representational name is a combination of the names of my twins, who turn into teenagers next week!

Tangles in a TWYSTY: Experiments in Freestyle Zendalas

I love Zendalas, a circular, symmetrical mandala drawn using the Zentangle method of mindfulness and simple, repetitive patterns.

I especially like free-style Zendalas, not ones that require precise measuring, pre-printed strings, or a stencil.  I want to draw them free-hand, freestyle.   For me it encapsulates the meditative aspect of Zentangle and the focus on "no mistakes."  Using compasses, stencils, or pre-strung tiles, takes some of the creativity out of it for me.  Precisely-measured Zendalas also entice me to stress the perfection of the product over the process.  I find that free-style Zendalas are all about process--slowly drawing the center and working out from there.  True, it's never perfectly symmetrical or balanced; my tangles are usually somewhat off-center.  But I love practicing freestyle Zendalas. So I've been experimenting with central patterns that can easily be expanded symmetrically.  I fiddled with various tangles, as you can see here (and earlier, here).  All were drawn freestyle.

Gneiss

Fengle

Geo-Flower

Arukas

Auraknot

And then I happened upon a new one to me.  I'm calling it TWYSTY.  It's a combo between a four-petal flower, a labyrinth, and a celtic knot. Or two figure-8s or infinity signs intertwined.  Completed, it looks like this (with the addition of some tangles):

1.  Draw "rice" or "petal" shape.  May be pointed or rounded.

2.  Add as many rice shapes as desired, odd or even number.

3.  "Hug" two rice shapes together with a curved line.
 (Or you can make the line come to a point, see example #9 below.)

4.  "Aura" the hug, connecting the tips of the rice.
The first part of the TWYSTY is completed.

5.  Draw behind or "hollibaugh" to create more hugs.

6.  Repeat until all pairs are connected.

7.  Complete as desired.

8.  Here is another TWYSTY Zendala.

9.  Another TWYSTY, this time with more orb-like "rice" shapes and slightly pointed circles.

10.  Another TWYSTY variation:  for this one, after completing steps 1-6 above, add a "rice" shape between the existing ones (adding, essentially, NE, SE, NW, and NE to the compass) and repeat the aura-ing and hollibaugh-ing of the TWYSTY circles.