Tangle-Inspired Botanicals: Exploring the Natural World Through Mindful, Expressive Drawing

131 Pages·2017·38.374 MB·English

by  Sharla R. Hicks

Tangle-Inspired
Botanicals
Exploring the Natural World Through Mindful, Expressive Drawing
Sharla R. Hicks, CZT
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© 2017 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. ISBN: 978-1-63159-288-1
Text © 2017 Sharla R. Hicks Digital edition: 978-1-63159-426-7
Photography © 2017 Sharla R. Hicks, except page 128, which is
Softcover edition: 978-1-63159-288-1
copyright David La Neve
Digital edition published in 2017
First published in the United States of America in 2017 by
Quarry Books, an imprint of Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Hicks, Sharla R., author.
100 Cummings Center Tangle-inspired botanicals : exploring the natural world
Suite 265-D through mindful, expressive drawing / Sharla Hicks.
Beverly, Massachusetts 01915-6101 ISBN 9781631592881 (paperback)
Telephone: [phone]. Nature in art. 2. Drawing--Technique.
Fax: [phone] NC825.N34 H53 2017
QuartoKnows.com 700/.46--dc23
Visit our blogs at QuartoKnows.com LCCN 2016056819
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in Cover Design: Shubhani Sarkar
any form without written permission of the copyright own- Cover Image: Sharla R. Hicks
ers. All images in this book have been reproduced with the Page Design and Layout: Sporto
knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, and no Photography: Sharla R. Hicks and David La Neve
responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for Illustration: Sharla R. Hicks
any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the
contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to Printed in China
trace the copyright holders and ensure that credits accurately
comply with information supplied. We apologize for any inac- The name “Zentangle” is a registered trademark of Zentangle,
curacies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or Inc.
missing information in a subsequent reprinting of the book. The red square logo, the terms “Anything is possible one stroke
at a time,” “Zentomology” and “Certified Zentangle Teacher
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
CZT” are registered trademarks of Zentangle, Inc.
It is essential that before writing, blogging, or creating
Zentangle-Inspired Art for publication or sale that you refer
to the legal page of the Zentangle website. Zentangle.com
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Make Your Mark!
Beauty surrounds. Make Your Mark!
Monumental grandeur demands. Embrace Chaos.
Creation reverberates. Embrace Tremor.
Pattern integrates. Embrace Fear.
The soul resonates. Embrace Muse.
Embrace Rhythm.
Make Your Mark!
Art, many come wounded. Make Your Mark!
Expression blocked. Fear. Engage Fear.
Structure embraced. Engage Logic.
Repetition seized. Engage Intuition.
Line, dot, curve, the stroke. Engage Stroke, Form, Rhythm.
Engage Petal, Leaf, Tree.
Make Your Mark!
Stop. Make Your Mark!
Listen.
—Sharla R. Hicks, 2016
Feel.
Embrace.
Engage.
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Contents
Introduction 8 Lesson 3 The Line Dance: Bow to Intuition 24
Set the Stage: Ergonomics of Drawing 10 Lesson 4 The Shape Dance: Bow to Logic 26
Helpful Vocabulary 12 Lesson 5 The Team Dance: Define and Refine 28
Pens and Paper 14 Lesson 6 Invite Curves to the Line Dance 30
Lesson 7 Is the Dance Over? Time to Stop? 32
CHAPTER 1
Lesson 8 The Tripoli Dance 34
Find Your Rhythm with the Dancing Duo: Logic
and Intuition Explore Botanical Lines, Strokes, Lesson 9 Glide Through S and C Curves: Point, Hook,
and Patterns 17 and Spiral 38
Introduction The Tango of Expressive Botanicals 18
Lesson 1 Repetitive Pattern: The Dance between
Logic and Intuition 20
Lesson 2 Find Rhythm in the Strokes: The Counting
Exercise 22
ƒ Fantasy Entangled, 2012, 8" x 10" (20 x 25 cm)
Creating Fantasy Entangled gifted me profound joy. I vividly
recall that day, where I was sitting, how the pen choices
changed with the light from morning to evening, and the over-
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whelming feeling of gratitude. For the first time, I had found 2
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CHAPTER 2
Working in a Series: Blending Tangles with
Expressive Line 41
Introduction What Is a Series? 42
Lesson 10 Expression in Nature: The Essence of the
Undulating Line 44
Lesson 11 Expressive Partners: Pen Marks and
Weighted Lines 46
Lesson 12 The Line Equalizer: Shade, Shadow, and
Dimension 48
Lesson 13 The Jazz Dance: The Undulating Zigzag 52
Lesson 14 Verdigogh’s Partner: The Expressive
Line 54
Lesson 15 The Mooka Botanical Dance: Form a Hook and
Cross Under 56
Lesson 16 Magical Pens and New Backgrounds Partner
with Expressive Line 62
Lesson 17 Expressive Guidelines Partner with Verdigogh
and Mooka 64
CHAPTER 3
The Alchemy of Texture and Line Embellishment 67
Introduction The More is More Factor: Natural Textures
and Patterns in Nature Offer Inspiration 68
Lesson 18 The Heavy Lifters: Blackout, the Background,
the Frame 70
Lesson 19 The Implied Frame Engages the Audience 74
Lesson 20 Circles, Orbs, Pearls 76
Lesson 21 The Double, Triple, Quadruple Outline 78
Lesson 22 The Stripe 82
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Lesson 23 Checks, Checkerboards, Grids 84 Final Words of Advice 126
Lesson 24 Teeny Tiny Betweens and Intentional Artist Contributors 127
Intuition 86
About the Author 128
Lesson 25 Shapes and Strokes Dance with the
Acknowledgments 128
Daisy-esque Posy 90
Lesson 26 The Petals Dance with Variation and
Exaggeration 92
CHAPTER 4
Adding Expression Through Shade, Shadow,
and Highlights 96
Introduction Shade and Shadow in Nature 98
Lesson 27 Shading Tools and Tips 100
Lesson 28 The Pencil Partners with Expressive Line, the
Outline, and Blue Pastel 102
Lesson 29 The Circle and the Leaf Meet Pillow Shading
and Cast Shadow 104
Lesson 30 Shading Dances with Undulating Line and
Overlapping Shapes 108
Lesson 31 Grounded Landscape Shading Partners with
Verdigogh and Mooka 110
Lesson 32 Black Backgrounds Partner with Shading and
Highlights 112
Lesson 33 Neutral Backgrounds Partner with Pen Line,
Shading, and Highlights 114
Lesson 34 Bring Color, Shading, and Highlights to the
Botanical Dance 116
Lesson 35 Reeds & Weeds Meets Color and the
Grounded Landscape 118
Lesson 36 Pulling It All Together 124
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Introduction
Life often includes profound moments: falling in love, the birth of a child, the
death of a loved one. As an artist, equally profound moments have shaped my
creative journey and led to writing this book. The first time I saw Zentangle® )
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was one of those moments. c
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In 2010, I was shown a tangled journal and recognized the black-and- x 2
white patterning from my earlier op-art and morphed patterned works (see 20
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opposite). I excitedly turned each page and knew a revisit was coming. Using "
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large paper, black pens, visual vocabulary, and repetitive patterning, I gave " x
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myself permission to draw from “my imagination” and not worry about 0,
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rendering the perfect drawing. 0
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My world blossomed. s,
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I am grateful for all I have learned from my art education, creative retreats rcl
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and workshops, Certified Zentangle Teacher training, and a lifetime of doing
art. Each has helped my work evolve and morph into a unique style of repeti-
tive patterned botanicals. The purpose of this book is to share the gifts I have
discovered through daily practice and the jubilance of finding my artistic
voice through tangle-inspired botanicals using expressive lines and curves
to develop shapes and forms.
It is a privilege to share lessons that blend together my formal art studies
using logic, intuition, visual vocabulary, design, composition, and color with
my love of nature, photography, pen, pencil, oil painting, watercolor, and
pastel, as well as the craftsmanship of printmaking, assemblage, collage,
tailoring, embroidery, quilt making, and textile art. Today each genre has
coalesced into a fusion of mixed-media experimentation and unique
tangle-inspired botanicals.
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8  Tangle-Inspired Botanicals
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