Zentangle

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This post which includes a video shows how I create three cards with zentangle elements and Altenew flower stamps & dies. These cards were inspired by Amber Davis’ Zentangle for Cardmakers Online Cardmaking Class which is a class I took as part of the Level 3 Altenew Educator Certification Program (AECP).

The repetitive mixtures of strokes of dots, lines, basic curves and orbs that create beautiful images was a revelation to me. I decided to google it and was bombarded with soooo many gorgeous ideas. I can see myself including zentangle elements in future projects, though I know I will not be sticking to black ink on white paper…so unsure if it can officially be referred to as zentangle!

The fundamental distinction between a doodle and a zentange is that doodles are drawn quickly and casually while the mind is elsewhere. Drawing doodles allows the mind to become detached and relaxed. It is drawn out of boredom. Zentangle drawings must adhere to strict guidelines and follow a set of rules. Zentangles are drawn with full concentration, mindfulness, and focus. The patterns are made with disciplined composition, method, designs and patterns.

What are 3 characteristics of a Zentangle?

In Zentangle the drawing produced should not have an "up" or a "down" - it is without orientation. It should not be representative of any certain recognizable object; rather, it should be abstract. The drawing should be completed in black ink on white paper - this is clearly the part of the characteristics that I do not follow.

Check out the video below.

Card #1 - Courageous You

Insert Neenah Solar White 110lb card into your stamping platform and treat card with an anti-static bag. Stamp flower from Courageous You stamp with Obsidian Pigment Ink. Sprinkle Crystal Clear Embossing Powder on stamped flower and melt embossing powder with a heat tool.

Use the coordinating stencil with a small blending tool and mini blending tool and colour flowers and leaves with Volcano Lake, Lagoon, Sunray, Snapdragon, Bamboo, and Moss - these colours come from ink sets Sea Shore, Golden Sunset, and Tropical Forest respectively.

For the zentangle element, use a fine liner pen and draw lines following the shapre and the petals and leaves - there is no wrong way to do this. Use the coordinating die and die cut the flower.

The A7 base card measures 5” by 7”. Cut a black card smaller than 5” by 7” using the Waffle Flower A7 Layers Die Set. Create splatters of white ink on the black rectangle with Pure White Ink Spray and leave to dry.

Back the rectangle black card with fun foam and adhere to the front of the A7 white base card. Back the die cut flower with Instant Dimension Foam Tape and attach to card front atop the black rectangle card.

Sentiment comes from the Courageous You stamp and the ‘happy birthday’ from the Well-Read stamp set. Stamp sentiment with Obsidian Pigment Ink, sprinkle with Cystal Clear Embossing Powder, and melt embossing powder with a heat tool. Adhere the sentiment to card front with the aid of a T—ruler to ensure it is straight. Add gems with a gem picker tool and liquid glue to complete the card.

Card #2 - Fabulous Florets

Insert craft card into your stamping platform and treat card with an anti-static bag. Stamp flower from Fabulous Florets stamp with embossing ink. Sprinkle Pure White Embossing Powder on stamped flowers & leaves and melt embossing powder with a heat tool. Also stamp a flower in the same way on a russet red card.

Use a Uniball Signo White Gel Pen and draw lines on the petals of the flowers and leaves following the flow and shape of the images. Use coordinating dies to die cut the stamped flowers and leaves.

Cut three strips of white card to lay across an A2 kraft landscape card. Two of the cards are at a thicker width and the middle card was thinner. Stamp the sentiment from Well-Read stamp set to left of one of the thicker-width card strip with Obsidian Pigment Ink, sprinkle with Cystal Clear Embossing Powder, and melt embossing powder with a heat tool.

Adhere these card strips, backed with fun foam to the card base front. Back the die cut flowers and leaves with Instant Dimension Foam Tape and attach to card front atop the white card strips. Add black gems with a gem picker tool and liquid glue to complete the card.

Card #3 - Happy Flowers

Cut a Neenah Solar White 110lb card to 10cm by 14cm. Use a fine liner black pen and draw a 3 by 5 table of 2cm squares. Then continue to draw straight lines to create the zentangle pattern shown above.

Stamp flowers from the Happy Flowers stamp set onto a Blush and Rouge card (from the Red Sunset Gradient Cardstock) with Blush and Rouge Crisp Dye Ink (from the Red Sunset Crisp Dye Ink set). Using a stamping platform as double stamping with the dye inks provides a more intense and smooth colour. For the second flower layer, stamp with Obsidian Pigment Ink, sprinkle with Cystal Clear Embossing Powder, and melt embossing powder with a heat tool. Use coordinating die and die cut the flowers.

Attach the die cut flowers with double-sided tape to the bottom of the zentangle pattern. Stamp sentiment from Well-Read stamp set with Obsidian Pigment Ink, sprinkle with Cystal Clear Embossing Powder, and melt embossing powder with a heat tool.

Adhere the card panel to a side folding 10.5cm by 14.5cm black card base. Not using and fun foam or Instant Dimension Foam Tape as I want to send this card via mail to its recipient. Finally, add black gems with a gem picker tool and liquid glue to complete the card.

Disclosure: Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!

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