“Get rid of the box” is exactly up my alley!! When I saw Laura Harm’s posting this morning, I knew exactly what I was going to do…..tangle on this 12″x 16″ canvas that has been sitting on my art table starring me in the face. I had just barely started it a few weeks ago when I had a disaster happen.
Even though my favourite is tangling on Zentangle tiles and paper with microns, I love doing unique pieces but I have to force myself to go into the “unknown”. And canvas is definitely an “unknown” for me. Never having done any kind of art on canvas, this was a bit intimidating. I have tangled on wood and on fabric but never on canvas. Last fall, one of our CZT’s posted a canvas piece that she had done using a Sharpie oil based extra fine marker. I immediately wanted to try and bought a canvas and a Sharpie. But then the disaster happened. I had started by drawing “Fengle”, one of my favourites tangles and within a few minutes I was in a real mess. You have to be very careful with these pens. They are the type that you have to pump to get the ink to come out. Well, pumping that pen turned into a big splat! Fengle became a mass of black ink.
My first instinct was to throw it but since that is against my principles, I had to just relax and take a deep breathe and put it aside. My mother taught me many many years ago, that anything can be salvaged, one way or another. With a little time and different perspective, there is always a way.
Well, I found the way. I turned “Fengle” into a big giant black tangle with white orbs and this morning got out a white oil based Sharpie and “Tippled” Fengle to death. So my splat turned into something kind of cool and I spent the afternoon adding several of my other favourite tangles.
Working with an oil based Sharpie goes really fast. It is a bit tedious at times having to be careful of smudging but all in all, it was a very enjoyable afternoon. I definitely will do another!
Thanks Laura for this weeks diva challenge. Otherwise my big black splatted Fengle would still be waiting.
Take a few minutes and go see all the “Get rid of the Box” masterpieces that are being posted on Laura’s site this week. There are some amazing ideas and techniques. Lots of things to “Get out of the Box” with.
Thanks for stopping by!