As someone who has studied, taught— and struggled with— composition for a while, I like how Zentangle allows the drawing experience to flow without a lot of thinking about the elements of composition. Sometimes, there are decisions to make, like the scale of the patterns. Should I make it big? Balance large with small? Or value: where will the pattern be light, or dark, or middle gray? Usually, ideas about composition just happen; other times it takes a little more planning.
The challenge issued by the diva this week was to use pea-nuckle and well, two tangles with about the same level of complexity. So, I called on my composition-brain to add some variety.
I drew pea-nuckle down the left side and in the upper right, at two different scales and one with a darker background. The well tangle is at a very large scale in the center, and much smaller at the lower right.
The resulting tangle grouping is not one of my favorites. I think it is not as fresh and immediate as usually happens for me. I’ll chalk it up to experience. Next time… less thinking and planning, and more letting go, letting things happen.
crafthatchery 