Thursday, April 19, 2012

Zentangle, Schmen-tangle!

I stay away from controversial subjects and negative issues on this blog.

At the risk of life and limb I am going to talk about something that might be considered controversial.
I have been doing what is now called Zentangles with the quilting on my quilts long before there was such a thing called Zentangles.

In this closeup you can see how I used a different filler design on each section, leaving the "Bolt" unquilted to make it stand out.


This is a closer view of one section of the quilt.


This quilt was made by dye painting a design and then overpainting the dye painted area with paints.



Using filler designs is not unique to me. Many quilters have used this way of working for a long time - even before the popularity of machine quilting.

Basically I see Zentangles as simply creating a design with open spaces and filling those empty spaces with a design. Correct me if I am wrong.


This shows the entire "Bolt Of Color" quilt.
The border was done with a piece of hand dyed fabric that related to the painting in the actual quilt design area.
The painted sections have been extended to divide the border into areas relative to those sections.
The quilting filler designs also are happening in the dark border areas, although they are not as easy to see.

Are Zentangles the result of someone taking a basic design idea, taught in many art classes, and capitalizing on it to make a lot of money?

3 comments:

Robin said...

I just heard of that term yesterday at my LQS. I wasn't impressed with the books they had about it. Love your quilt. I have seen others done in that manner at quilt shows.

Helen from Hobart said...

Zentangle is a rigid format for doing doodles. Most of them are very simple using repetition of simple lines + dots and shading.

Not very many of them work for quilting. Most quilting fillers are much freer than zentangles.

Zentangles are great for people who think they can't draw. Quilters are more creative than that - we fit into any space without lifting our pens or following a format.

It needn't worry us creative folks.

Robbie said...

Hi Kay! I'm just getting caught up on posts!!!! Zentangles is a fancy word for what you and others have been doing...but as with everything...there is a name for everything!!! Your piece is wonderful!! Even Carol Fallert was incorporating 'zens' in her quilting years and years ago! Who knew! Have a safe trip home! now to read more of your posts!!!