Birthday Month

  August happens to be "the birthday month" in our family. My mother, mother-in-law, and I are all August babies. Singapore, the country we live in, also celebrates its birthday on the 9th of August.

  Side note: Because it's Singapore's birthday this month, the theme for week one and two of August's 7F5R Challenge is red and white. Create a tile using the colours red and white and post it in the group. We'd love to see what you create.

  Do you like birthdays? Do you celebrate your own birthday?
  I enjoy birthdays, but I prefer to spend them with family and close friends, a quiet dinner, and perhaps a yummy chocolate cake.

  I asked the same question to my students at Toa Payoh Central Community Club and some of them said they were like me, while some of them said they'd rather not think about their birthdays at all. hahaha

  Yesterday was the last day of July's classes. Here's what my students created:

  And this was what one student created in her sketchbook as homework. My students continue to amaze me, again and again.

  As for me, I've been busy, too!

  Here's the tile from Debbie that I showed you in my previous post. The gemstones on the tile are real ones.

  Whereas these gemstones are drawn. I just wanted to draw a bunch of gemstones without tangling, so this is what I came up with. I might one day add tangles to the tile.... but you know how sometimes things turn out so well that you don't want to draw more, for fear that you might ruin what nice things you've already drawn? hahaha. Yes, I feel that way for this tile.

  Here's a Zendala, also with gemstones. I have no idea why the photo is not centred. 

  Lastly, this was what I drew for this week's Tea & Tangle. The featured tangle was "Klomp".

  During this session, Debbie and I talked about pushing past your creative comfort zone and trying new things. It's good to have tangles that you like and go to often, but it's also important to try new tangles- especially ones that you normally don't draw. (For me, that's grid-based tangles.)

  What's a tangle you've recently learnt that you'd like for me to try? Let me know in the comments section.

  That's all I have for you right now. In my next post, I'll show you a bunch of Travelling Tangles Project tiles that I've completed.

  I'll see you again soon. Until then, keep tangling!

Draw-wings

  Here's my sketchbook page for this week's Zentangle challenge. The Diva wanted us to create a tile to celebrate Earth Day, and Joey wanted us to use the tangle "Spoken". I tried to make my page colourful and resembling a sunset.

  Here's a page that I did just for fun. Featuring Fant-ik, Ilac, Diva Dance Waltz, and Printemps. I'll be teaching these patterns in my May classes.

  And here are some envelopes I created for the Travelling Tangles Project.

  I added some wax seals on the back of these envelopes.

  Pretty, isn't it?

  And here are some tiles that two of my students created last week. They are eight and twelve years old.

  Also, if you haven't seen it already, I posted a "How to Draw a Pink Gemstone" tutorial a couple of days ago.

  Thanks for dropping by. I'll see you next week. :)

school holidays are coming up. join a class!

  During the school holidays, we teach a holiday program. These classes follow the same lesson plans as our weekly classes, but instead of having one class each week, you attend four consecutive classes. This program is great for adults and children who want to learn about the Zentangle method but do not have time outside of the school holidays to attend extra-curricular activities.

  Teacher Joni will be teaching a holiday program at Changi-Simei Community Club from the 21st to 24th November 2017 (Tuesday to Friday). From 10am to 11:30am each day.

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  As for me; I'll be teaching a Course Xpress class at Aljunied Community Centre on the 23rd of November 2017 (Thursday). 2:30pm to 3:30pm.

  Course Xpress classes are like trial classes. However, they are only held during off-peak periods (Mondays to Fridays, between 9am to 5pm). These classes are aimed towards home-makers, students, and senior citizens. The classes are one-time off and only last for one hour. Materials will be provided for by the teachers, but you will only be allowed to bring your art work home. These classes are a great way to try out Zentangle, to see whether you'd want to take part in regular weekly classes. Each class is an affordable $10 for non-PAssion card holders; $9 for PAssion card holders; and $3 for senior citizens.

  I also hope you saw my previous post regarding our new multi-flap greeting card classes. What's a "multi-flap greeting card", you ask? Watch this little video I posted on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BZigpQ9DrCx/?taken-by=havepen_willdraw

  We'll be using Tombow dual brush markers, and you will learn so many different techniques on how to use them... Misting, colour blending, how to create gradients... And best of all, you'll learn how to draw gorgeous gemstones! Ahhh~ It's going to be so much fun!

  If you'd like a link with all the classes that we're going to teach, you're in luck. You can copy this link to share with all your family/friends: http://stephaniejennifer.com/learn

new classes and all that gems

  Last term, as part of our weekly classes, we learnt how to draw pearls using coloured pencils. This upcoming term, we'll be learning how to add some colour gradient to our tangles to give it that extra pop of fun. 

  If you'd like to join us to learn how to do that, here are the dates that our weekly classes will fall on:

• BUKIT BATOK EAST ZONE 3 RC: (Next to Bukit Batok East Community Club. To get to the RC, you can take bus 173 from Bukit Batok bus interchange and alight at Blk 254.) 1:30pm to 3pm. Saturdays. 21st, and 28th October, 4th, and 11th November 2017.

• CHANGI-SIMEI COMMUNITY CLUB: 4pm to 5:30pm. Tuesdays. 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th November 2017. 

• TOA PAYOH CENTRAL COMMUNITY CLUB: 7:30pm to 9pm. Wednesdays. 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th November 2017.

  We'll also be teaching craft classes. The earliest one will be happening at Toa Payoh CC on 1st November 2017 (Wednesday), 7pm to 9pm. This class will teach you how to use fabric markers to draw your very own creation on a beautiful cotton tote bag. A one-of-a-kind creation. 

​Here are other two venues that we'll be teaching a tote bag craft class:

• BUKIT BATOK EAST ZONE 3 RC: (Next to Bukit Batok East Community Club.) 25th November 2017. 1pm to 3pm. Saturday.

• PASIR RIS EAST COMMUNITY CLUB: 2nd December 2017. 10am to 12pm. Saturday.

  In addition, we're also thrilled to announce that we will now be teaching greeting card classes! The class will focus on helping you learn how to use colours in your Zentangle art and how to draw gemstones...

 In the two hour creativity class, you will get to learn a number of Zentangle patterns and how to combine them to create a multi-flap greeting card. You will also be taught different techniques on how to use Tombow dual brush markers such as misting, colour blending, and how to create gradients. You will also be taught how to draw beautiful gemstones that you can use to add a spark of magic to your art work.

  We know you've been waiting so long for us to come up with a class like this, so we do hope these classes will be well-received.

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  Excited? So are we. Here are the venues, dates, and timings of the greeting card classes:

• CI YUAN COMMUNITY CLUB: 28th November 2017. 10am to 12pm. Tuesday.

• BUKIT BATOK EAST COMMUNITY CLUB: 9th December 2017. 4pm to 6pm. Saturday.

• CHANGI-SIMEI COMMUNITY CLUB: 13th December 2017. 2:30pm to 4:30pm. Wednesday.

• TANJONG PAGAR COMMUNITY CLUB: 17th December 2017. 10am to 12pm. Sunday.

How to Draw: Ginili

  Here's a mini tutorial on how you can draw Ginili.

book and Kickstarter announcement

  I'm so excited for the new projects I'll be taking on soon. I'm planning to make a book (or rather, an art zine since it'd have a soft cover and will be about 30 pages only). This first volume will be A4-sized and will showcase Zentangle pieces from my sketchbooks. I have all the art works ready. They just need to be scanned and sorted, edited and then sent to print. I'm aiming to have them out by December, in time for Christmas. :) How quickly time flies.

  Aside from that, I'm planning on creating a Kickstarter project. It'd be small-scaled compared to some other projects on Kickstarter, but it'd be a pet project... something I've had in mind for quite a while now. And I want to make it a reality just to prove to myself that I am capable of great things as long as I put my heart to it. I'm aiming to have that up by the start of November.

  Fingers crossed that both projects will go without a hitch and be successful. I'll let you know via this blog and my newsletter when I make progress on them and they are up for you to look at and support. You can subscribe to my newsletter via this link.

  That aside, here are my tiles for the weekly challenges... Here's my tile for Joey's challenge:

Featuring N'zeppel.

  And a page in my sketchbook for Diva's Challenge:

Featuring crazy N'zeppel. Her example tile had basic tangles, so I went back to basics, too.
It's nice to do that once in a while.

  Anndddd~ The November/December school holidays are almost here. So I've been busy with coming up with new lesson plans for my craft classes. Here are samples for the greeting card class that I'll be teaching:

  They were made fully with Tombow markers. And during the class, I will be teaching different techniques on how to use your Tombow dual brush markers such as misting, colour blending, and how to create gradients. You will also learn how to draw beautiful gemstones that you can use to add a spark of magic to your art work. Here's a video, for you to see how cool they are. 

  I'm so excited to share with you how I created these greeting cards. If you live in Singapore and would like to find out when the greeting card classes will be up for registration, be sure to be subscribed to my newsletter.

  "Don't wait for opportunities. Create them yourself."

How to Draw: Abeko as a String

Abeko is such a pretty tangle, and it's versatile too! Learn how to draw Abeko as a string by watching this video.

Watercolour Background with Tombow Markers Tutorial

  A short and sweet tutorial on how to create watercolour backgrounds using Tombow Markers.

playing catch up

  Goodness, how time flies. It's been a while since you last heard from me, eh? Here's a small part of what I've been up to in the past month or so.

... I completed my November Tanglelendar beautifully. December's page didn't go so well and I abandoned ship. But January's page has been alright. As always, you can download your own free template of the calendar via this link.

... I made Christmas gifts for my family and friends.

... And I held holiday classes. Here's some tiles that I did with a group of kids (and two of their teachers) from a student care centre.

  I hope 2017 is starting off in a great way for you, and that your year will be filled with creativity, happiness, and good health. I'll be back to my regular posting from now- once a week post, at minimum. Plus, I'll be back to posting on my YouTube channel soon, too.

Colours!

  I have been kept really really busy this week with Zentangle classes. It has been a whirlwind of email-sending to confirm classes, keeping track of inventory (because heavens knows how quickly pens run out once you start teaching classes...) and going to and fro places that I teach at.

  I taught a bunch of kids and have again gotten used to the interesting/funny/weird things that children say. It's lovely to be around such creative minds that are so willing to learn whatever you teach them. And I must remind myself, again, of how lucky I am to have found my passion at such a young and have the good fortune of doing what I love every day.

  In one class, I taught "Million Air", a pattern by Staub Korn, a dear Zentangle artist friend of mine.

  Here's my tile that I did back in May, shortly after Staub posted the step-outs to the tangle...

  And here are the tiles of Avan (8 yrs), Huda (9 yrs), Lih Ying (8 yrs), Estelle (14 yrs), and Winnie (9yrs)...

  It's a wonderful tangle to teach to show students the difference shading makes, and I will definitely be teaching it again. You can see the other tiles that the students created via this link. Onwards to tiles I received from the Travelling Tangles project!

Here's what Alice Hendon sent me.

And here is how I completed it.

Another tile! This one was sent to me by Pat Floerke.

And I added lots of organic tangles...
Plus some colours using my Derwent Coloursoft coloured pencils.

  It felt really good to work with coloured pencils again when I've not done so in such a long while... I really like how the colour palette came out. Once again, if you'd like to join an international collaborative Zentangle group, go over to the Travelling Tangles group on Facebook.

  And one last tile done just for fun... Have  I showed it to you before? I can't remember...

  It seems like I've taken a liking to Mooka... And to think that I previously didn't like it.

(You might be interested in: Stephanie's Mooka)

  Thanks for dropping by. I hope you gained some inspiration. I'll see you next week. :)

Molygon Mayhem

  I had planned to put this post up after I'd finished teaching a class, and boy am I glad I waited. Look what Mihika finished the week before. (She's just twelve years old.)

We had done a class on black tiles last week. She combined that with her knowledge on Zengems from a previous class with us, and voila. I'm so proud of her.

  Want to learn to draw Zengems? I have tutorials on my YouTube channel. You can view them by clicking this link.

  Last week, I was all caught up with using my new Zig Brushables for shading. But at the start of this week, I went back to using a graphite pencil to shade a tile, and it was like falling in love with graphite all over again... There is this softness to graphite that I just can't recreate with markers or ink. And I haven't yet mastered how to blend completely smoothly with markers...

I made this Artist Trading Card (ATC) for a friend who is currently studying in London.
When she came back to Singapore during her school holidays, I had showed her the Zengems I'd made and she loved them so much. She also mentioned she loved feathers. So here we are- something I hope will brighten her day when she receives it.

  Recently, I also visited the Singapore Art Museum. And one of the art works I wanted to show you was this piece titled, "Bloodline of Peace" by Suzann Victor. It's a really large scale work... 40 metres by 2 metres (131 foot by 6 foot).

Visitors shown in picture for sense of scale.

It is a beautiful piece made of fresnel lenses hooked together by metal pins...
And the lights that were directed onto the piece illuminated it so beautifully. Just look at those light patterns on the wall... I stood in awe of it for a few minutes.

But the symbolism behind it was even more beautiful. In each segment of the art work, there was a single drop of blood contributed individuals representing Singapore's ket communities such as the armed forces, medicine, civil defence, the arts, and the pioneer generation.

The explanation card for the art work states, "Blood is life, visceral, and when drawn by force, it implies brutality, pain, and death. Yet, when donated voluntarily, it is an act that saves the lives of loved ones- and strangers- during medical emergencies. Ultimately, the symbolically rich gift of blood signifies the utmost sacrifice for a fellow human being and for a nation, and poignantly, peace- that most fragile of conditions- can oftentimes only be attained, upheld and protected through a willingness to make this highest sacrifice." A transient state of peace is defined by the absence of war and bloodshed.

  I thought it was richly significant to Singapore's history, especially since we celebrated our country's 50th anniversary last year. I can only hope that Singapore continues to stay a safe country to live in for the next fifty years to come. I thought the art work to be beautiful and hope you liked seeing pictures of it, but onwards to something less morbid, though...


  Have you tried the new tangle "Molygon"? I'll admit, I wasn't a fan of it when it first came out, but I had a student request to have me teach it during class... So I persevered and eventually, I fell in love with it. I made many many coloured tiles to play with because Art Friend is currently having a sale on Canson papers/sketchbooks. (I'll be writing about that soon... But just know that they're currently selling Canson products at a price that probably is the lowest you'll find worldwide! Whilst stocks last, so if you're a Singapore reader, do hurry down soon.)

  Here's one of the tiles from the batch, that I did for the Diva's weekly Challenge:

Done on Canson paper cut to an Apprentice tile size. With coloured background done using Derwent's Inktense blocks.

And here's a page from my sketchbook where I explored many different possibilities for Moygon. It was lots of fun to create and I'm very proud of it.

  Thanks for viewing. ^-^  I hope you have a wondefully creative week ahead of you~

school holidays are great

  In case you missed the post I made on my Facebook fan page... I had a Zentangle introductory class with four wonderful kiddos last Friday. Joni made banana smoothies for all of us, and the class went really well. 

Concentrating on her tile...

  And here are the finished tiles~

  Would you like to learn about the Zentangle method? Find out more via this link. Everything Is Art is also currently offering a December special. Five classes for $170, to be completed within this month. Great for kids who are currently having their school holidays. Contact me, Stephanie, at stephanie@everythingis-art.com.