Dabbling in the Art of Decorative Map Making

A while back, I had the pleasure of meeting artist and calligrapher Sarah Hannah.
While visiting from her home in California, Sarah offered a Decorative Map Making class in the studio of her mother, Kaye Hannah.   (You may recall my post about the Copperplate class I took from Kaye a few years ago.)

The class was delightful and very informative.  Sarah took us through the process she developed through years of creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces for special occasions.  It was a treat to learn from her and be privy to her insights and experience.

As it happened, within a year of taking Sarah's class, our son John was getting married.   What better time to put this new skill to the test, right?

I followed Sarah's advice and asked what landmarks were important to John and his bride-to-be, Melissa, what information they wanted to include, and the specifics of what they wanted pictured.   There were two or three exchanges for adjustments to my initial pencil sketch before the final map was completed.

Here is the black and white version - Micron on Bristol ~

Bruno Wedding Map by Adele Bruno, CZT

After the final approval, I used Derwent Inktense pencils to add color ~

Bruno Wedding Map by Adele Bruno, CZT

Following Sarah's direction, I scanned the map at a high resolution and sent it by email to the happy couple.  

As a result, they could use it in any way they chose - including surprising me by printing it poster size to display at the reception.

My husband and I used the graphic for rehearsal dinner invitations and had a woven blanket made for John and Melissa as a wedding gift (ordered from Shutterfly.com).

I highly encourage you to take a class to learn something new.  Look for classes offered by masters in an area you are curious about.  You will benefit from their years of experience and expertise.    If you haven't had the opportunity to learn from a Certified Zentangle® Teacher, this may be a good time to find one near you.  (Click here for the list of CZTs)  

As Karen (Canberra, Australia) suggested in Monday's IAST #147 post, "Advice to other Tanglers - don't let distance get between you and a CZT.  Jump on a plane and visit one who lives somewhere interesting." .

Finally, make some thing for some one you love and spread the joy, it will return to you one hundred fold.

Enjoy!

Pretty Paisley Class

One of my recent advanced classes centered around the pretty possibilities of paisley.  We tangled a few different versions together and took some home to explore as well.

Here are some of the happy results ~

We found that paisleys are very forgiving shapes.  They can be layered inward and outward and easily adjusted.  We alternated curved and straight lines, light and dark spaces.  Great fun!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

We keep moving forward,

opening new doors,

and doing new things,

because we're curious and

curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

~ Walt Disney

This quote caught my eye because in the past week I taught two classes of "curious" tanglers who took an adventure "down a new path" as we spent a few relaxing hours tangling paisleys.  We used apprentice and regular Zentangle® tiles.  Here is a sampling of my students' work - some completed  and others still in progress - 

Class tiles - Adele Bruno, CZT

Aren't they just beautiful?
Many thanks to Juliane, Maria, Mary, Katie, Kathy, and Michael, for such a delightful class.

Thursday's Class

This morning at the Art House (pictured above), I hosted another wonderful group for a Zentangle® Basics Class.  Eager learners, fabulous company, and now talented tanglers, created these masterpieces ~

Thank you Karen, Judy, Adriene, Victoria, Doris, Kathy, and Karen for such a lovely class.

A Wonderful Class

This is a compilation of work from my Zentangle® Basics class this past Saturday at Sam Flax in Orlando.  It was a wonderful group of students and just look at their remarkable work ~

Thank you Lori, Pam, Gillian, Shay, and Diana for your good company and your enthusiasm for all things tangled.  I look forward to seeing where your new adventure takes you!

Florida Art Educators Association Conference

There is a saying that reads, "If you are lucky to live by the sea, you are lucky enough."

I think of those words and smile when I think of teaching Zentangle® -
"If you are lucky enough to teach Zentangle, then you are lucky enough."

Last week -  with many thanks to Leslie Crumpler and the Sakura Company -  I was lucky enough to teach a group of twenty talented, dedicated, eager-to-learn art teachers at the annual Florida Art Educators Association Conference in Daytona Beach.
Yes, lucky enough to be by the sea AND teach Zentangle!

My three hour seminar introduced the teachers to Zentangle through the use of the  Zentangle Apprentice Program.  Click here to view it on the Zentangle website.

Sakura graciously sent raffle prizes and lesson plans and supplies for the teachers.  We were able to discuss how tangling can be used not only in the art room, but in many other capacities:  improved concentration, behavior,  and retention of information.

Based on the feedback I received from them, the teachers were very enthusiastic about the art method, thoroughly enjoyed their time tangling, and were eager to incorporate Zentangle into their curriculum.  Mission accomplished!

My class was held in one of the many conference rooms set up for the weekend ~

We were able to complete three tiles together.  Here is a sampling of our very first ones ~

I am excited that these teachers have a new life skill to pass along to their students.  The gift of Zentanlge continues...

Zentangle® Goes to College

This beautiful young woman is my daughter Catherine, pictured outside of her office in the Student Union Building at the University of Central Florida.  She is finishing up her term as the Chief Justice of the Student Government Association's Judicial Branch..  (Yes, my buttons are popping!)

For a year-end bonding event, she asked if I would teach a Zentangle® class to her talented team of justices and their faculty adviser.  In the midst of finals, with little detail of the activity they signed up for, they stepped out of their busy lives and last Monday night became students of Zentangle -

Very intent students of Zentangle.  And look at the happy result - a new group of artists unleashed!

Here is the collage of their first ever tiles ~

We completed a monotangle of Huggins for our second tile.  This is Catherine's ~

It was a privilege to meet and work with such an accomplished and talented group of college students.  It is especially gratifying to know they have yet another life skill in their arsenal in the art of Zentangle.  I can confidently attest that, looking to their futures, "anything is possible!"

What a Great Class!

What a great group of students at the Art House this morning!

We had such a wonderful time visiting and tangling.

Here is a collage of the first tiles of the day -

February 20, 2014  Zentangle® Basics Class Collage,  Adele Bruno, CZT

Thank you all so much for coming and for your good company.  Keep tangling - you are off to a fabulous start!