Progress on Tangle Teaching Tree

I've been working on my wall mural and would like to share two of my finished birds that perch in my "Tangle Teaching Tree." I will still have some shading to do on them and who knows, in the end I may add color to just the birds. But that's a decision I can't make yet.

My Classroom Mural Underway!

I'm getting ready to host art classes at my in-home studio in Estes Park, Colorado (hopefully by summer). Am having fun with my "Tangle Teaching Tree" design. That's what I'm calling the mural that I have begun to Zentangle. When teaching a particular tangle, I can then easily point it out it as it's used in the tree. When finished, my quaint space will fit about seven students around a large table, me, and my teaching tools; computer, speakers, white board, etc.

I'd like to share the process of my design and decorating in steps as it's more fun than just viewing the finished product.

1. I primed the walls with a Benjamin Moore "Natura" semi-gloss acrylic paint. 
2. Then I sketched the contour on the wall based on photos my favorite local cottonwood tree. 
3. I sprinkled the branches with diverse birds  - more will probably follow. But this is a good start. 
4. I am drawing on the wall with various sizes of black acrylic paints that are housed in a pen-like casing with a foam tip. They are made by Montana. You see them pictured in a glass on my wooden ledge. I bought them at Guiry's in Boulder where I got good advice on what best to use.
5. I have started adding tangle patterns and is it ever fun! I will be shading with soft graphite and or gray acrylic washes. Still experimenting with that. 
6. I wish I could do this all day. But alas, there's that "real job" I have!

Stay tuned for the finished wall mural and later my in-home class offerings!

Back-to-Back Botangle

For me it was a bit of a teaching marathon last Saturday and Sunday. But who's complaining? I  got to teach in the historic surroundings of the beautiful Waring House located at the Denver Botanic Gardens and then at the ultra creative shop, Two Hands Paperie, in Boulder. Best of all, I got to share my passion for Botangle/Zentangle with my dear friend Lis who, to my delight, has been bitten by the Zentangle bug. No wonder! Look at these amazing results. I'm so proud of all these mini works of art by everyone.

Botangling at the Denver Botanic Gardens'  historic Waring House.

Student work in progress.

More Botangle anemones in progress.

Botangle by Lis - finished after class. I hope the rest of my students were as obsessed about finishing their Botangle anemone as Lis was. Her finished piece (first EVER Botangle) is incredible!

Having fun with white on black at the Two Hands Paperie.

Zendalas - student work after just a couple of hours. Wow!