Monday, December 15, 2014

AKOYA.


One of my favorite things about tangling is how one thing often turns into something else, which turns into something kind of unexpected and wonderful. Thought I'd share this serendipitous moment with you, since you're here and all. ;o) I won't blather on... here y'go.




An earlier version (why yes, I did name the file 'holidala'), with ribbon running throughout. The brilliant minds over at the tanglebucket studio facebook page (unanimously) voted for color. Soo glad I listened.







Here's Akoya proper drawn as a simple border, no fluff.






a fancypants little star for the holidays...







I just love this pattern as a border.







 ...the how-to:





If you're not a perfectionist, please disregard the following...

Some helpful hints- 'cause you know I'm way too chatty to just drop and run:

Step 1: Space evenly and draw slowly so your pearls don't end up with tails. When in doubt, go with a smaller pen size or draw a little bigger than usual until you get a feel for the way the elements of this pattern fit together. 

Step 2: This line should start close to the top middle of the first pearl and extend close to the bottom middle of the next pearl. If these shapes aren't slanted enough, there won't be enough room to vary the sizes of the outer lines of pearls in Step 3 and 4. Try to draw each line as an extension of the curve it's coming off of, so you're less likely to have a big 'dent' in between pearls and lines (which is awkward to fill in).

Step 4: To get a good smooth curve, keep in mind that the biggest pearl in the middle is the halfway point of each section, not the end.

Step 5: Make these shapes as big and as round as possible. Draw on the lines that are already there so your circles are nice and big in there. Ideally, you want as few spaces as possible to fill in with black in your last step. The less black fill you have in the middle, the better your final result will look. 

Step 6: Think of this step as spackle, to smooth out those pesky little valleys.




Given my track record this past year, you're unlikely to see another blog post from me before January... soooo, Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Happy Kwanzaa/Happy new year! 




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:oD



20 comments:

  1. Ooo gotta go try it. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. your 'helpful hints' are so . . . well, helpful :) seriously, they help me draw the pattern better. it would take me forever to figure out some of the details you've outlined in your helpful hints. so thanks :) i like the pattern a lot! i have a couple things in mind already to use it for. i love the black and white mandala. (and i really like that 'holidala' name - it's so much fun to say!) hugs!!!

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  3. I just found my new favorite tangle pattern! This is the type that makes me love zentangle. Thank you for the lovely end of year surprise.

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  4. Got a chance to do this tangle last night and used it for the Diva challenge. I'm so happy with the way it turned out! Thank you for the step outs and the great hints!

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  5. Oh, I really like this one! Thank you and I'm off to try it out!

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  6. hey! I used it for the Diva challenge too! Thanks so much.....

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  7. This one really appeals! Circles are somehow so satisfying.! Thanks.

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  8. Ooooo, pretty! Anxious to give it a try. Thank you!

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  9. Ooooo, pretty! Anxious to give it a try. Thank you!

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  10. I love this pattern - maybe it need to go in my Tangle A Day Calendar.

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  11. Such a lovely way to give the illusion of a twist....thanks Sandy!

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  12. I think this is a GREAT pattern. It is so versatile, it can be used almost anywhere. I especially like patterns that aren't that tough to draw but end up looking complex and intricate. Good job!

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  13. This is truly an original pattern. Your added comments make it so much easier to get it to come out well...OK, after a lot of practice. Thanks for sharing this lovely idea.

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  14. This is really attractive, I love circles and this is a beautiful arrangement.

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  15. Lovely! Can't wait to play :)

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  16. Sandy, this is one of the most beautiful tangles I've seen!

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  17. I just want to say thank you! I love explanations...probably because I am a perfectionist :) Your blog is one of my faves in the Zentangle world. So thanks, for all your time and inspiration!

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