This review appeared on TanglePatterns.com by Linda Farmer
AlphaTangle – A Truly Tangled Alphabet is “an adorably teeny (4″ square) book of alphabet letters” created from “official” Zentangle® patterns. It comes from the creative mind of CZT® Sandy Bartholomew, author of Totally Tangled. Many official Zentangle® tangle patterns are named within the drawings and each letter of the alphabet is formed from several of the patterns with names starting with that letter. For example, the letter A is drawn using the patterns Avreal, Ambler, and Ahh. Each letter has its own page in the book with an equally delightful facing-page illustration. According to Sandy, “The original art was drawn with a Micron pen and shaded with pencil. AlphaTangle® was intended to provide inspiration for fellow Zentanglers.” If you are interested in identifying many (by my count, 77) of the original 102 official Zentangle® patterns, and enjoying Sandy’s take on the drawings, this teeny book AlphaTangle is worth the teeny price of admission for your Zentangle book collection. This review appeared on TanglePatterns.com by Linda Farmer
Totally Tangled by Sandy Steen Bartholomew – this softcover book from CZT® Sandy Bartholomew is a must-have reference for Zentanglers and doodlers alike. Formally trained in illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design and New York School of Visual Arts, Sandy is an author, illustrator, mixed media artist, and business woman who runs her own “creativity general store”, mini-gallery, studio, and teaching studio in New Hampshire. These endeavors clearly show in the creativity of Totally Tangled. Lavishly illustrated in Sandy’s whimsical and engaging style, this 52-page (including cover) delight contains directions for 107 (my count) patterns. Most are Sandy’s creations, but she also includes patterns by 11 guest artists, and 5 “official” Zentangle® patterns. Totally Tangled begins with an illustrated section on tools you’ll find helpful, and suggestions on how to make the best use of them in your tangles. Next Sandy reviews the basic steps of creating a Zentangle® followed by tips and techniques on shading, color, contrast, and how to create depth and roundness. As a rookie Zentangler, I found these pages really valuable and refer to the them often. Then come the patterns! Lots of them, with step-by-step illustrations and tips sprinkled liberally throughout the pages. There are also examples of Egyptian, Japanese and Mehndi designs, and Zendalas for further inspiration. The final 10 pages include lots of creative ideas on Zentangle applications, ideas for strings, more sources of inspiration, and tangling with your kids. It concludes with an alphabetical index of all the patterns in the book for easy reference. Totally Tangled is full of inspiration and creative ideas for your Zentangling pleasure. I’d venture to bet that you’ll be hooked in no time with this book at your side. And you’ll be amazed how your kids will love this too – it’s a great hobby for the whole family. As the back cover says, “Can’t draw? Stressed out? Even if you are an artist and feel perfectly calm … Zentangle is for you! Learn to focus, relax your mind and boost your creative confidence. No Kidding”. Seriously. You want this book in your Zentangle® library. This review appeared on Sandra Strait's Life Imitates Doodles blog...
It won't be the easiest thing to stay objective with my review of this book. Because some of my tangle patterns and zentangles are included. *does the dance of joy* But I'll do my best. The book has 115 tangle patterns, if I counted correctly. Each chapter has a 'theme'--patterns based on grids, patterns based on the flow of water, patterns based on japanese and egyptian designs and more. Brief, but specific tips on techniques are sprinkled liberally throughout the book. For those of you looking for help with shading, Sandy avoids the technical, but gives you very specific information on different types of shading. Great emphasis is placed on the reader learning to expand his or her own creativity. The book is full of ideas for creating strings, discovering your own patterns, and using the patterns you've learned. The bulk of the tangles are Sandy's, but she has also allowed 11 other artists to share their tangles. I've listed the patterns in the book below, by the artist (see review online for list). I suspect many of you have been following some of them, and want to know which of their patterns are included. Totally Tangled Size: 8.5" x 8.5" (21.6 x 21.6 cm ) Pages: 52 Portability: Easily carried, but too big for most purses and a little thick for folders. This is the first page of the article. You can download the entire thing, for free, HERE as part of a transfer techniques e-book. |