Welcome to the Zendala Dare and a Zendala tile giveaway

Your probably wondering what the Zendala Dare is.  Well, I have been thinking about doing some type of Zentangle link up for some time.  I had come up with a few projects, some themes, and a few other things that I will keep for a surprise on another day but none of these options was really speaking to me.  The one thing I did keep coming back to however were Zendala's, a hybrid of a Zentangle and mandala.   

I first started paying attention to Zendala's when I participated in the Diva's Challenge #25.  It was a guest post by Genevieve Crabe, CZT.  She gave us a relatively simple template and challenged us to fill it with tangles.  I was immediately smitten.  I actually did 2 challenge tiles that week which is a rarity for me. 

This was my first attempt at a Zendala.  I felt like it was a little busy 

My second attempt was more what I was envisioning.
I think it has a better flow.

I was immediately on the hunt for more templates but I soon realized my options were limited.  I did find a few more of them on the Internet but most were very complex or didn't lend themselves to Zentangle.  I focused on other Zentangle endeavors and soon found myself at CZT training in Rhode Island.  There were so many beautiful pieces of work being displayed by my fellow students but the one that really caught my eye was a book of work by my fellow CZT Lesley Scott-Gillilan.  All of the work in her book was beautiful but she had these amazing Zendala's.  I could not imagine how she created these templates.  The intricacy of each one was so beautiful and amazingly detailed that I headed back to look at them again and again.  When I finally introduced myself I asked her about the templates and she told me that it was a technique she had learned from Carole Ohl, CZT.  I talked to Carole and she told me they were Snowflake Mandala's.  She had learned this easy technique from someone else and it eliminated the need for math.  You simply create a paper snowflake, like the ones we made in elementary school, and use that for your template.

My first snowflake mandala.  9 x 9 inches

  
Carole told me the complete directions were in a new book by Suzanne McNeill, CZT called Zen Mandalas.  When I returned from Rhode Island I ordered the book right away.  Big mistake!  When the book arrived I automatically had the urge to call in sick to work.  This is the kind of book that makes you want to create for days.  It has lots of info, cool techniques, and amazing examples.  There are completed pieces by Carole Ohl, Suzanne McNeill, and Margaret Bremner.  The book is a must have, and no, I do not work for the company!  There are also directions in the book for geometry based Zendala's.  I tried these techniques as well with good result but wanted more.  I craved more complexity in my templates but knew it would involve math.  So I offered up a lunch invite to my little brother AJ, an engineering major, and figured he would tell me how to do it.  I explained my task and he started talking tangents, arcs, radius's, trapezoids and a whole bunch of other things I told him I couldn't remember from high school geometry.  He quickly informed me this was trigonometry not geometry, and that's why I was unfamiliar.  HELLO AJ!  Your sister does not do trigonometry, she became a paramedic because there wasn't a whole lot of math involved (and oh yeah, that thing about helping people)!  I realized that AJ wasn't going to be able to help me so I told him to finish the french dip I was buying him and to please not use any more math terms during lunch.  AJ did mention however that there may be some computer programs that could help me out.  

That brings us to today.  Through a mix of basic geometry, computers, hand drawn shapes and snowflake templates I have been able to create and array of templates and I would like to share them with you.  Each week I will be posting a Zendala template perfect for tangling.  Some weeks we will take it easy and just complete a template, other weeks I may choose to dare you to use a color, specific tangle, or maybe a prompt that could take us in exciting directions.  So let's get started, if you dare!

A few notes about the Zendala Dare:

• This is not a contest.  This is a place for people to share their work and not worry about being judged.  There are no requirements for entry other than to complete the piece and place your link below if you like.  
• Each Friday I will post general parameters and a new template for the Zendala Dare.  If for some reason you can't adhere to them, then modify them.  This is more about stepping out of your box than adhering to strict rules.
• In each Zendala Dare post you will find links to templates for that week.  The templates are in PDF format and are provided in 3 sizes.  One link will have a page with the template for a standard 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch Zentangle tile as well as a template for the new 4 5/8 inch round official Zendala tiles from Zentangle. You will notice that on that page there is a thick line around the templates.  This is to make it easy to line up your tile for transfer.  If you are unfamiliar with how to transfer the template to a tile click here to watch a video that shows you an easy way.   There will also be a link with a page that has a template that fits an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.  
• Templates are my property and may only be reproduced for personal use.  You may use them to produce finished work you intend to sell or give as gifts.  The unfinished templates however, may not be reproduced for sale.  Only Certified Zentangle Teachers may reproduce my templates in quantity to be used in a class.
• I am providing a link up below so that we may be inspired by and learn from each others work.  Please only post links that link back to a specific post for this challenge.  Posts that link back to a blog home page will be deleted.    

Ok!  Lets get started.

Zendala Dare #1

We are going to start off easy.  This week I am daring you to jump in.  Nothing to crazy, just fill in the template using your favorite tangles.

Here is this weeks template:

Link for standard tile and round Zendala tile template


Link for full page template


I decided to go all out for the first Zendala Dare and created both a standard Zentangle tile and a round Zendala tile.  I was amazed at how differently they turned out considering they are from the same template.  

Tangles:  Printemps, Pendrills, Apeel, Worms,
Socc, Riverstones, Hollibaugh,

Tangles:  N'Zeppel, Courant, Buttercup, Tipple,
Knightsbridge, Fescu,

Go ahead and share your entry into the Zendala Dare by entering a link below.

You know you want to!

Now for the important stuff.  A giveaway!  To get everyone's Zendala juices flowing I am giving away a set of the new official Zentangle®  Zendala tiles.  

The tiles come with 2 each of 9 different Zendala templates and 3 blank tiles for a total of 21 tiles.  The tiles measure 4 5/8 inches and are the perfect size.  These are so much fun!  You can enter 2 different ways.  Become a follower of my blog and/or submit an entry to the Zendala Dare.  You must leave a comment on this post for each entry. You can only be entered in the giveaway if you leave a comment below letting me know how you participated.   So if you become a follower and enter the Dare please leave 2 comments.  The giveaway will close at midnight, Thursday, April 19, 2012.  I will announce a winner in the post for the Zendala Dare #2.

I would also like to hear your feedback about the Zendala Dare so feel free to leave me a comment letting me know what you think.  This is a work in progress and I would love to hear your suggestions.

If you are interested in learning more about Zentangle® click here.  You can find a Certified Zentangle Teacher in your area by clicking here.

Hope you all have a fantastic week!

Until next Friday.....

Erin