Hi and welcome back to the Chrissie Murphy Designs Blog. As we make our way through the Magnified Fragments Project, I have been trying to share about each fragment in a blog post. I’m running behind in this process. Today we are looking back at Fragment A6 using Zenbossing as an Enhancer. Let’s get into it and I’ll fill you in on all you need to know.
Now before we go any further – I have a disclaimer I’d like to share. I have signed up to be an Affiliate for Amazon Australia. It means that I get a small percentage from the sale of anything you may purchase through links I use in my blog. Just want you to know before we get into today’s post.
The Expressive Bits
What is the Magnified Fragments Project and where can I find out more about it?
Well in short, it’s the biggest zentangle project I have ever undertaken! There is greater detail about the project and what’s involved in the very first blog post for the project – Magnified Fragment A1 using Echo Lines as an Enhancer
We’re currently about 20% of the way through the project, having nearly completing all the B Fragments. Most importantly though, you are still welcome to join us – you can join in and follow along using the hashtag #MagnifiedFragments at any time.
If you’d still like to learn more, check out our Magnified Fragments Gallery! It’s full of all the fragments that Expressive’s have created in the project so far. It’s absolutely amazing!!
What is Fragment A6 using Zenbossing as an Enhancer?
Above is a close up of Fragment A6 that is featured in the Zentangle Collection of Reticula and Fragments book by Zentangle founders, Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas.
I have created a tile using this fragment as my string. In doing so, I effectively magnified it.
Zenbossing was the enhancer for this tile. Eglee Torres Zuleta, CZT EU4 put forward the idea of Zenbossing. It’s a technique developed by Anica Gabrovec, CZT. A few years ago I did an Artist Interview with Anica, you can check it out here. She’s such an inspiration to so many of us in the tangling community.
In relation to zenbossing Anica says, “The secret to this technique lies in the proper positioning of shades and highlights.” Here’s an example of the technique that she features on her website. It’s Anica’s work.
You can see I missed the mark well and truly!
I chose the following tangles for Fragment A6 using Zenbossing as an enhancer:
- Verve by JJ LaBarbera.
- Nvelope by Alyss Amster CZT
- Printemps by Zentangle
What does it mean in terms of my artistic work as a whole?
This tile is a great example of what I believe about expression. Yes I’m disappointed my zenbossing hasn’t worked out as well as I had liked, but the tile is so much more than that.
It’s a time capsule. It’s a record of where I was at in a period in time and what the Lord can do with it when it’s surrendered to Him. It speaks to the doubt I was holding in my heart about the challenge. It speaks to the trepidation I was feeling, and a deliberate attempt to psyche myself up to do it (you can see that by the colour). But when all of that is surrendered, He is able to turn it into something beautiful.
I know this is intimate, probably more intimate than anything I’ve ever really shared, but I am such a believer in surrendering ourselves to the Lord in creation. Expression is His business. Just look at the way He expresses himself in creation. Visit the Boulders in Babinda, North Queensland, if you need confirmation.
How can you take this idea and be more Expressive?
What do you do when things don’t work out as you hoped? Do you bury the tile in the bottom of a draw so it never sees the light of day again? Do you put it in a prominent place so you’re continually reminded of your mistakes?
Expression is a God given bi-product of who we are. Scripture says that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. I like to think it’s the same for our hands and what we create. It all comes from the abundance in our hearts.
The dictionary defines abundance as “a great and plentiful amount”. We can be holding a great and plentiful amount of hope or sadness or grief or joy, for example, in our hearts, and out of that abundance our mouths speak and our hands create.
So I ask again, what do you do with that piece that didn’t turn out as you hoped? Do you see it for what it is…. An outpouring of the abundance in your heart.
Surrender that abundance, whatever it may be, and see what the Lord can do with it. Every tile is precious, regardless of how it looks, because every tile is an expression of you.
The Factual Bits
The materials used
- Zentangle Tile
- Uniball Signo Gel pens in Hot Pink and white
- Grey Copic Markers in W4, W5 and W7
- Prismacolor Premier Coloured Pencils
- Distress Inks in varying colours
How big is Fragment A6 using Zenbossing as an Enhancer?
It is 4 inches x 4 inches square.
Want to be more Expressive?
Join the Expressive’s List to begin to learn ways you can start to express yourself creatively. With the Lord there are no moulds or limits, just possibilities, and the promise of unearthing who you were created to be.
Expressive Subscribers receive an email each month that contains creative inspiration and ideas, links to helpful resources and a month’s worth of journal prompts to stimulate creative expression. These prompts are a great way of learning to express yourself when you’ve never really tried it before. Fill in your details below to sign up.
Until next time, listen to your heart and sharpen your coloured pencils. A masterpiece awaits!
Bless you my friend
Chrissie xx
