In my last entry I told you I’m taking over the blog of my publisher today. This blog and the one at freudemitzentangle.de (only in German) will be linked to each other and on every first day of the month I have a special goody for you on both sites: the first German Zentangle-Challenge!!

Challenges are just plain “in” at the moment. Be it Zentangle or vegan food or ice buckets, every topic has its own challenge. (In case you don’t know about challenges: The challenger (that will be me) provides a subject or challenge, and the challengees (that will be you) do their best to fulfil it. This is meant as an opportunity for the participants to come out and do something new, to learn new things, and possibly to go beyond your usual limits and grow bigger and better.)

And so, without any further ado, let’s get started with the new monthly challenge:

May I introduce? The Pattern Mixer

The Rules are simple:

On every first day of the month I will randomly (or sometimes not so randomly) choose two patterns. Your job will be to merge these two patterns on a Zentangle tile.

Anyone who has a Blog or a Flickr account (or any other means of presenting the finished tiles on its own webpage) may participate. To do this, you just add your website to the tool at the end of the challenge page at freudemitzentangle.de (I will provide a link for you). Please be sure to enter only the specific site that has your tile on it, not the starting page of your blog! The readers of the two blogs will then be able to see your works of art by clicking on your link.

Of course you may also participate without showing your tile on the internet. Just let the challenge inspire and … well… challenge you to new ideas and possibilities.

How do I mix the patterns?

Generally speaking, thereare three basic ways of combining patterns and you should choose at least one of them for your tile.

1. Tangle in a tangle: You draw your first pattern a bit larger than you normally would and fill the empty spaces in your pattern with another tangle. Example

2. Combining elements: You take elements from one pattern and integrate them into the other tangle, thus creating a new pattern. Example
   

3. Merging: You make smooth transitions from one tangle pattern to the next, sort of letting one pattern melt into the next one. Like this.

Remember that the most obvious solution is not always the best!

And now, let me wish you happy tangling and mixing!

 Today’s patterns are:

Mooka

Rixty

Here’s my own entry for this month:

KLICK HERE TO GET TO THE PAGE WITH THE LINKY TOOL! (Scroll to bottom of page)

To let others see your finished tile, please click the link given above and scroll to the bottom of the German text about this month’s challenge. Where it says: “Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets” you can enter the URL of your website (Again: Please be sure to enter only the specific site that has your tile on it, not the starting page of your blog!) and look at the other participants’ entries by clicking on their links.

Have fun!

🙂

Anya