Sharla R. Hicks - Tangle-Inspired Botanicals: Exploring the Natural World Through Mindful, Expressive Drawing

Rim of the World, Arrowhead Fire

Fantasy Entangled, 2012, 8" 10" (20 25 cm) Creating Fantasy Entangled gifted me profound joy. I vividly recall that day, where I was sitting, how the pen choices changed with the light from morning to evening, and the overwhelming feeling of gratitude. For the first time, I had found my artistic voice as the tangle-inspired botanical intuitively evolved, morphed, and emerged.

Life often includes profound moments: falling in love, the birth of a child, the death of a loved one. As an artist, equally profound moments have shaped my creative journey and led to writing this book. The first time I saw Zentangle was one of those moments.

In 2010, I was shown a tangled journal and recognized the black-and-white patterning from my earlier op-art and morphed patterned works (see opposite). I excitedly turned each page and knew a revisit was coming. Using large paper, black pens, visual vocabulary, and repetitive patterning, I gave myself permission to draw from my imagination and not worry about rendering the perfect drawing.

My world blossomed.

I am grateful for all I have learned from my art education, creative retreats and workshops, Certified Zentangle Teacher training, and a lifetime of doing art. Each has helped my work evolve and morph into a unique style of repetitive patterned botanicals. The purpose of this book is to share the gifts I have discovered through daily practice and the jubilance of finding my artistic voice through tangle-inspired botanicals using expressive lines and curves to develop shapes and forms.

It is a privilege to share lessons that blend together my formal art studies using logic, intuition, visual vocabulary, design, composition, and color with my love of nature, photography, pen, pencil, oil painting, watercolor, and pastel, as well as the craftsmanship of printmaking, assemblage, collage, tailoring, embroidery, quilt making, and textile art. Today each genre has coalesced into a fusion of mixed-media experimentation and unique tangle-inspired botanicals.

Circles, 2010, 8" 8" (20 20 cm)

Butterfly, 2010, 12" 9" (30 23 cm)

Dancing Petals and Circles, 2010, 9" 12" (23 30 cm)

The Grid, 2010, 8" 8" (20 20 cm)

Set the Stage:
Ergonomics of Drawing

A happy body makes a better tangling partner and ergonomics should not be ignored. This may seem obvious, but we often neglect the obvious. Here are suggestions my students have found helpful.

THE BODY

Adjust the angle of the drawing surface and chair height so the bent arm is in a relaxed L position that does not raise or slump the shoulders.

Use a comfortable chair with padding for longer sessions of drawing. A wedge can protect the tailbone.

Take a break now and then to stand, stretch, and walk. Your body will thank you. Tip: Set a timer to remind you, as it is easy to get lost in a drawing.

If you work in an overstuffed chair or on the couch, make sure you have a drawing surface at the correct height.

It surprises most to know that I do 90 percent of my work in a recliner with good lighting and a lap drawing surface. When precision line work is needed, I wear lighted CraftOptics glasses (jeweler magnifiers).

THE EYES

Good lighting is a requirement when drawing, especially for weak or older eyes.

A table stand magnifier and light combination is an excellent tool for everyone.

Sometimes putting on magnifier readers is enough, but it often doesnt work for those with prescription eyeglasses.

Trifocals can be troublesome when looking for claritys sweet spot between the hand and the work, making the table, drawing surface, chair angle, and height very important.

Today many go for a new fashion statement by wearing a magnifier visor or CraftOptics lenses.

Craft Optics is a high-end jewelers magnifier with two telescopes that spot magnify and light the section you are working with. If desired, you can add your glasses prescription. There is a learning curve to getting used to them, but well worth working through.

A magnifier visor can be worn with glasses and has a broad line of vision. It comes with a range of magnification lenses.

An assortment of helpful magnifying tools

A SHAKE IN THE STROKES

Some may have a shake or tremor in the hand from nerves, bad body position, or a biological issue.

Please dont perch your wrist on the edge of the table: It creates weak, shaky strokes.

Stabilize your forearm by resting it in a relaxed L angle on the drawing surface. If you feel raised shoulders or a slump, the L angle is not even with the drawing surface.

Use the to quiet the shake.

Still Shaky?

Please do not let that you stop you from doing the art. Both of the artists shown in the following examples live with a constant severe tremor in their hands.

Drawing the strokes more quickly can result in a smoother line.

Test different pens and papers. See for more information.

Smooth paper allows the pen to move more quickly. Textured paper has a drag that may contribute to the shaky line.

Fiber-tipped pens have more drag. Nylon tips and ballpoint tips flow more quickly.

Still shaky? Do not be discouragedsimply embrace the shake as your unique mark!