Contest?

To celebrate the new book (it's almost here!), Linda Farmer (over at TanglePatterns) and I want to have a contest. Yah! Free stuff! BUT... what's the contest? Something involving talent, or completely random? Just for kids? Everybody? Books as prizes, of course... What would be the coolest contest and the best prizes? Tell me! I can handle it. :-)

The Value of Books

On Wednesdays, at Mill Brook Gallery, there will be talks by the Children's book illustrators who are in the current show (I'll be on August 10th - and I will keep reminding you all!) Today was Ilene Richard. After showing all us kids how to design a character, she passed out paper and markers and we gave it a go. Then we got to stand up and talk about our new creation. Yes! I got to show mine too! Here's a picture that Pam Tarbell took with Ilene holding my picture while I explain how the cat works in a diner... (I was so hungry!) It was fun!

And speaking of books. Anyone who has been looking for Totally Tangled
 on Amazon recently may have been shocked to see what they are selling for:

The one that says $458.26, was only $100-something yesterday. I mean, what a deal!? Wingdoodle, my store, listed the regular priced one - but who are these people selling it for $400 or $50 or, even $38.50? Are they kidding? I've heard some of these dealers use algorithmic software (or something like that) that automatically sets their price based on what the other dealers are selling the books at. And another rumor... says that these dealers don't even HAVE the books and they charge so much so that they can BUY the book from another dealer, if they get a sale, and then mark the price up to resell. WAAAAAY too complicated, I think.

I'm just saying... if you feel the overwhelming need to spend over $100 for one of my books - send the money directly to ME! I'll even sign your book. And for $400, I'll send the new Kidz Book AND a small KID! ;-D

PS - Hang in there - all the books should be available again next week (at regular prices).

Illustration Show Opening

I know you are wondering how the Illustrators' Show went on Thursday, right? It was amazing! There were so many gorgeous pieces. If you have not been, there is still time - it runs through August and this is a great excuse to see Mill Brook Gallery too. Judy Moffat has some great shots of the art and the artists on her blog. Here are some shots of the opening taken by my mother and my friend, Laurie Strysko. For some reason they took lots of pics of ME and not many of artwork. What's that about? ;-D

My mom with Harvey Keye from NH to Do Magazine

Signing books. That's one of my pieces on the wall!

Yacking.

Chatting.

Signing...

Oooh - look! A kid!

The lower level gallery.

It's nice to have some loyal followers.

Mary and Dan Watts come to all my book signings. Yah!

Pam Tarbell (gallery owner) with two of the artists - Ilene Richards and Denise Ortakales

Will Harney and my mom, and Will's book.

Another reason to visit the gallery! A life-size woolly mammoth, made from STICKS!!

How to Draw a Zentangle® Poster

To help promote the new book, and make some teachers happy... I have a new poster on Zazzle. It is the page "How to Draw a Zentangle" which includes the steps for the "Lilah Bean" tangle as well. Teachers have been asking for instructional posters for their classrooms to inspire the kids. Also, Zazzle is offering a special, today only, for 60% off all posters! Be sure to enter the code: ZBDAYPOSTERS in the promo code box at checkout.

Tangle - ETCHER

Hi Sandy,
I have purchased your book, YOGA for Your BRAIN. It has provided many helpful hints and challenges for my tangles. Thank You for this. I do have a problem with your illustration of the tangle, ETCHER. Is there a more simplified way how to do it. I have tried a few times and seem to get lost. Any further hints?
Sincerely,
Joe D. in Philly

Perhaps there is.

But I believe that anything worth doing is worth OVERdoing. Although, to prove my point to my sister (that there IS a difference between being a perfectionist - I am not- and a bit obsessive-compulsive - I admit it)... I have drawn out all the steps for Etcher... in detail. However, I left in lots of little blops and squidgies. And, of course, I didn't film it!

Here we go!

ETCHER

Draw columns in pencil if you need them.

Draw triangles pointing left and right.

Just like the ones on the remote control.

Next column, reverse direction.

Nose to nose and back to back. Erase pencil.

Add a "V" below each back-to-back pair.

Go slowly. Back-to-back? Add a "V"...

Next, the "noses" connect straight down.

Noses drip down... (see note below*)

Draw a "Y" in each "Y" section.

Looking cool!

With pencil, shade right or left sections.

Add a bit of shading at overlaps.

Smudge shading.

Try coloring the triangles black!

I love the way it looks like an MC Escher drawing (hence the name!) * The ninth image is "Y-Knot" by Molly Hollibaugh. At that point, if you add shading, the tangle looks like woven ribbons. Isn't it amazing how adding a few more lines turns it from a soft material to a hard, squarish one? Another interesting bit of trivia is that Molly and I came up with our versions at the same time, independently. She based hers on a soy sauce dish at a Japanese restaurant. Mine came from a kimono pattern. What are the chances?

One last tip - if you are having a lot of trouble... getting lost in the lines... try coloring the triangles black in the very beginning. Then you can focus on the girders instead. But, wouldn't it be mind blowing to add tangles BEHIND the girders!? Hmmm....

Zentangle® for Kidz! Website

I have spent the past week setting up a new website for the soon-to-be-released Zentangle for Kidz! book. It's looking good and I will keep adding stuff to it. I plan to add some projects and info about the characters in the book (me and my kids! Yes, we are all characters.) If you do Zentangle with kids and have some ingenious ideas you'd like to share on the site, PLEASE contact me. I am an idea junkie and I am SURE that I am not alone. Kids, too. I want to hear from you folks too!

If you click HERE, you can get on my mailing list so any new posts on the site will come right to your emailbox. And I do have a Facebook page for the book too. I'm not on Facebook everyday, but it is a great way to ask questions and upload your own (your kids') artwork!

I just posted about our experience on the 4th of July - tangling a tablecloth with Lilah Beans! My daughter reveals the origins of the Beans...

I have a bunch of Zentangle® pieces in this show which opens on Thursday (July 7th). There are two larger, framed pieces all the way down to matted giclee prints. I did three new, smaller pieces in the past two weeks, just for this show.

If you are in the area, please come see the show! Mill Brook gallery is a very unusual place, just outside of the city (Concord, NH). It is a Sculpture Garden as well. The Opening Reception is this coming Thursday, from 5-8. And my special day - booksigning and Zentangle demo-stuff, will be on August 10th at 1pm.

The other artists are also muy fantastico - I am actually honored and rather intimidated to be in the same show with them!  If you have kids - bring them to all the free events! (Or leave them home and come by yourself, so you can really enjoy it all!) And if you have friends ;-D please share this post with them - this is my first MAJOR show (and I REALLY, REALLY want to sell something!!) :-)