My brother Joseph loves steampunk and mechanical stuff. I love his drawings of complex, Rube Goldberg-esque machines. I didn't get that gadgety here, but I at least got the robot thing down.
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Many years ago, my mom bought my brother a tiny wooden mannequin and drawing pad at an art museum. I ended up using the two more than he did. (I broke off one of the arms, AACK!) In the drawing pad, I drew my interpretation of a muscle man. The figure had his teeth clenched and was holding up a bar-bell with his, um, interesting arms. Each had about a dozen muscles because apparently to my 8-year-old self, being stronger meant that you didn't just increase the size of your muscles; you got new ones too! The poor bloke also had a well-defined abdomen, but his abs were tiny and in the middle of an otherwise normal midsection. How does this relate to Mr. Robot? Well, his arms look pretty similar. I didn't do this intentionally, but it sure reminds me of the funny story. I wish I could still find that drawing: it's priceless.
When my mom, Amy, taught elementary art, one of her most successful units was drawing Celtic knots with her 4th grade students. She learned the process in Tina Cintron's DVD Amazing Watercolors. The project would start out as a square with all the sides extended either clockwise or counterclockwise. This beginning was called "headless dancing man" because the square looked like a body and the four sides looked like arms and legs. I didn't draw headless dancing man on my tile, but Mr. Robot sure looks like one. He does have a head, but he is losing his brains, so the metaphor does work to a degree. I think he moving happily–either running or dancing. He could be scared because he is losing his marbles though. (Haha! Get it? Marbles, tipple?) I left his face blank so that everyone could decide his mood for themselves. My mom is behind that idea too.
Here are the fabulous CZTs that inspired me and links to their posts:
- Lila Popcheff (Poppie's Pen Pics) featured bands of red tipple in her lovely tangled L initial. I loved the effect so much that I decided to use it too. I think it adds an awesome extra oomph. Thanks Lila!
- Kathy Barringer (Kathy Barringer) used flux to outline a box filled with tipple on the bottom portion of her tile. Above the box, evenly spaced orbs are either evaporating from or cascading into it. I mimicked her technique with Mr. Robot's head. His mind is escaping him or information is pouring into it. I love the multiple interpretations! Great job, Kathy!
- LeeAnn Denzer (LeeAnn's Zentangleing Fun) incorporated tipple into an ornate octopus. I loved how the orbs mimicked the suckers on an octopus's limbs and the energy that moved through the patterns. I also depicted an animated character, though technically Mr. Robot is not alive.
You may get a smudge,
an unintentional mark,
but it's all okay.