Zen tangle initials

Students research zen tangle designs at tanglepatterns.com. They draw their favorites and I made them a master copy of everyone's choices from the class. Next day they fill in the area around their lowercase initials to use As a cool tag for their sketchbooks.

This is a Sketchbook Cover Page for Our JH for the year.  Saw someone else do this on Pinterest. 

Zentangle Letters Lesson

Starters, here are the resources.
tangle patterns- Zentangle resource with tutorials
Original idea, at enthusiasticartist blog

So in preparing students sketchbooks, I wanted a way to add a tag that tells us who owns the book.  So I found this image on Pinterest, by Margret Bremner.

Margret Bremmer

Margret Bremner

Characteristics:  White out letter, ( I used Cooper Black as our font)
                         Background filled in with various Zentangles.
                         Leave a border

Students will tstart by going to the computer lab to research zentangle patterns, and fill some space in their sketchbook with zentangles they like.

Then they trace their initials, and fill in a rectangle around it with zentangles, using black pens or fine tip markers.  Glue as a super cool label for their sketchbook!

New way to make sketchbooks

Ever make a 500 page sketchbook? I made one in 5 minutes today! (actually, I made like, 6). Easy! I took a ream of paper, partially opened it, clamped down near the end using some chunks of 2 x4 and some clamps. Then I covered the end with hot glue, and used a Popsicle stick to smear , and smooth it out. Making sure I had full coverage to the ends, I unclamped the paper and voila! Students will get their smaller, 30 page sketchbook paper pad by ripping out their chunk and passing the remainder to a neighbor. Super sweet! By the way, did this while waiting for our open house... Look how many people we had outside waiting!

Also, the sketchbook covers have never been better. This year: wallpaper. It's vinyl, cloth and prepasted. All you do is add water, lay down the covers, wrap around, glue down some end sheets and dry. Hot glue the 30 page pad after its dry! Super!

LETS GET STARTED!!

Power Point presentation on OP ART

After a summer of working for victims in Joplin, its time to get back to school!  First project, make a sketchbook!  Lets get creative and make some cool designs for the cover.  Lets see..... How about OP ART!  Check out these awesome op art websites while you are at it!

Artists focus, Bridget Riley,
Victor Vasarley

http://www.123opticalillusions.com/

http://www.op-art.co.uk/