‘Lollywimple’, Inktober Tangles 2022 Day 17

Inktober Tangles Days 13-16

Philoxy, Slidehat, Noom, Dinovel, and some other stuff

‘Socc’, Inktober Tangles 2022 Day 12

This was a joy and a delight to do, some combination of a neurographic art line with the day’s pattern, and some color.

‘Bravensword’, Inktober Tangles 2022 Day 11

Daring to think the rules do not apply is the mark of a visionary. It’s also a symptom of narcissism.

-Ariel Levy, The Rules Do Not Apply

‘Finery’, Inktober Tangles 2022 Day 10

All of us are subjected to somebody else’s power at some point. So once in a while you kiss ass. So what? Either you make your peace with that early, or you end up living your life as a crank and a misfit.

Sue Grafton, H is for Homicide

Soundtrack: Indigo Girls, “Despite Our Differences”

“Molygon”, Inktober Tangles 2022 Day 5

…mindfulness is taking undistracted time to become fully aware of your thoughts and feelings so that you can have more choice in how you respond to them…Mindfulness is a perspective that weds your capacity for self-observation with your instinct of self-compassion…a perspective of benign curiosity about all of your inner experience.

Pete Walker, Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving

Inktober Tangles 2022 Day 4, 6-9

Souk, Heartfully, FluxEcho, Snack, and Sumu (and some random filler)

The theme of the day is “Aura is your friend.” So is filling in mess with black.

Soundtrack: Carrie Newcomer, “Kindred Spirits”

“ISEA-U” INKTOBER 2022 Day 3

Not feeling it.

‘Delwhy’ Inktober Tangles 2022 Day 2

I didn’t initially hitch horses with Delwhy, not sure why, especially since it’s flower-inspired and I do love flowers! But I decided to use it more or less as a string. Other patterns included here (many substantially modified) are YAH, Owlz, Mooka, ‘Dillo, Strircles, Printemps, Sharky Tangle, Nuwave, Tagh, and a couple things that probably aren’t official patterns.

True confession time: I joined the Facebook group for this Inktober Challenge, looked at my feed this morning, and was so intimidated by other people’s gorgeous work that I almost threw in the towel. After one day. Again.

But I started drawing, pissily, almost defiantly, and maybe halfway through this drawing, I was in love again with the process. It’s always, always about the process–the ritual of gathering simple materials, sitting down, quietly concentrating, letting go of everything beyond the point of the pen connecting to the paper. The fact that the process so often results in something intricate and lovely is just a bonus. It never has been, and never will be, about impressing other people on social media.

I hate how this relentlessly results- and success-obsessed, competitive culture we live in so often separates us from our sources of joy. So if you are a beginner tangler; a rusty tangler, like me; a time- or materials-challenged tangler, a tired tangler, a messy tangler, a shading-hating or color-fearing tangler, or even (gasp!) a mediocre tangler, don’t give up, and don’t compare your work to anyone else’s. If you get something out of doing it, that’s just perfect.

“Rain” Inktober 2022 Day 1