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Zentangle Inktober Tangles Day 9 – SUMU

Zentangle Inktober Tangles Day 9 packed a punch of a challenge!

Inktober Tangles Day 9 SUMU

The Facebook groups were abuzz over this pattern! SUMU, created by Lin Chiu, CZT, is created with three pen strokes, but getting them to all come together nicely is harder than it looks. I created the Bijou card here on the left and thought I had the hang of it, but when I grabbed my Zentangle tile to create a tangle, I discovered that I really didn’t.

Today’s Tangle

Inktober Tangles Day 9 Sumu

There are no mistakes in Zentangle – just opportunities to get creative. My first attempt at a tangle with SUMU was one really big opportunity for creativity that my brain just wasn’t ready for! That card now sits in my “maybe later” pile. My second attempt also became an opportunity, but I felt I could roll with it better. SUMU’s step out included several ways to put the individual pieces together. Inspired by those ideas, I wanted to create a shape with four of them meeting up at the rounded edges. When that didn’t happen, I just ran with it.

I rarely give a title to my cards, but this one I named “Dinosaurs at a Rave”. By the time I got done with this one, I was punchy and all I saw was four little dinosaurs dancing around in a while circle. So I gave each SUMU shape an eye and my tangle was complete! Sometimes, when a tangle just isn’t cooperating, I finish it just to finish it. I may not love the result, but I almost always learn something. Every now and again, the result surprises me in a good way. My little dinosaurs certainly did that and I actually love my silly card!

This card reminded me of several things. There are no mistakes in Zentangle. (It bears repeating often). You can be silly when you tangle if you want. And – most importantly – there are no right or wrong answers with this art form. It’s ok to disengage your brain and let your tangle tell you what to do next.

To see the results from other prompts, please visit my hub page for the event or scroll through this carousel.

The Challenge: Zentangle Inktober Tangles by 7F5R

7F5R (Seven Forests Five Rivers) host a Zentangle version of Inktober every year called Inktober Tangles. Check out their Facebook group to find more information and to see the amazing art created by Zentangle teachers and artists from around the world. Each day, we are given a Zentangle pattern and are asked to create something with it.