“Dingbatz Kind of Day” …

Posted on July 22, 2018 by Tangles by the Sea

Today was “Dingbatz Day” at Icarus Creatives Arts. But first, I had to get there …..

I’ve been suffering from a sore back the last month, with it flaring up this past week. My husband helped me carry the class supplies to my car, along with my keys and cell phone. I loaded everything up and took off down the street. About 1/4 mile from home, I realized I’d forgotten my phone … figured it was in HIS pocket! I didn’t really need it other than to take photos at the end of class – which I love to do. I also needed gas so I stopped at my regular station. I got out of the car, ready to pump and there’s this sign that the credit card reader doesn’t work, please pay inside. There’s a line of people paying inside. I decide it’s not immediately necessary, I’ll get it after class. Finally, I’m on my way ….

I get off one freeway and on to another, go a couple miles and bam – all traffic is stopped! There must be an accident. I crawled along for about five minutes (I was in the “fast” lane), when I realize that to my left is the “Express Lanes/Car Pools” – which was moving freely. I’m thinking – I have no cell phone to call the studio to say I might be late, my low fuel light just came on and there’s this free flowing traffic lane to my left. YES, I did! Whipped over and broke the law! I rode a few miles in that express lane, past all the stopped cars and the accident, and was free and clear. I was going to be on time with the little bit of gas I still had in my car.

Class was great! I shared a bit of history about Dingbats vs. Dingbatz, the uses of a dingbat, shapes and characteristics, and then we started to draw. Once you get the foundation of a dingbat down, there rest is pretty easy and addicting. Everyone enjoyed the process and I gave them each a blank mini-journal to take home and “get it dirty” with lotz of dingbatz! The one day I really could have had some great photos and you know where my phone was – in HIS pocket!

I got gas after the class and I’m driving home thinking about how I really wished I’d been able to take photos and what a bummer – today’s work was really nice. Once again, we all did the same shapes and patterns, but the results were so different. I love sharing that through my class photos.

I arrived home. I could’ve used some help to get my things back into the house because of the sore back. I see the front door open which means he has to be close. No dice. I drag my bag up the stairs, moaning and groaning with every step, and finally his head pops up from the couch ….. “I would help you but I hurt my leg … running after you … when I realized I had your cell phone in my pocket!” What? He injured his calf running down the stairs and was on the couch with an ice bag the whole time I was teaching class. I even saw the dreaded crutches leaning near the doorway! Oh my gosh – here I’m thinking about giving him the business because he forgot to give me my phone, while all this time he’s been laid up after running after me so I would have it.

I guess if a day like this had to happen, it would be the day that focused on “Dingbatz” – a little bit him, a little bit me, and two hours of a dingbatz class!

I have one photo to share of the final dingbat we drew in class. We all picked our own shape, but used the same patterns – Mooka, Sprigs, and Crescent Moon. This was mine (with a little extra square on the side).

This past month, we visited Trail, British Columbia, Canada – my home town. One night I decided to create a few dingbatz about Trail. Below is my Trail Dingbatz Collage:

L-R
(1) fish my brother caught
(2) all the beautiful pine trees
(3) the mighty Columbia River which flows through the town
(where the fish used to live that my brother caught)
(4) the old buildings of Trail looked over by the smelter smokestack (a Trail landmark)
(5) hockey sticks for the Trail Smokeeaters (the junior hockey team in town)

Those five little dingbatz show you what you can do with this process. Everything doesn’t have to be a “for real” Zentangle pattern – just use the dingbatz foundation and basics, and go crazy … be creative. However, like I told the class, just be careful –

THEY ARE ADDICTING
HAVE FUN AND ENJOY!