Opus Tutorials, Mosaics, Videos

I was nervous just like many of you to start my very first Opus Tile. I remember it like it was yesterday. Sitting outside at a hotel cafe overlooking the harbor. The very first pattern I did was an error, but you can't tell, can you?  I’ve received so many compliments on that pattern and to me it’s a huge screw up. This is one of our greatest fears of starting an Opus Tile. There are so many imperfections on this tile, but not noticeable. Let go of your fears, let go of the outcome, and go slow.

For this all day Opus Class I first decided on the patterns I was going to teach. Then I decided on how many sections we needed. I guided the class on drawing the strings/sections. We did not draw all sections at once like we do on a smaller tile. I started with a corner and then guided them through the pattern to fill in that section.  

I drew the string for all sections, first all starting from the bottom left corner of the tile. Not knowing how many sections I would draw. Then started to draw each section, not having a plan in mind, not knowing what tangle patterns I was going to draw. I totally relaxed into each one sitting outside at a picnic table on the Island of Nantucket. I did a little bit whenever I felt like it. When I look at these tiles framed on my wall I’m reminded of my peaceful & fun getaways. 

This one is from class I took from  CZT Cari Camarra at ConnTangle and later taught it to students using the grid template. But all you really need is a ruler to create the even squares.  It's a lot of fun to use only grid patterns on a tile. For this one, I only used 8 patterns and then duplicated them in the reverse direction for the last two rows.

I did this one on my own in preparation for a class to teach.  First I traced the heart in the middle, then drew the string around the heart. I chose patterns that I love to draw.

First I traced the butterfly, then drew the string behind the butterfly. Keeping the same patterns on both sides as if the patterns were continuing behind.

I chose to make all string sections curvy with patterns intertwining. I drew the string first of all sections, not knowing how many sections I would draw. Then started to draw each section, not having a plan, not knowing what tangle patterns I was going to draw. Did this while vacationing in Florida for a month and took about a month to complete. I left it out on the table and did a little bit whenever I felt like it.  

I worked from the center out. Traced a heart cutout, then gave it inside auras. Drew strings from the outside heart border to the edges.

Full day Opus Class where students choose the shape of a Heart or Circle to trace in the middle or any place on the tile they like.  

I tried to create a design that could be finished in a two hour class, but that did not happen. We got a lot done, but they still needed to be finished on their own.  We started from the center and worked our way out.  The border was the last to do in class. 

Everyone received cutouts of hearts and bijou (snail). Students could lay out the cutouts any way they wanted.

Intertwining wavy string and border. Brown pen used for accent. Only a few patterns and still were not able to finish in the 2 hour class. 

Heart cutouts were traced and tangled. Organic patterns drawn around the rest of the tile. TEA 3 hour class. Finished on own.

Class taught five consecutive days, 2 hours/day on Zoom (online) during Covid-19 (June/July 2020).  .Click here to view class recordings..

All Bales Pattern with 30 different variations. Taught online (Zoom) for 3 consecutive days, 3 hours/day. August 2020

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Three consecutive days, 3 hours/day and we finished right on time! Click here to view recordings of this class.... 

Three hour class through The Enrichment Academy (TEA). Started every section and finished on our own.

Three and a half hour class through The Enrichment Academy (TEA). Started every section and finished on our own. Jan 2021

The only class that I  brought in a ruler. We used it just for the border and traced a large square card stock paper to trace the middle square. The pattern Gneiss is in the middle as a string. TEA (The Enrichment Academy).

Everyone in class received a butterfly cutout to trace. The rest are all organic patterns moving along the perimeter of the tile and flowing towards the middle. We used the brown pen for accents. TEA 3/11/21  (3.5 hr class). Students finished on their own. 

This is the tile I created in preparation for Zendala Opus Jan 2022. I decided to leave out closing up the Zendala Edges for the class, but liked it so much I submitted it for the Zentangle Display Wall at The Villages, FL.

Class on Zoom for two weeks, twice per week for 90 minutes each. January 2022. Started with tracing a Zentangle Zendala Round Tile in the middle and worked off of that. See step-out on Jacki' Patterns page of this website.  

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Three 2 hr classes, once per week for 3 consecutive weeks on Zoom. Students tangled during the week to finish that week's tangles. 

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Weekend class with Molly & Martha (Maria's daughters) at Kripalu Retreat Center. Main focus was reticular & fragments.

June 2022

Drew a slightly wavy line from top right corner to bottom left. Then added the flux pattern with aura fescue. 

Started by tracing Zendala tile in center.

The only class that I  brought in a ruler. We used it just for the border and traced a large square cardstock paper to trace the middle square. The pattern Gneiss is in the middle as a string.

Traced Zendala Zentangle Round Tile onto the Opus Tile 5 times.

Five hour class.

Two and a half hour class.

Three hour class. 

Tangled as if it were just an enlarged 3.5" basic tile.

Three hour class. 

This string made a very cool mosaic.

Five hours class.

This is how much we got done with lunch and breaks.

Three hour class.