Opus Tiles

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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

Click here to view class recordings...

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.  

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

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

June 2022

This is my first Opus Tile.

Partially done, but you can see the string.

Traced the cutouts the tangled around them.

Partially done, but you can see the string.

Partially done - you can view some of the string.

Traced 3 Hearts

After drawing shapes as the string, we filled in the tangle patterns then drew tangle patterns in the background. - See next photo on how we started to connect them.

String for Octagon Arc.

String consists of 30 sections for 30 different Bales Pattern Variations.

All Gneiss patterns. Drew one at a time growing off of each other. This is day one.

String for Opus Class through TEA Oct 2020

The Enrichment Academy - 3 hr class

Full day of tangling on the Oous Tile at the Waterfront Inn, The Villages, FL. 

Met for two weeks, twice a week on Zoom for 90 minutes each totaling 6 hours. Finished on our own. See gallery for completed tile. 

Final class - some are still working on it after 3 weks.

Full Day Class.

Step 1: Draw your dots in each corner. Connect the dots creating a border.

Step 2: Draw one section/string. Preferably starting with a corner.

Step 3: Fill in that corner section with a pattern.

Step 3: Draw another string either from the one you just tangled or in another corner.

Step 4: Fill in that string section you just drew with another pattern.

Continue drawing string/sections and filing in with patterns as you go.

There are around 11 patterns/sections in this tile and we were able to complete it in a full day class.

I suggest doing the shading at the very end rather than as you go. Or you can mix it up. For example, half way through the day you can break it up and do some shading before starting up the patterns again.

Full Day Class.

Step 1: Start out the way we typically do on a basic tile by drawing the dots in the corners and connecting the dots to create a border with your pencil.

Step 2: Trace the Shape in the Middle (Heart or Circle).

Step 3: Trace the smaller shape in the middle of that shape (optional).

Step 4: Draw a string from the edges of the larger shape towards the edges of the border.

Step 5: Pick one section, and guide your students through that section with the pattern of your choice. You may want to show them two or three at a time, so that they can move on at their own pace.

Step 6: Save the border for last. Tangle the border.

Step 7: Once the border is done, guide them to shade some or all of the patterns.

Two hour class. 

Started from the center and worked our way out to the border.

Step 1: Started with middle pattern (Poke Root - with a Hollibaugh effect)

Step 2: Floater patterns (i.e. Diva Dance Rock n’ Roll, Ahh, Cheesecloth)

Step 3: Filled in background of middle pattern with Cheesecloth.

Step 4: Created border.

Step 5: Shading.

Two hour class.

Three hour class.

Three hour class.

Five hour class with lunch and breaks.

Three hour class.

One and a half hour class. Shortest Opus class I have ever taught.

Traced 3 Hearts - unfinished of course

All Bales Patterns different variations.

ZoomTangle Class

Online ZoomTangle

Three Days, 3 hours/day 

Online ZoomTangle

We drew one Gneiss pattern at a time. No string was done previously.

Three Hour Class at The Villages, FL - through The Enrichment Academy 10/8/20

We first drew a string then filled in each section one at a time without completing certain sections to make time to get all sections started with a pattern. Students went home with an unfinished tile to keep working on.

 3.5 hour class at The Villages, FL - through The Enrichment Academy 1/14/21

All will finish on their own as usual for Opus Classes. This is how far we got.

Patterns: Flux, Crescent Moon, Pozer, Ginili, Printemps, Shattuck, 3Y Hemp, Tipple, Elegan, Zinger, Poke Leaf.

 Three hour Heart Themed Opus class at The Villages, FL - through The Enrichment Academy 2/11/21

All will finish on their own as usual for Opus Classes. This is how far we got.

Patterns: Gneiss as string, 2SS2 border, N'Zeppel, Heartstrings, Heartlock, Luv-A, Scallops.

 Three hour class at The Villages, FL - through The Enrichment Academy 3/11/21

All will finish on their own as usual for Opus Classes. This is how far we got.

Traced Butterflies - see gallery for completed tile.

 Three hour class at The Villages, FL - through The Enrichment Academy 4-15-23.

All will finish on their own as usual for Opus Classes. This is how far we got.

Tree of Life