“A man’s face is his autobiography.  A woman’s face is her work of fiction.”  ~Oscar Wilde

The perfect quote for what I am sharing today.  I saw a cute idea on YouTube for a Sephora-inspired make-up brush holder while searching for the best way to clean make-up brushes.  You see, I have LOTS of make-up brushes.  Two of everything to be more specific.  Since I travel a lot, I have a set that stays home and one that’s always packed and ready to go.  I loved this idea for my at-home brushes, but the container was way too small.  Trolling the floral aisles at Michael’s yielded a nice, long oval glass holder that seemed to fit the bill.  Of course, I had to tangle it up a little bit.  While I am pleased with the final result, I would make a few changes if I tackled tangling on clear glass again.  Of course, that doesn’t change the function, so I still achieved my end goal.

Tips and Tricks:

  • The pen I used was a Sharpie Oil Based Marker – Extra Fine Point – Gold.  I really wanted the extra fine point and had great luck with the oil-based Sharpies on my file cabinet seen here.  If I were to do this again, I would choose black instead of gold.  As you can see from the photos, the metallic is difficult to see on the clear glass with the filler I used.
  • Be sure to clean the glass well before starting and either wear soft cloth gloves or wipe often to ensure the ink adheres well.
  • Slow and steady wins the race.  Working on such a slick surface requires slow strokes to allow the ink to flow properly.  Trying to go too fast will give patchy results in your lines.
  • Work away from the lines you just drew.  Left-handers, like me, are used to working this way as we often drag our hand through the ink.  But it’s worth a reminder anyway.  As it is oil-based and you want to lay a thick layer of color, this type of ink takes a bit of time to dry.  Patience, patience.
  • Strong lighting is essential.  It also helps to hold the glass at an angle to minimize glare.
  • Line the container with a towel or cloth.  This helps to create a “color” background to work against.  Also, without it, you can become very distracted with the tangling on the other side of the container once you work around to the other side.

Have some fun – remember there are no mistakes with Zentangle!

                            

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