My artist friend Jan was right. Knowing me through our time spent crafting together, she said I needed to look into an art form that would be a good match, specifically because of my love for detail, patterns, and symmetry. As soon as the website I was directed to appeared and I saw the inky black lines shaped into doodles with names like crescent moon, florz, and hollibough I was hooked. Without hesitation, I headed straight to the Shop menu, pressed the Get Started tab, and was welcomed in and assured that I, too, could experience the life-sustaining flow of creative expression by simply putting my pen to paper. Yes! Immediately, I ordered a Beginner’s kit. In a week’s time I had everything I needed…and more – 34 die cut squares made from Italian paper, 2 Sakura Pigma 01 Micron pens, 2 pencils, a pencil sharpener, tortillon, booklet, DVD, legend and a die!
From my journal, May 11 , 2011, Newbury Park, California
“Been creating Zentangles non-stop for a few days now…wow! Reminds me of doodling when I was a kid…I can get lost in it for hours!”
Brought to life in 2003, Zentangle is the creation of a botanical illustrator, Maria Thomas and a monk, Rick Roberts. “Zen” refers to the meditative aspect and “tangle” describes the method. Easy to do and fun to make, there’s so much to celebrate about this type of art. First and foremost, no artistic talent is required. I love drawing but I don’t possess the skills to form realistic images. And while I’ve eyed some Zentangle designs that make me think, “I could never do that!” I put my feeling of intimidation aside because I know each pattern can be broken down into one single stroke that I can replicate and build on.
Beginner steps are easy. First, take a few breaths to relax. With a pencil, dot the four corners of a square. Form a border by connecting these dots. Next, draw a string which is a shape drawn within your border. Then, create sections within the shape. At this point, the real magic begins…you now start filling in each area with a pattern! Once done, you can shade your piece in places here and there making it more dimensional. The only thing left then is to initial your masterpiece…and admire it!
Not only do I like the simplicity of this process, I can Zentangle any place, any time with anything I have on hand. When the desire to create has struck and I haven’t been in my craft room, I just take out a piece of paper and pencil and begin. It’s a productive way to pass time, especially when waiting for appointments, traveling, or when I need to take a short break during the day. In addition to producing tangible art, letting myself go is a reward in itself.
So enthused about this craft and its benefits which include a calmer mind, less stressed body, and sharper focus, I have shared it with my students. Second graders and fifth graders alike easily caught on and expressed how much they liked this activity and they’ve always surprised me with their creations. Maybe like me, they enjoyed it because it is abstract, it doesn’t have to look like “something”. It can be drawn with either hand and because of it’s size, a piece can be completed in 15 minutes. And best of all, because the “creator” gets to choose each pattern to draw, no mistakes can be made! And if by chance something appears to be an error, it’s really just an opportunity to start in a new direction or to begin a new pattern. No pressure at all!
Just like most art forms, once you learn the basics, there’s always more to explore and ways to apply it. Because of its very nature, Zentangle lends itself well to other mediums. Completed pieces can be painted with watercolors and acrylics. Designs can also be etched onto jewelry. I’ve even seen “Zentangled” sneakers! Over the past 12 years, I’ve used this technique in collages, on cards, and last October on one of my Halloween pumpkins. To practice and hone my skills, I’ve gathered with friends to work on our separate projects together, and I’ve taken a class in Zentangle with my fellow colleagues. On your own or with others, it’s a great way to be present and engaged while tapping into your creativity.
If you’re looking for a way to stimulate your imagination, have some artsy fun, and produce a thing of beauty, you may want to try your hand at Zentangle. And as the creators Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts believe, “Anything is possible, one stroke at a time.™” I like this idea…I like it, a lot.
A Journal Journey 