Zentangle [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

RCWRTR

8-2-12, 9:59pm

I have recently discovered Zentangle and have enjoyed attending a local Zentangle group, facilitated by my friend who is a CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher).

Do any of you "tangle"? What are your favorite Zentangle patterns? Do you have (a) favorite Zentangle, ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Art) or related website(s)?

I'm curious as to how Zentangle fits into your Simple Life. Is it a hobby, do you use top quality pens, paper and other supplies or have you come up with ways to "tangle" more frugally? Is Zentagle a part of any spiritual or meditation practice for you? If so, what has your experience been with Zentangle and spirituality or meditation?

Gardenarian

8-2-12, 10:38pm

I saw the Zentangle books on Amazon and was intrigued. It seems basically like doodling. How is it different for you? Do you find it inspiring?

Tussiemussies

8-2-12, 10:40pm

Can you share more about what it is? Thanks.:)

RCWRTR

8-2-12, 10:59pm

Zentangle is different things to different people, but most would agree that it is much more than doodling. I find it incredibly relaxing and believe it is something I can include in my meditation practice.

Zentangle contains many of the same characteristics of traditional meditation:

The focus is on "one line at a time".
It is process and not product-oriented.
There is no up or down.
There is no subject matter.
There is no striving.
There is no right or wrong, good or bad.
When the mind wanders or makes judgments, you gently bring it back to the next line.

At it's best, tangling is a truly meditative, in the moment, experience. The final product, in my mind, is irrelevant, although it is undeniably and often amazingly artistic.

For more information, you can check out the official Zentangle website at www.zentangle.com.

Tussiemussies

8-2-12, 11:18pm

Thanks RCW, I will check out the website.;)

RCWRTR

8-2-12, 11:38pm

You're welcome!

KayLR

8-3-12, 11:59am

I have always been a doodler. My college lecture notes margins are covered with doodle. So Zentangle was intriguing and second nature for me. I don't have a favorite pattern, per se, but enjoy doing it. My cousin has some beautiful things she's done with it, but she's an artist. She does doll-type figures filled with Zentangle which are really fun.

Simplemind

8-3-12, 7:49pm

Guess what I have been doing this afternoon...................

catherine

8-3-12, 8:08pm

I looked it up~ I'd never heard of it, but it looks perfect for the kind of drawing I like to do, too!! I'm definitely going to play around with it.. (might carry those thoughts over into the The Artists Way thread).

Also, it might have some application along side my permaculture design class--permaculture is all about patterns, too.

Very cool! Love it!

Tussiemussies

8-3-12, 8:56pm

Hi again RCW, looked over the website and the pictures were beautiful. I especially like the mosaic tile idea. The only.thing is, is that I didn't feel that the website really explained it well. Maybe you could fill in the blanks for me, if you have the time... Thanks foe posting this!

RCWRTR

8-3-12, 9:07pm

Tussiemussies: You can find Zentangle patterns on www.tanglepatterns.com and www.zentangle.com and you can watch YouTube videos for many of the patterns. Just search the pattern name and the word Zentangle, or simply search Zentangle on YouTube. When I checked a moment ago, there are over 575 YouTube videos, including tutorials and basics of Zentangle videos. Another way of learning Zentangle is to do what I'm doing -- attend a Zentangle group and/or take a Zentangle class in your area. The "tangle" patterns generally aren't too difficult to learn, but I found they are easier to learn from a video, another "tangler", a Zentangle group or a Zentangle class.

Tussiemussies

8-3-12, 9:15pm

Thanks RCW, will check into this further, I was an art major and am fascinated by this. DH is an artist too.It's refreshing to see something new! Thanks!

RCWRTR

8-3-12, 9:47pm

You're welcome! :)

shadowmoss

8-5-12, 1:23pm

Sitting in the InterContinental in Tegucigalpa, Honduras I watched the Zentangle video on the betweed, I think it was called. Since there was the nice notepad and pen on the desk provided by the hotel I did my first one, rough and intentionally not entirely by the rules. Interesting. I will look into this further. And I'm swiping the pen and notepad.

LilyB

8-16-12, 10:58pm

Thanks RCWRTR. I just completed my first Zentangle yesterday and found it to be fun and relaxing. I like the fact that I have the necessary materials on hand and that there are so many free instructions on the internet. It's great to have a hobby that is so inexpensive.

RCWRTR

8-16-12, 11:09pm

You're welcome, LilyB. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

shadowmoss

8-17-12, 9:38am

Anyone have a favorite pattern or string? As a non-artist I feel this is like sneaking in the back door of doing art. As a geek I like the structure. As bored IT desk worker it is better than internet surfing all day.

RCWRTR

8-17-12, 11:39am

My favorite tangle pattern is Cadent. You can see Cadent and other tangle patterns by searching for it with the word Zentangle on YouTube. It also appears on www.tanglepatterns.com.

RCWRTR

8-17-12, 10:46pm

My friend is a CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher). She just published a Zentangle diary, which I helped to edit as a volunteer/friend. The book is available on Amazon.com. Here's a link, in case anyone is interested in it.

http://www.amazon.com/ONE-TANGLE-AT-TIME-Zentangle/dp/0615677150/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344726948&sr=1-1

kally

9-14-15, 8:26pm

I have taken up Zentangling and love it and it is very calming and relaxing. Anyone else?

KayLR

9-17-15, 4:29pm

Another site I like is www.tanglepatterns.com. They actually feature a tangle a day and show you step-by-step how to do them, both tandles and strings. They have quite an archive!

kally

9-17-15, 4:38pm

I have been doing it for a while. I try to do about 1 hour a day. I love it.

kib

9-17-15, 5:59pm

I seem to be missing the artist gene. This looks intriguing but I SO don't get it! As in ... why would I want to do this? What do you do with these when you're done? Is it just sort of a meditation that keeps your hands busy, or are you actually seeking a definitive result? I'm not being critical, I just want to understand why it's enjoyable. ... is the feeling like knitting? (See, told you I was lost!:~))

kally

9-17-15, 10:32pm

Two things - for many of us it is incredibly creative and relaxing and the end result is just very nice. For others they create amazing works of art that would knock your socks off. Everyone can do it. I make some lovely designs, there are people who make art that looks better than mine, but that doesn't matter at all. You clear your mind, sort of draw and meditate and just learn to relax in the world.

Try just a little bit and you might get hooked. It is defintitely a philosophy involved here.

dinah

9-18-15, 8:59am

I zentangle! I haven't been doing it much lately.

One Christmas I made some themed tangles and made them into calendars for my family. I had a pumpkin for October, Hearts for February. That kind of thing.

kally

9-18-15, 11:07am

This guy is on one of my zentangle forums. His work is superlative, absolutely the tops. The average zentangler doesn't do this kind of work at all, but it is worth seeing what can be done.

http://bennett-klein.deviantart.com/art/Mask02-557356736

This would be called zentangle inspired art and goes way beyond basic patterns. The cool thing is he does this all with a ballpoint pen.

kally

9-18-15, 11:09am

This is the more regular stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsY0eYOGhoM

but we all do it our own way.

dinah

9-18-15, 11:18am

kib

9-18-15, 12:54pm

lol. I never realized how dyslexic I am til i watched that video! I can just hear my head. "Ok, to the right of the main line. No, that's not the right. No no, not there, there. Wait, now half of them are on the left anyway, how did that happen?" I agree, the professional ones are gorgeous!