Let’s go Back

To the basics! To the foundational concepts, the beginner tangles, the ceremony of the Zentangle® Method.

If you are new to Zentangle, or if you’ve never taken a formal class with a CZT, you may not be benefiting from the magic of this meditative artform. Let me tell you my Zentangle story and see if your story is similar.

Zentangle is more than just drawing!

I’ve always enjoyed art! But I never thought I had the talent for it. One day while I was scrolling through Pinterest, I kept seeing these images that made me curious. They were abstract, beautiful, and intricate. I was mesmerized! It looked detailed and yet it looked simple at the same time. I didn’t know what it was but for some reason I was drawn to it and I just started drawing. The lines just flowed out of my pen! It was almost as if my lines were guided by some unknown hand. The more I drew, the more I wanted to draw! Then I learned it was Zentangle!

I still didn’t understand what Zentangle was all about, but I wanted to learn. I asked my dear husband for a Zentangle book for Christmas that year, and he obliged with a book by Beckah Krahula called “One Zentangle a Day”. I am grateful for the book because it helped me to understand that Zentangle was more than just pretty images. It was meditative, and life changing.

About 2 years after my Zentangle discovery, I was able to retire from my day job. Six short months later I attended a Seminar with the founders of Zentangle, Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts, and became a Certified Zentangle Teacher or CZT.

The ceremony of the 8 steps and trusting the process is foundational to the Zentangle Method.

When I began teaching, a few of my students were looking for Zentangle as a therapy, if you will. One student had breast cancer, and another had suffered a stroke. Although I was grateful that they found me, I was not sure how I would be able to help them. These women and all the other students who have found me, are my best teachers! I learned quickly that I really didn’t need to change how I teach the Zentangle Method. I learned that trusting the process is key!

After teaching Zentangle for the last 9 years, I am convinced that people who practice the Zentangle Method will take from it whatever it is that they need, or desire. It just seems to happen organically! And it is my favorite thing about the Zentangle Method.

What is the process? The Zentangle Method has 8 steps. And to me, trusting the process means following all 8 steps.

There is a ceremony in this practice. And the word ceremony, can mean different things to different people. I see the ceremony of these 8 steps as similar to the ceremony you might have in your evening routine. My evening ceremony includes taking a few moments for gratitude, writing a short journal entry, brushing my teeth, and stretching before I fall asleep. It’s nothing fancy, just my evening ceremony. Something I do every evening. I don’t even have to think about it, it’s so familiar. If you practice the Zentangle Method, the 8 steps can become just as familiar as your own personal ceremonies.

The Tangles

Did you know that all tangles (the patterns that we draw) are all made up of 5 types of marks. We remember these with the acronym isco: a line, a dot, an s curve, a c curve, and an orb. We don’t say circle because we are not perfect so it’s impossible to draw a perfect circle, so orb seems more accurate. All tangles can be deconstructed down to these basic types of marks.

Crescent Moon is one of the very first tangles that we taught. This is a simple tangle that teaches the foundational concept of the Aura. The aura is just a line that takes the shape of the line or shape it’s next to. Think of the ripples that you see when you throw a stone in the water. These ripples radiate out from the original place of impact, making rings around that spot. These rings are auras. So many tangles are constructed with auras, and this is why it is usually the first thing we teach.

Hollibaugh is usually the next tangle I teach. Hollibaugh is constructed with a line and then an aura of that line so it looks like a board, or ribbon. Then next step is to draw another that goes behind the first one. Drawing Behind is another foundational concept, and one we teach early because we do a lot of drawing one tangle behind another.

So far, I’ve mentioned 2 tangles and there are some others that are easy which makes them great for learning or when you want to revisit the basics. Zentangle has given us simple step-by-step instructions for various tangles. We call these step-outs.

 

I admit to being a Tangle Stalker. No, it’s not as creepy as it sounds. I just mean that I spend a lot of time looking at, and for Tangles. There are 2 primary websites that I use Tangle Patters and Musterquelle. But I don’t recommend it to beginners. Zentangle has become such a global force that there are thousands of tangles! And there will always be more tangles to learn. A better approach might be to spend time with one or two tangles and really explore them. Draw them until you can draw them without a step-out. And when you can, then you can begin to play with the tangle. Change it a bit, add your own flair to it. This is when it gets fun!

My Top 4 tips for Beginner (or even seasoned) Tanglers

There are so many more things I would love to share with you. But I think this is enough for one post. So I’ll close with my Tips for Tanglers. I cover this in my Introduction to Zentangle class. I’m considering covering it more often in other classes. I know I can use a reminder once in a while!

Taking an Introductory Zentangle class is always a great way to start because you’ll learn about the background and the 8 Steps helps students to understand Zentangle, and what makes it so special. Some students are just interested in the drawing. I don’t require my students to take an Introduction class as a pre-requisite to other Zentangle classes. I was one of those who was attracted to Zentangle for the art of it. I wanted to create pretty things. I discovered the magic of the practice only after I learned some of the Tangles. And that’s why I teach the 8-steps, the Aura, and Drawing Behind in every class I teach. I never know who is going to be attracted by the art of Zentangle, and I am passionate about sharing the magic of the Zentangle Method.

Last year I finally began teaching in person again. I love it! When the pandemic hit, like many others, I took my classes online. I created my YouTube channel and I teach there too. But nothing is as fulfilling as teaching in person! I’m hoping for more in person classes this year. And I will continue to share the magic of Zentangle as long as there are students who find me!

Til next time,

Be you and be happy!