Squirtz, a new tangle perfect for Summer!

Today I am pleased to introduce Squirtz. A new tangle pattern for my Zentangle® practice. Not sure where the name came from, it just popped into my head when I considered this as a tangle pattern.

Squirtz is a tangle that almost wasn’t...a tangle that is. It’s a pattern that I’ve used when I draw my last tangle; Foxglovz. In fact, you’ll notice it in my step out for Foxglovz. I was encouraged by a fellow Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT) to make it a tangle of its own. Intrigued by the idea, I began to play with the pattern. I played, and played, and I found a variety of ways I could make it my own. And I decided that I enjoy drawing it enough to share it.

If you’re curious about how a tangle is born, I can share what I know. It’s not a secret, and I think of it in very simple terms. A tangle is just a pattern. Patterns have been found in art for a long, long, time! When I teach the Zentangle Method, the patterns we use are “deconstructed” rather than “created” because most patterns have no creators, per se, but someone can deconstruct a pattern to understand and inform how to draw it. We can create a "step out" as we call it in the Zentangle community, and it's simply a step by step instruction for drawing the pattern.

There are a few characteristics that make it a tangle, in the Zentangle sense that is. Like, it should be drawn using the basic strokes; i s c o (a line a dot, s curve, c curve, and a circle). A tangle should be non-representational, which means it’s not supposed to look like a “thing”. I could deconstruct a table, but it may or may not be a tangle. This one is very subjective. I think there are lots of tangles that look like things but I’m OK with that, especially if they look like plants or flowers!

Something else you might find interesting about tangle patterns. There’s no “Tangle Police” to tell you something is or is not a tangle pattern. And it’s entirely possible that a pattern can be deconstructed by several people! Squirtz may already exist with a different name. There are thousands of patterns and a few different places that publish tangles, so it’s almost impossible to find them all! So, if you’ve already deconstructed this pattern, please know that I meant no harm, and I did not copy from you! We must have received similar inspiration!

If you’ve been watching my art, you know that I am in love with botanicals. Plants and flowers of every kind just make me smile! I also love a touch of whimsy on occasion, so Squirtz is the perfect tangle for me. The fact that it is simple and easy to make your own is a bonus! I hope you will try using it in your art. And let me know what you think in the comments below.

Til next time,

Be You and Be Happy!

p.s. I’d love to see your work using Squirtz, so consider adding #angelchoirmosaic to your posts.