What's a Zentangle?

Several months ago I ran into this strange word - "Zentangle." Well, it seems that it is a word that some folks coined that really has to do with 'art doodling.' Remember all those doodles that you did on the side of a page when you are on the phone or supposedly listening to a lecture? You sort of zoned out when you should have been paying attention?

That drawing was a bit of a 'tangle' - the zoning out, I think, adds the 'zen.'

Having seen a few examples of zentangles, I decided to explore it further and discovered a whole new world of YouTube videos and other resources. Apparently, there are 100's of tangle patterns and lots of ways to draw and use them. They also say - get this - there are no mistakes in zentangle! If you mess up on a pattern, just go on and make it into something else. Anybody can do it! Now, that's encouraging, isn't it?

Most of the directions begin with white paper (or a tile) and black ink. I practiced a few patterns with an ink pen and a pencil for shading. And, yes, I found myself 'zoning out' as I was drawing!

  

However, I really missed color, so I tried using watercolor washes on the patterns.

  

Once you begin playing with single patterns, then you have to start using various patterns together!
Here's my first attempt. Obviously, I used different patterns from these two examples.

Lots of squiggles and repetitions - and some watercolor!

Since this little bit of tangle, I have been practicing lots of patterns - more on my next post. Don't want to spoil all the upcoming surprises. Give it a try - remember, you can't do it wrong!