I’m no Bob Ross, but I like to think that posting these doodle art videos will be relaxing and maybe even inspiring for some of you. This One Zentangle a Day practice has helped me clear my head and distract myself from all the yucky things I torture myself by thinking about during the day. Let’s look at Zentangle pattern Warmth.
Day 37 of One Zentangle a Day includes the Zentangle pattern Warmth. The Zentangle inspired art created today once again uses an official Zentangle tile and the same alcohol-based markers I used for day 36.
Even though it’s not the most complicated or intricate of Zentangle patterns, I’m very happy with how this turned out. I have a feeling that the pattern combinations I used on today’s tile might find their way into some other larger projects I take on down the road.
I’ve been reading up a little on Zentangling and the creators of the practice. I learned that they actually have training seminars so enthusiasts can become certified teachers. Even if I could, I don’t think I’d want to teach Zentangle, but I’m a little interested in going through the workshops just for the sake of learning if they’re ever offered near me.
I highly recommend the book, by the way, if you are wanting to learn to Zentangle or if even you’re a Zentangle master just looking for inspiration to get back into a daily practice. You can just look at the pictures and tear through the exercises with abandon, or you read each carefully constructed lesson and really dig into the whats and whys and hows of the art.
I’ve been trying to post each of my videos here on the blog, so check out the Zentangles topic if you’d like to have a glance at what else I’ve created during this series. As always, I hope you’ll like and subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re enjoying these videos. That lets YouTube know you like my channel and it helps other people find it through search and related content suggestions.
For Day 34, we’re practicing another Zentangle Zendala tile. A Zendala is a combination of Zentangle- and mandala-inspired art. What I like about them is the symmetry you can achieve by outlining a basic 360-degree pattern and then filling it in.
The Zendala I created for today’s lesson has a very geometric look to it, but you could just as easily use more organic, flowing patterns to give the art a softer more flower-like appearance.
In fact, I’d suggest making several copies of the basic outline in a sketchbook and then trying several different approaches to filling them in. The ‘Tangler in me really wants to fill every page of a notebook with the same basic outline and see how many different Zendalas I can create. Because some days, when my hands are too cramped or my pain is off the charts, I like to just flip through the library of art I’ve created. I promise it’s every bit as relaxing as actually drawing the art. Maybe even more so.
Anyway, I wanted to add color to today’s piece, so I went for a more simplified design this time around and used my Bianyo alcohol-based markers. I’m still learning how to select a good color palette, so I’m not crazy about the end result here, but I don’t hate it either.
For Day 33, we’re practicing a Zentangle Zendala, which is Zentangle inspired mandala art. At the request of one of my patrons, I’m slowing things down a bit and offering you what I hope to be a super relaxing and satisfying Zentangle video.
Because this video is real time, it’s a several minutes longer than other other videos I’ve created in this series. But hopefully you’ll find it’s well worth the watch time. If you like it, you can thank my friend Becky for her support and the video suggestion! And remember, if you’re pressed for time, you can always speed up any video by manually changing the playback rate through the YouTube interface. (Click the ‘Settings’ wheel on the bottom of the video and choose the playback speed you prefer.)
I’ve been enjoying creating this series for you guys. Putting these videos online is giving me an opportunity to pick up some new skills in addition to practicing art. For one, I’m learning some very basic video editing skills with Shotcut, but I’m learning the basics of growing a YouTube channel. Starting a channel from scratch helps me appreciate how truly effortless my favorite art YouTubers make this stuff look. There is so much that goes into creating video content, but so much more that goes into marketing, sharing, and optimizing those videos for search. Because if your videos don’t come up in a search, new people can’t find the stuff you worked so hard to create.
So, having said all that, I hope you’ll consider giving my videos a like on YouTube and subscribing to my channel. Every time you interact with my content, it lets the YouTube algorithms know that people are engaged. And that means they’ll suggest my videos to other people interested in Zentangle art. And *that* means I’ll be able to connect with other fans of the practice.
Y’all, I am so excited about today’s video. If you have seen any of the previous videos in this series, you know that I’m basically a video editing n00b. I am just learning as I go and hoping that with each day comes a little improvement in the quality of my One Zentangle a Day series of YouTube videos. Today’s Zentangle video feels like a personal breakthrough, and it’s exciting to see my own progress!
Some days that improvement just translates into me getting through the video editing process a little quicker. Other days, it means trying out new music or experimenting with voiceovers and all the editing that requires.
Today, I was playing around in Shotcut software, and I tried laying two (Yes, TWO!) background audio tracks. One is a lovely little classical number and the second is a forest full of birds chirping and singing.
Pairing the two audio tracks resulted in the most soothing, satisfying Zentangle video I’ve produced to date. I want to watch it over and over, which is uncommon for me. Normally I cringe all the way through these things on playback.
Anyway, I don’t know if this will be your cup of tea or not, but I hope it is. Thanks for watching today’s Zentangle video, an I will catch you in the next one.
Today is Day 30 of One Zentangle a Day, and today’s focus is on finding Zentangle patterns in the everyday stuff around you and then translating that into your own Zentangles. I took inspiration from the pattern on a lamp shade and then threw in some Zentangle patterns from previous days’ lessons.
