A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Kathryn Costa. She wondered if I was interested in her new Four Gates Stencil. It was serendipity. I’d wanted to try getting back into Zentangle to see what I could do with my non-dominant left hand.
i shared the early stages of that process here on my blog already, but I want to show you the fished mandala and encourage you to check out her website, ebook, and gallery if the mood strikes you.
The end result isn’t everything I wanted it to be, but it’s a starting point and a nice place to compare progress as I inevitably give this art another try.
As with all the Zentangle patterns I explore, it’s 95% about the process, about taking the time to do something for myself. The end product is always satisfying because it’s a reminder that I can take care of me. So maybe I can’t take myself out for ice cream. That’s okay. I can do this.
Working with my non-dominant hand has actually been helpful in taking me out of my anxious spirals. It takes an extra level of focus that pulls me into the present and keeps me from obsessing about all possible permutations of the future simultaneously.
One very good thing about Lexapro: my highs are as high as my lows are low.
I made it to my doctor’s appointment today—the one that was supposed to be Friday—and let me just say what a difference a business day makes. I got the order for my AFO brace. WENT. DOWN. THREE. STAIRS. and walked up an inclined ramp, all without a panic attack!
My doctor was happy for me and asked if I needed orders submitted for outpatient physical therapy. I’m content to wait a little bit on that. I’d like to have the foot brace, and I’d also like a little break.
I keep up with my PT exercises, so I’m not concerned about regression if I wait. I’m motivated simply by doing things I haven’t done in ages. I won’t press the outpatient PT issue either because if it doesn’t happen until after MRI and CT imaging at the end of the month, that’ll be much easier on me in terms of managing the angst.
If someone calls to schedule PT before that, I might opt to go ahead. Don’t need to make that decision now, though.
Saturday I took a shower and walkered myself back to bed instead of being wheeled. I know for mobile people, this sounds like nothing. But for me it’s a big fucking deal.
Suck it, Benny Hinn.
I’m still working on my non-dominant, left-handed writing and drawing. I’m really proud of how neat my penmanship has gotten. I’m nothing if not tenaciously disciplined when it comes to self-improvement. I like the way this neat and orderly page turned out:
Sometimes I’m really tired, though, and my brain wants to do more Zentangle-inspired practice
Still raising money for dental work. Remember that small donations matter. Shares matter. It all matters!
It’s Inktober, y’all! I’m not directly participating this year, but I’m watching YouTube videos, as usual, from other Certified Zentangle Teachers while they complete the Inktober Zentangle prompts for 2024 as compiled by Stephanie Jennifer, a CZT based in Singapore.
I have little control over my right hand and it is extremely weak, so holding a pen or pencil is not something that brings me comfort and calm right now. (I can just barely wield a fork to eat, and I prefer to stuff my face with handheld food.)
I still have hope for one day, though.
I believe this is related to the brain tumor, I don’t think it’s caused by the tumor. My ability fluctuates, indicating the problem is with an irritable nerve that likes to stop innervating muscles with overuse. (Think about stuff downline occasionally falling asleep below the neck and how neck and shoulder tension from anxiety probably exacerbate that.)
Mom usually helps me fill out forms, and I do my best to keep my signature identifiable for the bank and voter registration and whatnot, but it ain’t what it used to be.
My left arm burns with pain. I’ve dealt with some form of this issue since the craniotomy in 2017. There’s a pinched nerve in my neck that brings with it delightfully disabling pain.
After brain surgery the neurosurgeon was like “Damn, those were some neck muscles.”
They haven’t relaxed once in probably 10 years. Would PT have helped? Maybe, but I was on chemo and radiation and throwing up almost immediately following the biopsy. Physical therapy was recommended then, but it never happened. I have limits.
I will likely have to relearn to draw if I ever figure out a way to look down at my hand again without shit spinning, but maybe I won’t mind videoing that process. I think I can be okay with jittery lines if I can just hold a Micron again.
For now though, I have to be careful and use my arms less. Or else I risk extreme pain on top of everything else.
Hmm. Maybe I should sling my affected side? To protect it from sudden, thoughtless movements? I wish I could just afford to try shit until I find something that helps, but alas!
At any rate, I was thinking of doing a blog post on Zentangle bookmarks, but I’m putting that off. There’s plenty going on with Inktober. I need a rest, and I want to enjoy what I can without making extra work for myself.
PS: There’s a new WYGB chapter coming to Substack today.
Everyone brings something enjoyable to Zentangle. Sometimes it’s a style accessible to me where I am right now. Or maybe it’s a collaboration that connects me to Zentangle community. Other times it’s art so captivating I just have to pause to admire it. My favorite CZTs all appeal to me for different reasons.
Maybe you’re already familiar with these talented people. But just in case you aren’t, I thought I’d drop some links. They are worth checking out.
Romi Marks, CZT
I’ve talked about the Tangledyogi 333 YouTube channel before, and posted this picture of her Divine Dove design I finished a couple of years ago. The colors and designs Romi Marks comes up with are so fun and relaxing to draw, and the colors are always so vibrant and uplifting. If you haven’t tried one of her free video classes yet, you are missing out!
Shie Naritomi, CZT
Shie Naritomi follows offiicial Project Pack videos (Project Pack 24 is currently underway, in case that’s news to anyone) on YouTube from Zentangle HQ, with tutorials for Japanese speakers. I don’t speak Japanese, but love watching her videos. Turns out it’s quite soothing to hear the rhythm of her instructions in a language that’s unknown to me, but I also admire watching her instructions. Each day I’m reminded that Zentangle art is like handwriting—different enough to appreciate our uniqueness, but similar enough to share a common understanding. Her style is beautiful.
Tracy Anne Wilkinson, CZT
When I first started Zentangling, Tracey Ann Wilkinson’s tutorials and style really appealed to me too. Early on, I completed this Zendala design featuring a motif of swirl patterns, and it remains a favorite to this day. I am also a fan of the Art Deco pieces she has created on her YouTube channel. Easy to draw and beautiful to look at. To me, that’s the appeal of Zentangle.
Who are some of your favorite CZTs? Bonus points if you share a link to one of their videos or images so we can all explore the Zentangle community!
Easy art Zentangle patterns are abundant. In addition to the many original patterns taught by Zentangle Inc., CZTs and enthusiasts all over the world have created and named their own easy-to-draw Tangles.
Zentangle is easy to learn
Zentangle patterns are repetitive. You can fill a defined space on a page—or an entire page—with a single design if you want. And every time you recreate a pattern, you committ it to memory. It bears your signature style and is identifiably yours even before you sign it.
Learning to Zentangle is empowering
In Zentangle, as in all art, you decide what you want to make. The patterns start and stop wherever you want them too. You can plan your composition, randomly select your patterns, or draw whatever flows from your pen.
With no right way to draw, no wrong way to draw, and no mistakes, you create what brings you the most enjoyment. The power to create is yours.
Zentangle Inc. Pattern MsstZentangle Inc. Pattern Printemps Zentangle Inc. Pattern Crescent Moon
Start with the simplest patterns
I always recommend starting with a few of the original patterns from HQ. If you’re looking to make some easy art, Zentangle patterns like Msst, Printemps, and Crescent Moon are fun to draw and shade.
You’ll find tutorials for these and other patterns in my 9 Easy Zentangle Patterns for Beginners video featuring Zentangle originals.
It feels amazing to finally have posted the video for this meditative art postcard to my YouTube channel today. Bonus: I am making progress toward one of my 2020 goals!
The last time I posted a Zentangle video was April 2019—nine months ago. There are a handful of reasons why, but they can all essentially be reduced to a single source: brain cancer. Posting a new video is like throat-punching cancer.
Or, you know, something.
About This Zentangle
The meditative art was created for a new Patreon subscriber, and inspiration for it came from the official Zentangle channel on YouTube. I encountered the 3D-like spiral design on their Project Pack 07, Day 03 lesson. They used it with several other patterns, but I liked it so much I wanted to fill an entire postcard with it.
Getting this video recorded, edited, and uploaded to YouTube
was a week-long struggle. I’m editing on a different computer now, and although
I’m using the same phone to record footage, I had to factory reset it. So many
tools and settings just—POOF!—gone.
But, easy or not, it always feels good to share another video
with the world. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it inspires you create some Zen
doodles of your own.
If you make Zentangle art too, please say so in the comments and let me know where I can follow you on YouTube or Instagram or wherever!
Materials
The following materials list includes affiliate links. If you use them, I might get a few cents. Your support helps keep this website (and me) going.
It’s easy to draw Zentangles. And there are so many patterns to try. In addition to HQ’s original patterns, CZTs around the world have created beautiful patterns too.
Zentangles are easy to draw
Zentangle patterns are repetitive and meditative, meaning it doesn’t take years of practice to start reaping the benefits. Each time you draw a pattern, you add it to your repertoire. Like making words from letters, you can make gorgeous art one pen stroke at a time.
Zentangling is empowering
With Zentangle, you decide what to draw. The patterns start and stop wherever you want them too or wherever your string takes you. You decide whether to plan a composition, randomly draw patterns from a hat, or let your hand draw intuitively.
There’s no right way to draw, and no wrong way to draw. And because there are no mistakes, you have the opportunity to create what brings you joy. The power is all yours.
Floral Waves by Svetlana KrasnobayPineple by Mei Hua Teng, CZTHeartlock by Candace Mok
Start with the patterns you like
Sometimes hobbies just come more naturally when you enjoy them. Like sports and exercise, you probably won’t keep at anything long if you don’t like it. Some of my early favorites—like Floral Waves, Pineple, and Heartlock—felt easy to draw because they were created with simplicity in mind, but they have an intricate aesthetic when they’re complete. You might think they’re too difficult to learn at first glance.
You’ll find tutorials for these three Zentangles and more than 50 others in my 9 Easy Zentangle Patterns for Beginners playlist. (Patterns are curated by theme into groups of 9 tangles for each video.)
In 2018, I began my doodle art journey with the book One Zentangle a Day by artist Beckah Krahula. I’d seen some videos here and there of people turning meditative patterns into gorgeous art, and I thought to myself it looked like fun—drawing for the pure joy of it. Maybe, I thought, I could learn to Zentangle too.
Enamored with the oddly satisfying doodle art videos I’d watched on YouTube after my adjuvant cancer treatments, I decided to record my daily lessons along the way. I tried new patterns and then put them together. The results were not great at first. As I learned and improved, I realized I was also creating a really thorough review of the book.
So, if after this written review of One Zentangle a Day, you’re still undecided, there are 42 more videos on my YouTube channel to help you.
One Zentangle a Day is great for self-paced learning. The lessons are easy to complete and leave you with a sense of accomplishment each day. Explanations are detailed without being cumbersome, and the examples for using the patterns to create your own art are inspiring.
Structured daily lessons
Detailed text accompanying illustrations
More than 50 patterns
Step-by-step drawing instructions
Inspiring examples
Cons
I might be slightly biased, because it was my first foray into the world of Zentangle, but it seems to me this book has everything. Well, except the pens and paper you need to get started with Zentangle doodle art.
It’s square and doesn’t fit nicely on my bookshelf
Videos
If you don’t mind spoilers, watch the videos in my One Zentangle a Day YouTube playlist. You’ll get a brief glimpse at some of the pages, and a chance to see how I approached the 6-week course.
Bottom line: my review of One Zentangle a Day is glowing, and I highly recommend it. Not only is it a fun way to learn to Zentangle, but it’s a great reference for when you need to go back to a pattern or want some ideas for creating your own Zentangle-inspired art.
Here are some of the Zentangles I created while following the lessons in One Zentangle a Day.
I plan to continue doing Zentangle book reviews as I have time and money. If there’s a book you’d like to see me prioritize, you can leave a comment with your suggestion or gift a book from my wishlist.
Before I list my favorite types of meditative art, we really should have a mutual understanding of what it is.
My working definition is this: meditative art is anything creative that brings you into the present moment and keeps you from focusing on past trauma or future worries. (The stuff that makes us anxious.)
For this post I will be discussing visual art.
What are the benefits of meditative art? Well, I’m glad you asked. In addition to reducing stress and anxiety, meditative art can bring clarity and help you examine your emotions, express yourself, and find a sense of freedom and empowerment. However, anxiety is something I know really well.
Zentangle Art
As a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT) it should come as no surprise that the Zentangle Method is my favorite form of meditative art. It involves drawing repetitive patterns on small tiles. The folks at Zentangle Inc. have a great YouTube channel if you’d like to give it a try. They are currently doing a 21-day series focused on mental health. You can also learn more about ‘tangling in my guide for beginners.
Neurographic Art
Neurographic art is another meditative art form that can reduce anxiety. In many ways it is similar to Zentangle, but there aren’t patterns to learn, just rounded intuition-guided lines and shapes. Creating neurographic art emphasizes intuition, actually. For a great introduction and turorial, I recommend this video by Jules White.
Mandala Art
In ancient Sanskrit, mandala means “circle.” In art, a mandala is a geometric design or radial pattern that grows symmetrically from the center. The Zentangle Zendala is loosely based on the Mandala, though Zendalas may or may not be symmetrical like a Mandala. The repetition is what makes it meditative. To try your hand at making Mandala art, explore Mandala Drawing for Beginners from Tombow.
Abstract Art
Not all abstract art is meditative, but it has the potential to be because it doesn’t attempt to represent reality. The goal with abstract art is to reach people through forms, shape, color, and texture. But if you’re thinking about what you want to create, you might be missing out on the meditative qualities of making art. Like with neurographic techniques, relying on your intuition will serve you well. Try this video tutorial from Deco Art.
Adult Coloring
Before I became a CZT, I colored. Then, after my dad died, I found it was easier to get to sleep if I watched ZucchiniKitty’s coloring tutorials. From filling abstract shapes with marker to coloring intricate lineart with professional pencils, there’s something truly enjoyable, meditative, and liberating about leaving the drawing to someone else and focusing on the art of color. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite ZucchiniKitty tutorials.
Media Swatching
The first thing I want to do when I get new supplies is swatch them. Professional artists swatch everything for obvious reasons, but the act of swatching is itself meditative, and—to me at least—it’s one of the most satisfying forms of art I can think of. You don’t need a tutorial for this one. Just take the art supplies you already have lying around and have at it!
Meditative art can benefit everyone. I hope you’ll explore and find something that brings you joy, sparks your creativity, and gives you peace in this present moment.
Close-up tiles from my YouTube series videos. Which pattern will you draw next?
Pineple by Mei Hua Teng, CZTIrradial by Tomas PadrosCaro by Lucy Farran, CZTOns by Curtis Hwang, CZTAnooka by Smita TokeFloral Waves by Svetlana KrasnobayFriendship by Nicole DreyerAkebia by Gloria Barocio, CZTAngel Fish by Marizaan van Beek, CZTBublz by Kristi WallinSeta by LonettaHeartgram by Cyndi KnappAlcatraz by Diana E. MarshallReflections by Cheryl CraverDicentra by Diana E. MarshallSanaura by Hiroko Matsuo, CZTHeartlock by Candace MokArium by Hiroko Matsuo, CZTArukas by Molly HollibaughHoot by Erika Bonham KehletFlory by Evgeniya AsatryanFlos by Christina VandervlistKiss by Olga BarkoLuv-a by Sharon Caforio, CZTShearts by Mary Van DemanGotcha by Karin GodynsLine Dance by Alice HendonAdry by Elena BabayantsLove Handles by Tomàs Padrós, CZTFungees by Leslie CrumplerCross-Ur-Heart by Jenna BlackPearl Pod by Lindy ClarksonAny by Elena BabayantsZentangle Inc. Pattern BBHart-Ellie by Lee Kay, CZT Heart Divided by Helen WilliamsSavana by Yvette Campbell, CZTScallamp by Sara Uram, CZTBumps by Sue Jacobs, CZTTipplescu by Susanna Redaelli, CZTRiver by Suzanne McNeill, CZTHarp by Jan Brandt, CZTZentangle Inc. Pattern ChartzVictory by Milde Weiss, CZTZentangle Inc. Pattern MoonpieZentangle Inc. Pattern Florz Zentangle Inc. Pattern MsstZentangle Inc. Pattern StaticZentangle Inc. Pattern Xircus Zentangle Inc. Pattern FlooZentangle Inc. Pattern Crescent MoonZentangle Inc. Pattern Printemps
Thanks for browsing the Zentangle Pattern Bijou Tile Gallery! If you want more patterns to try, watch the ABCs of Zentangle Playlist.
