Zentangle and me

The official description: 

Zentangle is an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns.
The Zentangle art form and method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Zentangle® is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc. Learn more at zentangle.com.

My description: 

Zentangle is an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns.

My experience:

This art form is easy to learn. It can also be incredibly complicated too, so no limits to creativity for either the beginner or expert.

I have been teaching myself this art form for a year. I stumbled on it by accident when searching Amazon for a book on doodling that I could use with students for my before school drawing club. The book Pattern Play by Cris Letourneau and Sonya Yencer came up as 'customers who bought this also bought ....'.

Pattern Play was the beginning of my Zentangle life. 

I loved the concept that you don't need to know how to draw to be able to create beautiful drawings. You don't need many materials. It is mess-free. It is portable. It has clear 'rules' which allow you to be free to explore your own creativity. 

My next purchase was One Zentangle a Day by Beckah Krahula. This book introduced a bit of discipline to my learning and drawing. It gave me a focus and helped me understand some of the concepts better, such as the use of strings. 

At first I used visual diaries and standard felt tip pens for my Zentangle drawings, ignoring the advice in Pattern Play and on the official Zentangle website about using the special tiles and the top quality Sakura pens. 

Later, once I'd proven to myself that this art form was something I was going to stick with, I purchased a starter kit and book from the Zentangle website.

The starter kit introduced me to the importance of using quality materials. The paper and pens do make a difference. They are wonderful to work with and they help me value my own creative efforts.

I expanded my learning when I discovered www.tanglepatterns.com. This is website is my go-to for instructions on tangles that I'm learning or can't remember how to draw. 

The next so so important step for me was to work with a CZT. A CZT is a Certified Zentangle Teacher. CZT's can be found on the Zentangle website.

I spent two incredible days in July working with Michelle Beauchamp. Shelly tangles at the blog http://shellybeauch.blogspot.com.au. By working with Shelly I was able to refine my drawing skills and learn how to incorporate colour into my art work. 

Shelly was also able to demonstrate how to draw some the tangles that I just couldn't make sense of otherwise. I'm talking about the tangles B'tweed, aura knots, fengle and tripoli here. 

I hope to visit Shelly again next year. Maybe I'll also travel to the States to become a CZT myself.

For now, I draw most days. I use the Sakura pens and I draw on either original Zentangle tiles, Bijou tiles or Opus tiles (my new favourite). Sometimes I use artist acrylic paper with a GSM of 200+.

Drawing is fun, relaxing and the best creative outlet that I've tried so far.

Here is my latest Opus tile.

Enjoy.

Miss L