Relaxing and Fun, It’s Time to Try the Therapeutic Art of Zentangle!

It was the fall of 2003.

A monk by the name of Rick Roberts had interrupted Maria Thomas, an artist, who was idly adding patterns to the background of a large gilded letter. It was only due to the interruption that she realized what she was experiencing: feelings of selflessness, effortlessness and a rich immersion in her work. Or as she puts it, “freedom of well-being and complete focus”.

“You’re describing meditation” was what Rick said with all his years of meditation.

This led them to two simple realizations. These beautiful patterns were relatively simple to draw and you didn’t need to be an accomplished artist for this. The second, it combines the benefits of both meditation and art into one package. Expanding on these, it was here that the Zentangle Method came into existence and took the world by storm.

Beyond art, it became a means of relaxation and creativity without the pressure of expectations and perfection. For instance, there are no ‘mistakes’ with this form of art along with no preplanned outcomes when you put pen to paper.

You’re just taking a journey with your pen towards an unexpected yet beautiful result.

Check out this brief introduction to the art of Zentangle and why it’s for you.

Ready to Tangle? Take a Sneak Peek Behind the Patterns of Amazement

What Do You Need?

A pencil for marking out grid lines and shading
A black pen that runs smoothly
A white drawing paper (or even other surfaces)

How Does it Work?

In short, it is the repetition of constant yet abstract patterns. Whether dots, lines, circles or curves, a combination of these are used yet carefully clustered into one canvas. Keep in mind that you’re not just randomly inserting designs here.

On the contrary, it is a specific way of drawing where you use structured and geometric patterns that begin with a single line without any predetermined course of action henceforth. Typically, drawing one tends to last for a period of 15 minutes.

And the best part? You don’t need any experience in art to actually ‘do the tangle’.

Are There Any Steps?

At a very basic level, here are the steps to help you kickstart your Zentangle journey!

Appreciate and create: Be grateful for the tools and the time that you have

Mark your corners: Use light pencil dots at each corner of a 3. 5″ square paper

Connect the dots: Create a border with these dots via straight or curvy lines

String your work: A string divides your paper via lines into sections inside the border

Do the tangle: Begin your patterns with a pen inside the borders and strings

Add some shade: Time for a 3-dimensional look using shades of grey with pencil

Signs of success: Put your signature, initials, date, etc. and admire your creation

Applaud and appreciate: This is your work of art! Believe it!

Why Zentangle Anyway?

Tired of being a perfectionist?

Don’t think you have the artistic touch?

Don’t let these worries get the best of you. Just tangle and see what happens! Using a combination of dots, waves, curves and many other types of lines, your creativity reaches an all-time high since you’re in control of the end result rather than the other way around.

There may be misplaced lines or strokes but that’s alright – it becomes a chance to create a new pattern altogether. Mistakes are seen as opportunities and new directions begin to open up on the canvas. That’s a close similarity to the fact that nothing in life is ever perfect.

And that’s okay.

It’s more about how we react and adjust to it, just like the patterns we create.

Besides this, you can also expect these following benefits:

Reduces stress and anxiety
Develops creativity
Enhances confidence and self-esteem
Sharpens concentration and focus
No pressure of failure and results

To pass on the same bliss that they experienced, this system was born to get rid of common blocks and boundaries and set you free! While harping on the importance of each stroke, it serves as a reminder of how big things can be achieved from emphasizing on every step you take.

As a matter of fact, the result is actually the comforting experience of putting pen to paper and opening yourself to the beauty of possibilities!

Fun and simple, easy to learn and aesthetically pleasing.

Zentangle brings you the whole package, one stroke at a time.