Zentangle

I joined the "Pinterest" craze about a month ago, with my friend & mentor Beth (http://willowlakestitches.blogspot.com). Pinterest is a great place to go for some artistic inspiration! I thought I was crafty, until I started viewing projects that others had "pinned". If you haven't already joined, you should!

One of the art items that caught my attention, were some fancy doodles. I used to love doodling & coloring back in the 80's. I always had my poster size coloring books near the phone, so I could color while I talked.  I've hung on to them for 30+ years, so I guess they're pretty important to me!

1980's

I looked into these new fancy doodles a little further and found that Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts recently began Zentangle. Here is a link to their website and photos of official Zentangles. http://www.zentangle.com/index.php

"What is Zentangle? Zentangle is an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. It is a fascinating new art form that is fun and relaxing. It increases focus and creativity. Zentangle provides artistic satisfaction and an increased sense of personal well being. Zentangle is enjoyed by a wide range of skills and ages and is used in many fields of interest."~Zentangle website 

I tried out a few of the tangle patterns, but didn't know if I'd really get into it, so instead of immediately buying the official kit, I made my own little Zentangle sized notebook and gave it a whirl. I was hooked in no time. I went on Amazon and purchased the Zentangle 2 instruction book, along with a sketch notebook and Micron pen. I was so excited the day these arrived! I have since bought a kit of pencils, charcoal, blending tools, sharpener, eraser, etc. and still need to purchase some official Zentangle blank tiles.

After practicing in my homemade sketch journal for a few days, I bravely (?) set pen to hand and drew on the pages of this beautiful sketch book. Here's my ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Art).

Tangle Patterns: Feathers, Cresent Moon, Cadent, Munchin, Feathers

Currently, there are no CZT's (Certified Zentangle Teacher) in North Dakota. Wouldn't it be fun to be the first?