How to master zentangle and why you need it

What is zentangle and why do it

Zentangle is a technique of drawing repeating patterns that are then folded into an abstract image. This is one of the types of art therapy.

The patterns from which the picture is formed are called tangles.

When I first started doing creative work, I had no art education. Therefore, I was looking for a direction that I can master on my own. Of all the possible options, the zentangle interested me the most.

If you regularly do it, you develop imagination, vision of the composition, and the setting of your hand. Therefore, over time, you can create complex patterns.

For me, a huge plus of zentangle is relaxation. Drawing fascinates, I immerse myself in the process and leave the outside world.

Here are the benefits of a zentangle:

This is a meditative technique. In the process, you need to focus on the picture, discard other thoughts. In this state, all worries fade into the background.
Over time, you get better at drawing and you can apply this skill not only in zentangle. For example, it comes in handy in applying makeup.
No special talents are required to master the technique. It doesn't matter if you make mistakes - in the zentangle it is the effect of relaxation that is important.
Once you are good at drawing on paper, you can try transferring the pattern onto the fabric. This is an interesting solution for decorating clothes and interior items.

Zentangle pattern / oxchc.ca

What tools and materials are needed for a zentangle

Everything you need can be found in the departments for creativity and needlework, in art and stationery stores, or ordered on the Internet.

Paper

Traditionally, dense paper squares with slightly uneven edges are used for zentangles, they are also called tiles. The size of one sheet is 8, 9 x 8, 9 cm. Color - white or black.

You can make the tile yourself. To do this, you need to buy paper for drawing or watercolor, then divide into squares with a ruler and pencil and cut.

Sketchbook

In it, you will try new patterns, draw sketches before creating a picture on the tiles. The album is convenient to carry with you everywhere.

Sheets of thick paper are definitely needed so that you can use a bold marker. Choose the format at your discretion.

Liner markers

For white paper, you need black ones, for dark ones - white ones.

Special liner markers with line widths of 0, 05, 0, 1 and 0, 5 are best suited. They help to draw rich patterns. Sold in sets and individually.

As a last resort, you can use gel pens or felt-tip pens.

Simple pencils

It would be nice to have a sketching kit - it has pencils of different hardness. The density and saturation of the strokes are different for these. They are useful for feathering tangles.

At a minimum, you need to have two pencils: hard (2H or HB marking) and soft (2B or 4B).

Sharpener

Useful for sharpening pencils.

Colored markers

The classic zentangle is black. You can start with it. But if you prefer colored patterns, nothing prevents you from adding colors.

To do this, you can use markers, paints, pencils, gel pens, or felt-tip pens.

Ruler and eraser

Many people do not recommend using them, because the zentangle is not about the evenness of the pattern. It's about relaxing in the process. However, some masters still advise keeping them close at hand to make it easier for yourself to work with complex tangles.

How to start learning zentangle

If you've never tried this art practice, check out other people's work first. You can search for ideas and get inspired on thematic blogs or on Pinterest.

For the first drawings, choose simple tangles that are easy to copy. After a while, you will learn how to create patterns yourself.

Sit back, relax, inhale and exhale slowly. Zentangle is not just creativity, it is meditation. Therefore, your main task is to have fun.

Evgeniya Asatryan Zentangle Master

How to draw tangles

We'll walk through the first three patterns from the tangles tutorial. You can copy the rest yourself.

What do you need

A sheet of thick A4 paper - watercolor or for drawing;
simple pencil;
black marker liner;
eraser;
ruler.

How to draw the first tangle

1. First you need to draw the sheet into squares using a ruler and a simple pencil. To make it easier for ourselves, we will not cut the paper. The standard zentangle card is 8, 9 × 8, 9 cm, but for the first time you can make smaller squares - 5 × 5 cm. Step back 2 cm from the edges of the sheet and start drawing with a pencil. Leave an empty space of 1 cm between the squares so that the cards do not merge. Repeat this on the other side of the paper.

We remove all unnecessary with an eraser. The squares can be additionally circled with a liner to make them brighter.

2. We proceed to the design of the tangle. Using a pencil, draw curved lines diagonally across the first square with light movements of the hand. We start from the top left corner, go to the bottom right. Draw the same lines from the lower left corner to the upper right. You will get a mesh of rhombuses, as shown in the figure. Circle it with black marker.

3. Divide each resulting diamond in half from top to bottom. Here, the lines can be drawn immediately by a liner.

4. Draw a straight dividing line at the base of each rhombus with a marker.

5. Now the base, which we have drawn, is completely painted over with black color.

6. Draw the right side of each diamond with straight lines diagonally.

How to draw a second tangle

1. In the next square, draw straight stripes with a pencil diagonally - from the upper left corner to the lower right. The distance between the first and second lines should be small, but between the second and third - more, and so on. Repeat the same diagonally from the bottom left corner to the top right corner.

2. Now draw the resulting lines with a marker, but not completely. Leave the intersections empty. Take a close look at how this is done in the photo below. You should have a weave effect.

3. It turned out that some stripes are in the foreground, others are in the background. The second need to be painted over with a black marker.

4. Decorate all white thick lines with longitudinal straight strokes.

How to draw the third tangle

1. The next pattern also starts with intersecting lines. This time they are slightly rounded and connect the top and bottom of the square. Draw the same stripes from left to right with a pencil, then outline with a liner. The picture shows how it should look.

2. Draw a diamond at each intersection. Paint it black with a marker. A simple tangle is ready!

The full video tutorial can be viewed here:

What other zentangle master classes are there?

10 tangles that even beginners can repeat:

A selection of the simplest basic patterns:

Tangle ideas are more complicated:

Drawing lesson of five beautiful and unusual tangles:

Five more interesting patterns:

Where to find useful information on zentangle

Websites:

Naturopiya.com. Here you can find art therapy techniques, zentangle features and 800 patterns for creativity.
Web-paint.ru. Detailed lessons on zentangle.
Liveinternet.ru. In the column to the left you can find many articles on painting techniques as well as ideas for tangles.
Tangl.ru. Step-by-step diagrams and lessons of drawing patterns.
Bygirl.net. The site of a girl who considered herself incapable of drawing, and now creates tangles on anything from stones to tin cans.

YouTube channels:

Just Draw. Master classes from a certified Zentangle teacher.
"OrionaArt ♥ Draw together!" Several tutorials with a selection of patterns for beginners.
Anna Medvedeva. Live drawing lessons from a certified Zentangle teacher.

Communities and Blogs:

Zentangle school. Zentangle school on Instagram. Lots of short articles about drawing, ideas for creativity.
"". Community "VKontakte", where you can post your work, admire strangers, get ideas for creativity.
"". Another public VKontakte. Interesting tangles are also shared here.
"". Group "VKontakte" with examples of patterns. There are no lessons, but you will have enough of the work of other masters.

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