Apr 23, 2011

Zentangle

Happy Easter to you! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend with loved ones. For those of you who have been through a rough time lately know that my thoughts and love go to you and your families :)

Paws

Pink velvety paws,
Do their sleepy flex
White whiskers twitch
While an ever growing rumble,
Stirs from somewhere within

SW 23/4/2011

So recently I have discovered the wonderful art of Zentangle. Never heard of it? Chances are you do it already. Ever find you draw pictures absentmindedly while talking on the phone, or while in a meeting. Heard of Doodling? yes? Well Zentangle is basically doodling, but zenning it up a bit. Zentangle is making a picture using repeated patterns. You can find patterns anywhere, in every day objects, nature etc.. 
In zentangle there are a few rules. But they are GOOD rules.
1. There are NO erasers! There are no mistakes in zentangle. If you do something you didn't want to do, make something out of it. (Isn't that liberating?)
2. Use a good quality pen and paper. After all this is going to be your ART. Don't forget to include your signature or initials somewhere in the pic. 
3. You can zentangle any time, any place. Your subject can be anything you want. You can make it as structured or as abstract as you want. Anything goes!
I have done three zentangle drawings now and I am totally hooked! I find it extreemly relaxing and calming. It even helps me to focus on a task. When I first saw some pictures made by some zentangle artists I thought I wouldnt be able to produce anything as good as theirs. But after thinking about it, and reading about the no erasers bit, I thought I'd give it a go. It really is only limited by your own imagination.
I even had my son giving it a try. He has aspergers and is very critical of his artistic abilities and he made a lovely little zentangle picture.
Most are done with a black pen on white paper. You can add some colour and shading if you want, it's totally up to you. I have done a couple on black paper using silver and gold pens to.
Give it a try some time, and let me know how you went, I'd love to hear about, or even see them!
My creations...
"INDIA"


And "Yes I can!" (this was my very first one)

12 comments:

  1. Those are great! Think I'll give it a try!

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  2. Fantastic. This would be great for printmaking too. Thanks for sharing this. I've never heard of it. I usually do this at staff meetings and now I will actually look forward to my next staff meeting! But before then, I will try it at home.

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  3. These are awesome. Doodling is very relaxing, but I haven't doodled anything so intricate, made some with repeating geometric shapes. Zendoodle;)

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  4. Happy Easter to you and your family.

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  5. omg even your doodling is a masterpiece!! These are incredible! India reminds me of a print you would find on cloth. I love it!
    Your poem was wonderful as well.
    Have a wonderful Easter!! xoxoxo

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  6. Both of you zentangles are fab! I can see this form of drawing as very addictive!!
    My 24yr old nephew has aspergers but he doesn't enjoy doodling at all! He is into music and can tell you the most amazing facts about anything to do with music, composers, who was the backup bass guitarist on the so and so 1986 album and which city it was published in! :)

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  7. @IWBY Thankyou!
    @Al cool! You'll love it :)
    @dbs very cool!
    @Ant, thankyou! And Happy Easter to you and yours :)
    @Caren, aw thanks Caren, Happy easter to you as well!
    @Carole. Thankyou! Yes my son is like that to. He can tell you all sorts of things about space.

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  8. This is why I shouldn't comment when rushed or distracted. Liked the poem and was going to say, that I'm familiar with the "sleepy flex" of paws.:)

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  9. WOAH! That's vay vay awesome!

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  10. Ant, I was going to put the poem to a photo I took of one of Moby's paws, but the poem just didn't look right on the photo. Love the sleepy flex :)

    @Ruth.. Thankyou!

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  11. I love the background watercolor on this blog.

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I'd love to hear what you have to say :)