The Meditative Process of Zentangle

The beginning process

Complete!

I started my interest in Zentangle over a year ago,

I have dabbled in the process of drawing and doodling

for quite some time now.

I have even take a few awesome

 Creative Doodling courses

online and loved them,

I truly learned a lot.
It wasn't until I discovered the
true Zentangle process
that my "doodling"
became "tangling"
and I haven't looked back!

I wrote a post a few weeks ago about

Creating Zendalas

and how much I loved the process.

When I have quiet time usually this is
what I am drawn to these days.
It helps to keep me centered, alert and calm.
Here I can incorporate my Zentangle
and my love for watercolors.
(You will find a link to my Zendala art on the side bar!)

Most of you know that my mother
suffered from Dementia for quite some time,
and it is a journey I don't want to re-visit.
I have found that Zentangle
has so many attributes;
keeping the mind sharp and focused
are just a few.
That is the reason I was originally
drawn to the Zentangle process.
I have received so much more
since I started down this path.

Black tile with metallic pen

I have slowly evolved into

the discovery of

Zentangle

and I am totally in love

with the meditative process.
It is truly a different experience!
Zentangle is purposeful drawing,
doodling is carefree drawing.

I encourage you to visit the link

I have given you

to learn of the original creators

of Zentangle,

Rick and Maria

and how their process evolves

with this magnificent

meditative art form.

Zentangle is creating a quiet moment for yourself.
It is relaxing, fulfilling, healthy for the mind,
meditative and unlike
any other art form.
It requires very little supplies,
a good micron pen, zentangle tiles,
(just 3.5 x 3.5)
a pencil and no eraser!
For there are no mistakes in the
process, only learning moments!

I have been able to study
with several
CZT's now
(Certified Zentangle Teacher)
and each one has had a
wonderful insight to the process.
I have learned so much from them all!
Each teacher has a slightly
different approach.

Recently I was able to take an
advanced Zentangle class
with Kim Herman, CZT
at my local
MOCA
(Museum of Contemporary Art)
It was an awesome day
and I learned so many new ideas
and techniques.

Our treasure here in Virginia Beach

I first met Kim when she and I sat next
to each other at a Zentangle 102
class
with Suzanne McNeil
at Art and Soul.
Talk about SERENDIPITY,
she was quietly sitting next to me,
a CZT herself
 and we live not even 10 minutes
away from each other!
I sought her out for private instruction
and learned the true foundation
of Zentangle drawing.

I was also able to have
private instruction with
Mary Campbell, CZT
and she took my Zentangle practice
in a totally different direction.
She taught me so many new
and fun tangle patterns and
I learned to use metallic gelly roll pens
on black Zentangle tiles
another fun process!

I am grateful for what I have learned,
the examples of artwork
my eyes have seen,
for the philosophy of Zentangle
being reinforced for my own
well being
and I am totally in love with the process.

I am enjoying learning
more and more each day,
I carry a small kit with me
for those moments when I
might need to slow myself down
while waiting somewhere.

Lately I have been working
with an awesome book
by Beckah Krahula
"One Zentangle A Day"
She explains everything I
have been talking about
So I am trying to create
a new tangle everyday!
My journal is full of notes and patterns
and I am gaining quite a collection of
Zentangle tiles!

I even created my own

Zentangle bookmark for my book,

it makes reading all the more fun you know!

This was so much fun to create

So I encourage you to give it a try,

perhaps you might learn one technique

that you can incorporate into your

mixed media work,

never stop learning something new!

The steps to beginning Zentangle:

Relax ~ Breathe ~ Admire your paper and tools ~ 

Appreciate the opportunity ~ Draw the border ~

Draw the string ~ With pen draw the tangles ~

with pencil shade the tangles ~

initial your work ~ sign and date

reflect and appreciate