Art 108: Zentangles

I was recently introduced to Zentangle, a creative art form that requires only pencil, pen and paper. I immediately thought it would be fun to share because it requires so few materials and no real "'artistic talent." In other words, even if you don't define yourself as an artist, or even think you can draw a straight line, I suggest you to try this stress-reducing activity!

The first step is to decide what the outline of your Zentangle will look like. You could use a shape (heart), an object (paintbrush) or just a random contour. This is not as important as you would think since the designs within it will better speak for your creativity. My advice is to find something with rounded corners or else the else the designs look trapped inside a box, so to speak.

Next, divide your shape, contour or object into multiple sections. The lines you draw will act as a guideline for drawings and patterns within the tangle. Obviously the more sections you create, the more intricate the final product.

Now you're ready to let your imagination run wild! Fill in your sections with a variety of drawings and designs. You can surf the web for ideas and/or ask friends to join in and draw a design. I recommend using pencil first and then tracing over it with an ink pen or sharpies. The latter comes in different widths which, depending on what you want to draw, may or may not be useful.

After you've finished drawing all your lines and going over them with pen, you can feel free to add color to liven up the bold black and white.
You can visit www.zentangle.com for more resources or click the photo for its source.