Advice for New Tanglers

Don’t spend all your drawing time on social media ooo-ing and ah-ing about what others are doing. Although it’s good to get inspiration in small doses, there is a tendency to compare and devalue your own work as a result. And comparison is the thief of creativity! Voice of experience!

My advice is to keep all of your tiles – even those that you don’t like or those that are incomplete. As you progress it is great to look back and view your Zentangle history. You may be surprised to find that as you view the tiles through “different eyes” the tiles you didn’t like look a lot better with the passing of time. :o)

My second bit of advice is that when you draw a tangle, draw it large. You can do this in a journal or on a larger tile. After you are comfortable drawing it larger it may find it easier to draw it smaller.

I’d say to not get wrapped up in wanting to learn too many tangle patterns. It’s easy to do that. Practice, practice, practice the ones you know and do them a bit different each time. The best zen comes from having a pattern memorized so you can just do one stroke at a time without thinking about what comes next. And BREATHE!

I share with my students that these little squares of art are yours and no one can do it quite the way you do!

Finish your tile! It may not be going as planned or expected; but if you persist, you may be surprised by the result.

“Breathe ~ Relax ~ Smile ~ Appreciate” Adopt this mantra for your Zentangle art and for your life. If you don’t like the tile you just created…Go back to the beginning ~ take a deep breath ~ and start again. Remembering Anything is Possible One Stroke at a Time™

Be adventurous! Let go of trying to figure out what it’s going to look like, and let the tangles come to your mind. Don’t worry about whether you ‘always’ draw the same tangles. If you are enjoying the process of drawing, if you feel a calmness and simple pleasure in the pen moving across the paper, you are succeeding. My mantra is ’it’s about process, not outcome."

My advice to new students is always to trust the process and just believe that whatever you are doing is exactly what you are supposed to be doing in this moment.

Play with tangles. Use a journal and draw the same tangle lots of different ways. If it is a grid tangle draw it in different types of grids or try taking it out of the grid. If organic tangle draw it small, big, change the shape a little. Just have fun with it!!

Set aside quiet uninterrupted personal time, and with your favorite pen in hand, begin with a familiar and comfortable tangle. The flow and rhythm will guide the process to a surprisingly beautiful and most satisfying experience.

Always find something positive in what you have done. Don’t beat yourself up if a tangle doesn’t look like you think it should. Embrace what you did and be proud of your work. Only you know what you were aiming for when you started. Relax and just get into the moment and concentrate on each stroke. Have fun with it!

My best advice- forget about perfection!

Don’t compare your work to others. Put pen to paper as often as you can and your style and joy will flow out of your pen to your paper.

Look at what others have created and use it for guidance and inspiration, but don’t try to copy it. Make it yours. Let yourself try something different. Zentangle is about the process, not the outcome.

If in doubt, start with the basics. With so many talented people creating Zentangles, it can be very over-whelming looking at them all. I still enjoy working with a handful of basic tangles, and find that there are endless different Zentangles I can create with them. Enjoy the journey!

Let yourself have fun with it. If I tell myself I’m just playing, I’m better able to relax and let what happens just happen. And be gentle with yourself. And just do it as often as you can on whatever surface you can! Enjoy!

There is no CTZ in Poland, so it looks like it is here. That’s what I advise my friends who want to start their adventure with Zentangle. You are a great inspiration for creative people around the world.

1. be compassionate and be kind to yourself. try whatever you want, but don’t be harsh to yourself. try not judge yourself s
2. pattern is everywhere. go out and find any pattern, deconstruct it and try.

My advice: be bold!
Be bold in taking the first steps in Zentangle, but also in the way you tangle and in your use of pens! Be bold and choose a different (new to you) tangle on a regular basis, be bold and play with them, explore the possibilities. Be bold and choose a different pen from what you’re used to. Be bold and use a different pen width, be bold and color parts of your tile in with black. Be bold in every way you can think of!

Take a workshop with a CZT if possible. Honor yourself by using the best materials you can afford. (Sakura Micron 01 Pen and Zentangle tiles) Draw often using the tangles you learned in your first class. Alter these tangles by drawing them larger or smaller, darker or lighter, more shaded or less, add auras and combine tangles. Follow the 8 steps of tangling you will learn in a CZT lead workshop.

I promise you, you will be amazed and pleased when you finished your tile. You will be touched in your heart.

My advice to new tanglers: I find that the tiles I am most happy with only have one or two tangles in them. Concentrating on a single tangle, playing with it and learning it intimately brings focus and simplicity to your work.

Draw something every day. Carry a pen and a small journal with you at all times. You never know when you will have an opportunity to tangle. Breathe. Enjoy!

My advice is to be true to yourself. As you tangle more you will find your own style and rhythm. Also – SHARE IT! If you have a local fair, enter a piece sonothrrs can see how awesome Zentangle is. Invite a friend to come over and him/her Zentangle and create together. Have lots of fun!!!

You don’t need to be an artist to tangle! One of the hardest but most important things for me to remember is to not compare my work with others. Just enjoy your own Zentangle journey!