Attention Left Handed Tanglers - This is a Test!

I am right handed and will remain so. Why these reverse videos are so helpful to me is because I can see what is being drawn. When using the right hand, I cannot see it. I am not an accomplished artist. I need to be able to view as the tangle is it is being drawn , not after the instructor’s hands are removed and they move on. I live in a rural area and all my classes are via zoom. I can’t see what is being drawn when the instructor is right handed. Your reverse video is just what I need. So, yes, I would very much like left handed videos for this reason. I do not, however, need left handed pens. Thank you.

I’m 74 years old and have been right handed all my life. I started tangling in January and have loved it but am increasingly fearful of having to give it up as arthritis in my right hand is becoming increasingly more debilitating. For a person in my situation, the left handed version would be very much appreciated as I may have to do many things left-handed in the future. Thanks for even considering it and SPECIAL THANKS if you decide to do it!

I don’t usually follow videos when learning zentangle. I just use the step-by-step pictures, and I don’t think of it as being left or right-handed design steps. I think if it was a particularly difficult design, a left-handed video might be nice. But otherwise, I am fine with no special video.

As other lefties have stated, it is an automatic thing to just automatically “flip things” in my head. I don’t really think about it. Thank you for thinking of us and trying to give a hand though. The only thing I have found I like to see others do is calligraphy. I normally write across where my pen has just gone and have a tendency to smear. But it is a work in progress… You and Zentangle are the best!

Hi Maria,
As most have said above, LEFTIES HAVE ADAPTED OUR WHOLE LIVES!
Don’t bother with another video creation. Us few can figure it out. I normally just adapt as I go along. The only time it seems to make a difference to me, is if the tangle is very geometric and I don’t “catch it” right away, I get a very different effect. Sometimes that’s just fine, but if it matters, then I practice on my own until I figure out how I can do it and mimic the original tangle.
Really appreciate the consideration for us “Lefties” though!

Thank you for experimenting. Your efforts are laudable. However, I’ve never had an issue as a left-handed person dealing with instruction of any kind. I prefer right-handed scissors over left, and typically anybody who makes adaptations for lefties, are not lefties soooo that part makes it a little unusual. There are different types of holding writing instruments for lefties and depending on which kind of a lefty you are, the instruction would be different for each person. Like the other one who mentioned it previously in the comments.

I’ve never felt of my left-handedness as, “living in a right handers world“ so I wouldn’t double your video production time, just for us 10 percenters, heehee. (I do video production myself so I know what kind of an effort that takes :-))

In addition to Zentangle, I have also taught other courses where left-right orientation may make a difference. I use a technique that others may find useful.

First, it illustrates the Zentangle principle: “There is no up/down/left/right orientation in Zentangle”. And second, release the notion of left- or right-handedness. It’s all about creativity. It’s all good.

Have the class mentally pick two spots in the room. You can show this without saying ’left" or “right” (For example: Wave your hand toward the door and mentally assign that to be “left”. Toward the window is right. Then I adjust my teaching instructions accordingly. For example, "Draw a string and divide it into segments. Put your finger in the space closest to the door (left). Now put your finger on the space closer to the window (right). Then I mention the Zentangle principle that there is no right/left/up/down orientation. Just window, door, ceiling, floor. When you leave this room, it could be something else such as “Tree, flowers, sky, garden.”

Students of all ages and abilities catch on to this right away. With this little exercise, there is no need to say “left” or “right” ever again. An ah-ha moment comes when you finish the tile and turn it at arm’s length to appreciate it. I have a few tiles I can show that gave me an entirely different perspective when I turned the tile at the end to appreciate it. Images appeared that I never intended. Some might even say I tangled them “upside down.” The same has happened to some of my students, even on their first tile. It’s all about letting go of expectations, being in the moment and appreciating one’s own creative outcome.

In addition to Zentangle, I have also taught other courses where left-right orientation may make a difference. I use a technique that others may find useful.

First, it illustrates the Zentangle principle: “There is no up/down/left/right orientation in Zentangle”. And second, release the notion of left- or right-handedness. It’s all good.

Have the class mentally pick two spots in the room. You can show this without saying ’left" or “right” (For example: Wave your hand toward the door and assign that to be “left”. Toward the window is right. Then I adjust my teaching instructions accordingly. For example, "Draw a string and divide it into segments. Put your finger (or the blunt end of the pencil ) in the space toward the door (left). Now put your finger on the space closer to the window (right). Then I mention the Zentangle principle that there is no right/left/up/down orientation. Just window, door, ceiling, floor. When you leave this room, it could be something else. “Tree, flowers, sky, garden.”

Students of all ages and abilities catch on to this right away. After the initial instructions, there is no need to say “left” or “right” ever again. An ah-ha moment comes when you finish the tile and turn it at arm’s length to appreciate it. I have a few tiles I can show that gave me an entirely different perspective when I turned the tile at the end to appreciate it Images appeared that I never intend. The same has happened to some of my students , even on their first tile. It’s all about letting go of expectations and appreciating the creative outcome.

Another lefty here! Having adapted for almost everything in a right handed world, I don’t even think about drawing other than the original. That being said, it was appreciated and I learned from it. Thank you! Linda

As a life long lefty, I feel I can learn fine from the video whether it’s left or right. I was a left handed teacher, and no one ever mentioned that they couldn’t learn when I was demonstrating in class on the board, overhead, or smart board. I appreciate your thoughtfulness on this matter!

This effort is appreciated, but not helpful. Left-handed humans almost always hold pens, pencils, and sometimes paper differently. We often have a fluid sense for right-left orientation which allows us to adapt and find our own way of doing things. Flipping the view of a right-handed tangler doesn’t create a lefty. For me, your videos are helpful and fun without this adaptation, especially seeing the creative process and use of materials.

Generally, I can learn easily from the right handed videos. The left handed videos will be very helpful when the tangle is complex or one that I struggle with. I always had trouble making Printemps until I watched a video and the CZT said if you are left handed try making your circles in the opposite direction. That was a real lightbulb moment for me. I have applied this to other tangles.

Yes, I’m another lefty living in a right-handed world and appreciate your efforts to accommodate my dominant hand – thank you! I find that as a new learner, I have often found myself learning new patterns the right-handed way – imitating what I see — and then later, as I become more familiar with a pattern, adapting and drawing it “my” way. It would be interesting to learn something new by watching the left-handed version of it from the get-go.
P.S. As a lifelong lefty, I am already used to keeping my hand out of my work.

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How wonderful of you to consider lefties, thank you! At first, watching this video, I had a sense of relief. Perhaps because it seemed so natural to see the micron pen and paint brush in the same hand I use. However, at the end of the video, I found the strokes distracting. It is easiest for me to turn the tile to be able to draw towards my body. Watching the flipped video draw away from the body seemed out of whack to me. As I think about it, having had to adapt to learning from right handed teachers for the most part of my life, I think I have adapted to re-visualizing the stroke automatically for my left hand. Step-outs give each person the time needed to work out any reversal issues for left-handers. Videos are great because one can pause or replay as needed to “see” that your stroke or tangle matches the one you are learning on the video. All said, I do not think I need a “flipped” video due to the variety of options for learning tangles and the graciousness of the wonderful CZTs who have patiently taught me in their class.

This is great. I’m not a lefty but my husband and some more family members are. I think this will be so helpful.

Thank you thank you thank you! I’m so grateful that you would take the time to do this. I wish you could see how excited I was when I saw this email.
This is so awesome!! Zentangle is awesome!
I wish I could send this to the teacher that told me I make my circles backwards.

I was tickled to see this because I’ve always wondered why we never see Lefties doing Zentangle demonstrations. As many mentioned, we are used to adapting and there are degrees of being in the Left world. I have issues with left/right instructions as well as just making some strokes look fluid without getting my south-paw on the tile and ink. But for me, just flipping the video isn’t quite the same because most of us hold our writing instruments at least a little different than right handers mainly because when writing you can’t see what you’ve just written if you hold a pen in the way righties are taught. But it was a great idea and very interesting to explore! I’m a painter and without even thinking about it, I often find myself holding a brush in my left hand and a painting knife in the right hand. A Two-fer!! (It tells my age for sure, but you should try learning shorthand in a classroom with desks that only have a half surface and it’s on the right. ugh.)

I’m a lefty and also learned to “turn my page” (also a handy technique in Zentangle!) in school to get the ‘right’ slant to my writing. Lucky for me I don’t have any trouble following a “righty” in Zentangle but it’s a very thoughtful idea that may be beneficial for some!

This is great. I always struggle with right handed directions for some tangles.

I am a lefty and sometimes feel quite challenged with the orientation of the right handed videos…this will be helpful… thank you for being so very considerate…as usual! <3

I’ve been a lefty my whole life, and as many have said, you learn to adapt to our right-handed world very early on. I was fortunate to have a left-handed Mom who showed me the vertical hand position for writing. I’m so used to making lefty adjustments in everyday life, that it doesn’t take much thought. But that thought process, is the key here. When I first watched this video, frankly, it seemed very strange. I am so used to seeing Maria tangle right-handed, that it was distracting to watch her tangling as a “lefty”. My brain kept trying to make sense of a righty drawing with her left hand, but not really…🙃 Today, I watched both the original video and this one, and I was able to let go of that distraction. I’ve never seen anyone besides me, actually tangling with their left hand before. I have to admit it was a refreshingly unusual experience. I was taught long ago, in other colored pencil classes, to always begin shading, etc. on the opposite side from the hand you draw with, to avoid smudging your work. That and a scrap piece of paper under your drawing hand do wonders for keeping your drawing neat. Of course, with the Zentangle method, we’re taught to always turn our tiles. It’s also stressed to draw in whatever is our most comfortable position and direction to make a stroke. I use those concepts constantly, so I’ve never had any issues with being a lefty tangler. I’ve been tangling for 8-9 years now. Long ago I gave up trying to draw from tutorials EXACTLY as they are presented for the very reason of smudging, confusing stroke directions, and backward hand alignments. I watch the presenter draw, then pause the video, and create the image as I would, being a lefty. I’ve gotten so used to doing that, I hardly noticed my process anymore until you brought out up. I had to ponder the question. Then I realized for new tangles, I often draw by using written step-outs, or pausing a tutorial video and doing the lefty brain gymnastics. The zen comes later when I’m already familiar with the tangles and drawing art. It could be a nice change not having to make those adjustments anymore. For newer tanglers, it may be very useful to see mirrored videos. Mentioning more lefty drawing tips during the video or in related blog posts could be very helpful too. Thanks for bringing up this subject, for making a test video, and for requesting feedback. You’re very thoughtful.

Wow! It felt so NATURAL! I am a lefty. Mary Rose Feldman CZT gives tips here and there to her lefties while teaching, always much appreciated. I think this technique helps Most in the positioning of the first couple of strokes, as in the off Centered start, it makes more sense, is easier to see WHERE to start because it looks as we see it, as a lefty. I loved this. Are we able to do this change ourselves? I work from an IPad. Thanks so much for trying it out on us!! Kel

As a lefty in a right-handed world, I have learned to adapt. For me, as long as I get a good view of the tip of the pen, I am able to follow most any video.

As a left-handed CZT, I find that my students adapt quite nicely and have been very successful.

I do appreciate you both for presenting this video in a different perspective.

All the best,
Jeanne

Hi, Zentangle Family and fellow tanglers!

I am a leftie and I do not have any problems with the videos.

I do not write with my left hand bent like a lot of lefties do but at the same angle taught to righties. People do not realize I am left-handed because I hold my pen like righties.

I DO have to draw the strokes in a different direction sometimes to avoid smudges but I adapt and the current videos are fine for me.

However, I would LOVE to try leftie videos and see if it makes it easier for me!

THANK YOU for thinking of us lefties!