Tangle Rut, Now What?

"What do you do when you're stuck?"

We get this question a lot at ZTHQ. Maybe you, too, have found yourself a little stuck. There are times when you are trying to put pen to paper, but are feeling a little uninspired. Do you use a string or no string? Which tangle? Too many decisions… nothing seems to work.

I don't think there is only one correct way to get you out of a tangle rut, so I asked a few different people here at ZTHQ what they do in these situations...

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Julie: When I am stuck in a tangle rut, I turn to mono tangles to help me out of it. I choose one of my favorite tangles (usually marasu or crescent moon) and I will tangle it over and over again until I get my tangle mojo back. The familiar strokes of a favorite tangle make it easier to start tangling again. Once I have a little momentum, I will try some variations, maybe a tangleation or some enhancements for flare. Sometimes it takes 1 or 2 tiles, sometimes 4 or 5, but eventually I am back to feeling creative and inspired.

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Molly: When I am stuck in place where I don't know where to begin I have a few go to remedies.

• Ask Bijou. By that I mean, I usually reach for a Bijou tile. It is less intimidating and less of a commitment. Usually by the time I finish a Bijou tile my drive is reignited and I am on to the next tangling adventure.

• Go with the familiar. Many times when I am halted in my creativity tracks I start out with a "Mac and cheese" tangle. The one that I can almost tangle without looking or thinking. This puts me in that zone where I can find my flow again.
• Force a string. If I am at all indecisive, I just force myself to put a string down as fast as possible. I make sure that I have zero time to think. Once the string is there I just take it as the lead.
• Open my journal. If I am in a place where I just need a fix but not sure where to begin I usually reach for my Zentangle Journal. I always have some half done exploration I can jump into or a corner of a page that needs a little extra. It is a different approach than a tile but it gets me going.
• Project Packs. The Project Pack series was actually born from a stuck moment. I was in a funk about black tiles and thought about how diving into a concentrated study on one theme would be a fun way to get through something like that. And coincidentally I really look forward to when we release project pack videos so I can work along with them with that little bit of guidance ... with of course that offering to take it in my own direction at any point in time.
• New art supplies. I have never been into candy but art supplies on the other hand just light me up. New pens. New paper. Even a sharpener gets me excited. Next time you are in a slump try treating yourself to a new pen or other art supply ... it's a little thing but oh so special and just might inspire you to use it.

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Rick: I have a low table in my office that I dedicate to tangling. All my tools and tiles surround the tangling space. I sit on the floor on a lambskin that Molly and Nick's daughters gave me for my birthday. The light comes in the window from my left (I'm right-handed). I sit down. I pick up a tile. I appreciate its texture and color for a moment. Then I put a mark on it whether with pencil or pen and I'm off and running. I don't particularly want to have too clear an inspiration for what I want the outcome to be. That paradoxically limits my inspiration.

If I'm stuck for a starting point, I'll do a quick scan through Zentangle Mosaic's waterfall and begin which whatever catches my eye. 

My challenge is to set aside the time to sit down. But once I do sit down and make that first stroke, everything easily flows from there. Also I usually put on headphones and listen to classical music or lectures while I tangle. I always come away from tangling refreshed and energized.

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Martha: When I don't know where to begin, I always go back to basics. After you have been practicing the Zentangle Method for a while, some of the steps may become automatic, so, I will go through each one of them with intention. Gratitude, Appreciation, 4 dots, border, string... 

I start with crescent moon, then hollibaugh and then see where my pen takes me. I find if I am stuck, I am focusing too much on what the outcome will be and not the journey itself. Going back to basics reminds me why I put pen to paper in the first place.

I will also spend some time on Zentangle Mosaic. If you spend just a few moments watching the Waterfall, you will always be inspired but the Zentangle art being created all over the world.

I did ask Maria this question too, but I guess she never gets stuck...

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Next time you're feeling stuck, try one of the suggestions above. Or, maybe, you have another trick you want to share with tanglers in the comments below.