To Color or Not to Color... That is the Question.

When I first started tangling, the limitations of black, white and graphite were (and still are) a gift. I do love the colors – I learned Renaissance at CZT 18, and various project packs thereafter. I do have trouble putting colors together, however, so the project packs with defined color pallets really make color accessible. I continue to use these pallets as given, instead of creating my own. Elegance of limits = removal of distractions and stress related to having to make a choice.

Zentangling has opened up a new and great way to focus, create and relax. It’s the perfect medium for me in these difficult (tangled) times. I enjoy tangling in black and white, however I’d like to try color now. I have not used pencils. What are the different kinds of pencils you recommend and which pencils are the best to use to blend. I’d appreciate your help. Have a Happy New Year. Happy tangling, Rosalynd Stendig

I absolutely loved this blog Julie,

I recently received PP#22 and loved looking through it. I decided though to go back and finish a few others that I hadn’’t started before taking on #22 I too have struggled with using color but very much appreciate that Zentangle gives us the freedom to make art our way and we’ve always been encouraged by ZHQ to make it our own. I absolutely love Zentangle and have seen first hand how it builds confidence in my students and how it has built confidence in myself. I’m no longer intimidated by taking on a tangle pattern or a project pack, but I may be slow getting started. Thank you again,
Vicki

I just love EVERYTHING Zentangle. Thank you for the ways you inspire, challenge, encourage, with the Project Packs, the tools and supplies, with your generosity. Zentangle is life-changing for people. It has been for me. Thank you.

First of all thanks for all your work, passion and love creating new Project Packs. I believe that the limits when drawing Zentangle are only ours, and we can add or remove what we want. Your suggestions are always beautiful and elegant. I love B&W but some times color is fine too. I just flow with the moment and experiment. For me is not to collect “beautiful” drawings is to BE PRESENT and enjoy that moment. Always so grateful for the method.

I want to thank you for the introduction to a whole new world of creativity for me. i have made 20 so far, and am amazed at the different results i achieve. Not one of my zentangles looks like the others! My family asked for my zentangles for Christmas! And two wanted a copy of the whole set. One wants to have a tattoo made of one of them! That is wild! I have gone from just black and white with shades, to slight color tints, to major color saturation. I think my favorite is black ink with hints of brown or blue pencil. I have black, parchment, silver grey, and white thick paper. My favorites are parchment and silver grey, but i am working hard to get the most out of black. All of it, the learning and the kicking back and just being in the moment, are a wonderful addition to my life.

I love the color pallet as well oh PP22 —the shading I do lay down the layers …however I like seeing more of the tangles —the Marisu spirals —so held back on going too dark . I can always add more if I feel needed .

I did want the opus tile frame shown at the wrap up but can’t located on website.

I sometimes explain this topic in terms of photography. Film artists first worked in black, white and shades of gray. Then Kodak introduced color film and some moved to that media. Some photographers switch between the two outcomes. Different but equally artistic, meaningful and worthy of admiration.

FYI – Advanced photography courses continue to cover black and white techniques different from color techniques. You see the work regularly in Pulitzer Prize winning news photos.

I love the fact that with Zentangle, we can do what we wish. Some days I like pure black and white, others color. I enjoy playing with water colors, chalk pencils, Prisma color-I’ve learned to blend and experiment. Playing with color brings out a childish delight in me and the black and white suits the mood of another day. So many possibilities with Zentangle.

I started in black and white over a decade ago, and I’ve been more in the classic camp of black and brown pens with white charcoal. However, colour is my thing, so this project pack was fabulous. It completely expanded my tangling process/ideas, and I’m so excited to play more with colour. Thank you so much. This was my first project pack. I can’t wait to go back to the others and work through them!

Why color? Because I like it and I can. I have used bits of color in my tangling pretty much since I started doing Zentangle. My tile and my choice to color or not. Either way I just love the process of Zentangle and what/where it has lead me to in this life. Tho, when I teach a first timers class, I always start them off with the basics of black and white. Then maybe move to black on a gray or tan tile and progress from there to more color if they want to venture into that world with me. And what a fun world it is.

I usually tangle in black and white and graphite shading but sometimes a light shading with color pencils. The deep coloring intimidates me somehow but pp22 is so beautiful with the deep colors. I will have to just go for it……it’s just paper after all…..as my watercolor teacher says so go ahead and experiment.

What a coincidence this blog post came today. Just this a.m., I finally shaded two “beachy” Zendalas I created back in 2019, when I was new to Zentangle, and very hesitant

about shading and highlighting. They were pure b&w, and I have resisted graphite shading until this morning! Had I read this blog first, I might have added some color, (and I still can). Not that I am a purist; I am an artist. I use vivid color all the time. But, as a former calligrapher, I still love bold, dramatically graphic black and white
artwork as well, and never fail to compliment, and appreciate it on the Mosaic. The beauty of Zentangle is the concept of “no mistakes,” so for me, color is just a choice I make, or not, as the tangle evolves and speaks to me. I loved PP22 and appreciate all the hard work you all put into creating the beautiful examples; especially the ones revealed during wrap-up! Thanks, HQ! And Happy Holidays to All!

I love color, so to me it’s a no-brainer! I also watercolor paint, so I tend to add a little “paint” to my zentangel creations…sometimes not even bothering with shading…I let the paint do that!

As a watercolor still-life painter all my life, I revel in color. Zentangle brought me back to the exquisite purity of black and white…the “bones” of any artwork. As a photographer friend once expressed, black and white was the most difficult but rewarding aspect of the medium. “Color”, he said, “was a distraction”. Hmm. I must admit, I prefer black/white line Zentangle with graphite shading and no white charcoal for “highlight”…but that’s just me.

Excellent post Julie. Many do feel a bit miffed or confused to see tanglers adding color (or many of the other possible variations!) But it is just one of many exciting offshoots from the zentangle path. A lot of people call these digressions Zentangle inspired art, which I think is an excellent term to encompass all that is non-classic.

I love the classic black and white but the colours introduced in this project pack are just so wonderful!

I LOVE working in color! It brings a whole new aspect to your artwork. As you said Julie…”working in color is fun, exciting, and challenging”. I must say, you knocked it out of the park when you chose the colors for PP#22. THANK YOU!

Great blog Julie, as a CZT and teacher I personally favor black and white but there are times when color is just what is needed either by me personally or the tangle just seems to say ‘Color me’. I have found that tangles tell me what they need . It is a matter of paying attention and letting the tangles lead the way. So much fun!

I became certified on Halloween 2018 in Providence, Rhode Island, and have been teaching ever since. I, personally love color, but I’ve only taught in black and white and brown, with some little jelly, roll color thrown in. Now, for my January workshops, I am going to share my prisma color pencils with the participants for the first time. They will be exposed to coloring in their artwork. It will be a little more challenging for me and for them.

Send John an email describing the three workshops I’ll be holding at the senior center with color and so far the feedback has been positive and I think they’re very excited to try it!

I have completed many project packs from headquarters and especially enjoy the colored pencils that blend.

I enjoy the process of layering and blending colors. The results from project pack 22 were outstanding. I know black and white will always be an option but I do love the colors.