Illuminated Letter

Welcome to Zentangle Mini Illuminated Letters! 

From The Book of Zentangle... 

Rick writes:

"Our pivotal Zentangle discovery moment came some months after we had been working together. One Saturday afternoon I barged into Maria’s studio. She was working on an illuminated manuscript – the kind consisting of big letters decorated with gold and patterns. Our home and studio were quiet, and she had been absorbed for several hours drawing small, intricate patterns inside a large letter.

After I interrupted her reverie, it took her a while to come back from her effortless focus on what she was doing. She had said she was unaware of where she was. She was free from worries, and no to-do lists were looming in her consciousness. As she spoke of her total absorption in what she was doing, I realized it was exactly how I would describe meditation. At that moment, we knew something important had just presented itself. Jewels of insight and possibility were in the air waiting to be grasped."

Over the years, we have honored the origins of the Zentangle Method through projects and products featuring tangled illuminated letters. These works, often large, take us on a tangle journey that requires deep focus, attention, and time.

When we thought about once again memorializing that magical moment in Maria's studio, we thought it would be fun to scale the project down, and thus was born, the Mini Illuminated Letter.

Using a Zentangle Phi tile, we invite you to create your own miniature masterpiece inspired by the illuminated letters that helped spark the creation of the Zentangle Method. This smaller format offers all the joy, creativity, and mindful focus of the larger projects, while providing a delightful experience that can be completed in a shorter sitting.

Whether you choose to create your own initial, honor a loved one, or simply explore the beauty of combining letters and tangles, this project is a wonderful reminder that even the smallest strokes can become something extraordinary.

Once you have your Mini Illuminated Letter Bundle: 

1. Trace a letter by holding the alphabet page and a Phi tile up to a window.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Aura your letter and create space with borders. Add your tangle.
3. Ink in the letter with black, gold or color of your choice.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Add love with graphite and other materials of your choice. 
5. Frame your Mini Illuminated Letter.
   
   
   

If you enjoyed this project, please be sure to check out Zentangle Project Pack No. 23!

Share your tiles on the Zentangle Mosaic App and other social media sites with the hashtag #MiniLetters