Bohemian Ink Studios: Zentangles

For as long as I can remember I've been drawn to creating images involving repeated lines and patterns. I still have a drawing of repeated lines that I did when I was about 13 or so. I just love the way it looks, and the process of drawing this way has such a calming effect on me.

A couple of years ago one of my printmaking tutors saw one of my drawings and remarked that she thought it was very similar to a Zentangle.

I had absolutely no idea at that point what a Zentangle was. She explained it to me, and when I got home I looked it up. Sure enough, these relaxing repeated pattern, mostly line drawings I was so focused on had a name: Zentangle!

While I had never attributed a specific name to them, I did and do agree with the principle behind it. That drawing in this way creates a focus that calms you and sends you into a sort of meditative state. Drawing always relaxes me, and drawing without having to worry about proportion and composition does so even more.

The underlying technique behind this type of drawing is very simple really, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Some people find it useful to draw a square first and focus their lines within those boundaries. I don't usually do that though. Usually I just put one or two long lines on the paper and start drawing smaller lines off them. Then you take those lines and basically repeat them. It's nice to make some of the lines thicker; it adds some interest. The same goes with adding colour.

It really is up to you how creative you get with it. There are some amazing examples out there!

Here are some of mine. Enjoy!

Monday, 4 November 2013

Zentangles

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