I like a good Zentangle session ... Do You?


This is my 5th Zentangle. What is a Zentangle you ask? Well, my answer is a kind of meditative, repetitive, organic doodle. The concept was created by Rick and Marie over at Zentangle.com. I don't work for them or anything, though they do certify folks to become Zentangle teachers. They don't know me at all, but I sure like this thing that they have created!

I think they started it a number of years ago and I have no idea how I heard about it, but once I went to their site, I was hooked. It's so perfect for me - doodling with a fine ink pen on nice little squares of paper. I LOVE it! When I first started looking zentangle up online I saw all kinds of neat example so I started to experiment and try to figure out how they make all those neat patterns. I quickly learned that I could do their patterns or create my own - I like to do a little of both, but usually use theirs. Here I am talking like I'm a seasoned pro but I've only made 5 of these things!

I'd like to make it a daily ritual, sitting down and making a ZT (I'll call it a ZT because it's easier on my poor little typing fingers). They give all kinds of reasons for why creating them can help you, but the bottom line for me is that it helps calm me, focus me, bring me to the present. That's something that is always good for me

I'll leave it up to you if you want to check it out at all. I just figured since this is my creative blog kind of thingie, I might as well share these:)

Here are my first 4.
Oh, by the way, these are each on a square 3.5 inch piece of paper. The one at the top of the blog is done on a specially cut piece of quality paper from zentangle.com. They're neat little squares with a kind of washed looking edge, though you can't see that in my photo. The others are on scrap paper I had.







Happy creating and let me know if you get into Zentangling too!
Shay


12 comments:

Swati said...

I still haven't checked this place out. Must do that. These are lovely doodles!!

Shay Stone said...

Thanks Swati :) They are fun to make!

Deborah Younglao, Silk Painter said...

Shay I just tried to leave a comment but I'm not sure it 'took', so I'm trying again...

Love the zentangles and yes, doodling is very meditative. After reading your post, I'm thinking a great way to start every day would be with a little painting and a little doodling, before getting caught up in other things.

Pretty Things said...

I've done a Zentangle and those put me to shame!

Shay Stone said...

Deborah - I so agree about it being a great first thing to do. I usually get caught up in something else first, but want to try to change that:)

Lori - no need to compare - though I think we are all guilty of doing that at times! As long as it makes you feel good when you're making it. And Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Awesome! Looks like a doodle of immense sophistication.

Angela Smith said...

These are so cool! My doodles never turn out that good

Kathleen Krucoff said...

This is really cool Shay! Thanks for sharing, must check this out. Love yours.

Shay Stone said...

LOL...Sandi:) Thanks everyone! It really is easy when you do it step by step like they recommend. I'm always amazed by the end!

Can't wait to see what you come up with Kathleen!

Unknown said...

They are really cool doodles. They seem right up your alley because they look like what you already do with wire and bead! ;)
~TattingChic ♥

Sharmon Davidson said...

I never heard of Zentangles, but yours is the second reference to them I've seen today, so I got curious. I've been doing doodles very similar to this all my life- mostly in college classes when I was bored! Who knew?

Shay Stone said...

Thanks Tatting Chic!

Sharmon I know exactly what you mean - I have doodled in a similar way which is probably why I enjoy them so much. Have you tried them?

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