Sometimes the simplest tangles can have a powerful impact. It depends on how you treat them. Here, I used Hollibaugh, but gave it a bit of a curve. Then I made it holey! And a little touch of blue just makes it magical. ATC #11 Zentangle drawn on a cut down, grey, Official Zentangle tile using a blue, Micron pen, cobolt, Copic Multiliner, and white Gelly Roll. Shading done with graphite, Copic marker and colored pencil.
“Fishy, fishy in the brook, Daddy catch him on a hook, Mommy fry him in a pan, Johnny eat him like a man.” – Unknown Looking for a simple tangle that can be use in a variety of ways? Take Indy-Rella out for a spin! Depending on how you draw it, you can suggest flames, or fish. You can add them to the ends of Fescu, turning them into some kind of plant, or follow various contours to create a nice, organic fill.
Diva Dance is such a fun tangle. Although the concept is very simple, it can morph to fit almost any shape. Or, it can take on a life of it’s own, depending on the variation. Here, it has been wrapped around itself in a spiraled style that gives the appearance of full-blown blossoms. ATC #9. Zentangle drawn on sahara, Fabriano Tiziano using a black and tan, Micron pens and white Gelly Roll.
Aquafleur, the tangle used on the heart-shaped string was one that I didn’t understand well for a long time. I tried it, as it was shown to me, and I just couldn’t figure out how those ribbons wrapped a given string. Finally, one day, I just sat and played with it in my sketch book. And all of a sudden, it just “clicked” for me. Here, it is used in an elegant, but simplified version.
If you follow me, then you know I’ve done this tangle, which can look like a sprig of Rosemary, or a pine bough, or a feather, many times before. I enjoy drawing it and it’s one of my favorites. ATC #7. Zentangle drawn on sahara, Fabriano Tiziano using a black and tan, Micron pen and gold gel pen. Shading done with graphite pencil. Tangles: Marasu Tipple Verdigogh
Note: Some of the inks used did not scan well. There are silver and copper dots which here, appear to be orange and white. There are a lot of differences in composition when you work on a rectangular piece, as compared to a square. However, this one works on either. The only difference is that I like it better with a horizontal emphasis. On the square version, I liked it better with a vertical emphasis.
Ruutz, a tangle created by Eni Oken, is a wonderful subject for tangle fractalization. I chose, in this example, to use a different color ink for each iteration. My hope was that the designs would appear to fade out going into the background. If you want more information about this tangle technique, check out Eni Oken's Fractalized Tangles Lesson Bundle ! ATC number three… done! Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen and a brown and grey Copic Multiliner.
Perhaps those pumpkins are taking on a life of their own; creating a ballet as they rise up. They leave the garden trellises behind as they creep around the Halloween garden! Another ATC. Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with Distress markers and colored pencil. Decorative elements added with various gel pens. Tangles: Crazy Nzeppel Mooka
The Hunter’s Moon has passed. The pumpkins are ready for picking. Soon, there will be the smell of freshly baked pies in the air! This ATC was created with these in mind! Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil. Highlights created with colored pencil. Tangles: Gourdgeous Icanthis
I figured out, right away, when I first started drawing Zentangles that I would need a method for keeping track of how to draw specific tangles. After a bit of experimentation, I settled on testing the pattern in a small sketch book. I could draw it once or several times, just to see if I could do it, and if I would like working with a particular design. Then, I created “step-out” cards which illustrated each step in the process.