Exploring Zentangle

I've lately been introduced to practicing yoga and am enjoying both the physical and mental benefits. After practicing for a few weeks, it reminded me of how peaceful creating art makes me.

Zentangle is a process of simple strokes that build into a greater free-form image.

After creating my zentangle compass, I picked up a book to learn more about the process and some of the most basic patterns: One Zentangle A Day by Beckah Krahula has been very helpful and enjoyable.

Here are some of the "tangles" I created:

Zentangle Compass Drawing

Not only is "zentangle" a wonderful marriage of creativity and meditation, but it serves as an excellent reminder to artists that a larger piece of art is built gradually over a period of time using incremental strokes and layers.

Once again a compass has made its way into my work! I first created a design to contain my zentangle "doodles" using pigment liner pens on watercolor paper:

I then began to fill in the divided spaces with small designs:

To add further distinction and value between the patterns, I added color using Prismacolor colored pencils:

The final product is a colorful, detailed piece:

I gifted this drawing to my boyfriend's stepmother Bertha - a very special lady in my life!