Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Going Zen

This year, I made a promise to myself try new art forms. I’ve tried lampworking and fully intend to keep it up. I have some other classes scheduled for late spring, but in reading blogs, I ran across Got Art? and her post about something called Zentangles.

Just the name intrigued me. What was a Zentangle?

I emailed her and she directed me to their web site and I bought a kit.

I’ll let you go to their web site and get their story, but for me, this is what a Zentangle is — a way for a non-doodler, a non-artist, to get their doodle on. Seriously, this is some cool stuff. You can stay within the simple parameters of one “tangle” per space, or get funky with it and mix two or even three in a space. I found that as I made my first Zentangle, I could feel my brain uncrunch and smooth out, and I could see where, yes, that might indeed go there, or oh, I don’t want to do this that they tell me to do, but explore this, which my own imagination chose on its own.

Here’s my very first Zentangle.

Mine is very simple, but a huge step for me. You know why? I overcame a fear. I tried something new. I bought something and didn’t put it on a shelf to collect dust like so many things before it (PMC, anyone?).

I absolutely plan on doing these again. They’re small, and they’re fun. I plan on doing these with my seven-year old son on a grander scale, with larger paper and colored markers – he’s very enamored of the dice you roll to see what pattern you draw.

I hope you take some time out today to doodle!

Lori Anderson designs jewelry for www.lorianderson.net. She also writes at www.prettythingsblog.com. She now loves to doodle.

13 comments:

  1. Ok I have to go check out the website too. Thanks for sharing once again. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. oh my gosh - amazing - I've been drawing these since I was a teen!!! And was just commenting on it to someone the other day on the JAN forum.

    Now it has a name!
    Janice

    ReplyDelete
  3. If you liked doing this you should check out this site...www.prayingincolor.com. I took a workshop on the class last year and it is such a fun way to look at praying and creativity.

    ReplyDelete
  4. once again we are untangling at the same time my friend. mine involved dusting off a kiln that sat cold for 5 years, but I am a happy girl...and you sound the same.

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  5. That's really cool. I like your doodle... er zentangle! I also really admire you for trying something new. It always seems so so daunting but once we get into it, it can be fun. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow...that's so cool! I checked out the website and it looks fun. I love your finished result. I could see your Zentangle cut into pieces and do resin...it would make great, interesting, unique pendants.

    ReplyDelete
  7. There is a gallery in my town called Scarabocchio art. This local guy fills huge pieces of paper with these things, incredibly detailed and all the way to the edge. Then he painstakingly colors them. He does some sort of classes where he gets kids, adults to do it and then sometimes blows them up (from say a 3x5 index card) and makes coloring pages. This in addition to the art on the walls. Cool stuff, Lori! I will have to check it out! That would be a cool pattern to etch on metal or make in PMC! Enjoy the day! Erin

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love this idea as a means of unlocking creativity during a "stuck" period. Already I'm thinking shapes collaged from my vast collection of patterns, backgrounds, textures and maybe even crowd scenes. Isn't it exciting how one person's encouragement can send you off in a new direction and refresh your way of looking at things. Thank you for being that spark of inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh Gosh, Lori, I've got to go find out about this. I can see patterns on beads, wild colors. I'm racing. Thanks for the info----- and this is good for you in relation to your previous post, yes!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for this post Lori! What a cool idea. I used to doodle this one little shape when I was younger and now I know that it was a form of meditation....hmmm....maybe I really need to look into this for some relaxing creative time.
    Bead Happy!
    Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sounds awesome. I am going to check it out. One of my kids is a big doodler. She always needs something to write on. The other kid, she loves coloring designs in books that look like your ZenTangle. But me, I'm not drawn to it all. I want to try!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have heard of these but never tried them they sound interesting I think your son would probably like them too. Happily my inspiration has revived, I think spring must be in the air!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have seen these lately...good job trying new stuff, as above with your box, too! Which turned out just lovely!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for commenting!