Inspired By Zentangle: Patterns and Starter Pages of 2022

A word about Zentangle® ““ It is a technique invented by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas; please click here to see the official Zentangle site to read and learn more about it.


What differentiates Zentangle from regular doodling is the style of the little drawings used in each piece you make.

While doodling is looser and can be described as any scribbles or drawings you make to fill a space, Zentangle is much more structured and Zentangle patterns are more specialized.

Zentangle has you following a specific method to create your artwork, and doodling is basically a free-for-all with no rules, specific materials, or steps.

I can so appreciate the explosive appeal of Zentangle as a way for people to enjoy making art where maybe they haven’t previously, or they want a bit more guidance.

Rick and Maria have taken doodling – something that many people have always just done naturally, and expanded on it to encourage people to push it further, and do it more, with intention.

Some Zentangle patterns follow certain steps and techniques to achieve, and I’m going to give you a repository of easy Zentangle patterns all the way up to more complicated ideas.

Supplies For Zentangle

What I love about the Zentangle method is its focus on relaxation, fun, and using high-quality art supplies.

Here are some of the materials that will make your Zentangle art sing:

Sakura Pigma Micron Pen Set, Black 6CT SetSakura Pigma Micron Pen Set, Black 6CT SetSakura Pigma Micron Pen Set, Black 6CT SetStudio Series Artist's Tiles: White (75 pack)Studio Series Artist’s Tiles: White (75 pack)Studio Series Artist's Tiles: White (75 pack)Sakura Zentangle 12 Pc SetSakura Zentangle 12 Pc SetSakura Zentangle 12 Pc SetUni-Ball Signo Broad Point Gel Pen - White - Pack of 3Uni-Ball Signo Broad Point Gel Pen – White – Pack of 3Uni-Ball Signo Broad Point Gel Pen - White - Pack of 3Strathmore Artist Tiles, Coal Black 6Strathmore Artist Tiles, Coal Black 6Strathmore Artist Tiles, Coal Black 6Palomino Blackwing PencilsPalomino Blackwing PencilsPalomino Blackwing Pencils

Easy Zentangle Patterns for Beginners

My favorites are the easy patterns- complicated patterns can look cool, but I like the simplicity and relative mindlessness of drawing the more straightforward patterns.

I also love how you can make different variations on the same base pattern by shading or drawing in different areas.

In fact, if you jump down you will see 4 variations on the same beginning pattern! And! Also! You! Can! Download! My! Practice! Drawings! To! Color! In! Your! Own!

First up is my free pdf of tangle patterns you can download. This is definitely for beginners as I made it before I even really knew what Zentangle was. (Click on the image below to download a pdf.)

Zentangle patterns

 

Nothing fancy here, just the patterns I thought looked cool when I saw them, and many of them I’ve used in this easy Zentangle project I encourage you to try.

Next up are these two pattern sheets I made, which you can also download by clicking on the images below.

zentangle patterns

zentangle pattern ideas

You can print these out and hang them up where you tend to make art, or keep a binder or file of patterns for easy access.

Looking at these, I’m wondering if a few of them look harder than they are. I will work on making quick videos for a few of them but leave a comment below if there is a specific pattern you want to see.

A great way to get familiar with Zentangle patterns is to make your own sampler pages. You can fill in a gridded page, or pencil-draw some circles to tangle inside of using a stencil.

I made blank practice pages of my squares and circles in pattern groups 2 and 3 above, so feel free to download these blank pages right here.

Tips For Starting Out

  • You will make mistakes. I make mistakes all the time, sometimes when I’m just finishing up an entire piece and I draw some wonky line that throws off the entire design. Options: Scan your drawing in, edit out the dumb line, print it out, and keep going. Or, just incorporate the wonky line right on into your drawing, and don’t sweat it.
  • Try different pens. I used only Sharpies for the longest time. I still use Sharpies a ton, but when I want to use fancy art pens I choose Faber-Castell Pitt pens or Microns. Use what you like to use, and don’t worry about what everyone else on Instagram is using.
  • When you’ve been working on a pattern for a while, and you start to go cross-eyed, take a short break, rest your eyeballs, stare at something out in the distance, stretch your fingers out, have a snack.
  • If you’re nervous about whether or not a pattern will look good with your other patterns, remember this: tangling is very forgiving. Usually, if you end up not loving a pattern, it will be swallowed up by the look of the whole finished tangle. Meaning, you probably won’t even notice the hateful pattern when you’re finished with your entire project, because the tangles all sort of visually balance each other out.

Example:

In this Zentangle hand-drawing I made as part of these 3 hand drawing ideas, I loathed one pattern, but the finished drawing still looks cool.

Next Level Zentangle Patterns

Here are a bunch of beautiful Zentangle examples by people who have been working in this style for a while.

These are meant to be an inspiration- click through to see what else these people have made.

You can up your Zentangle game by learning some more intricate patterns through classes, Youtube, books, or other websites.

 

 

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Printable Pattern

Here. Download this pdf, print it out, and try your hand at shading in different areas to make the pattern look different.

I can’t get enough of this sort of stuff, which is why I made a whole book on drawing your own coloring pages. really, it’s a book full of showing you how to draw a bunch of cool patterns.

zentangle patterns Printable Pattern

More Zentangle Pattern Resources

Zentangle Starter Pages

My first pack of tangle starter pages was selling so well I made a second pack, or you can buy the whole pack of 12 for a discount.

These are a fantastic way to practice your Zentangle patterns in some pre-made designs. Find them here.

Zentangle starter pages and zentangle patterns

Zentangle Pattern Videos

Zentangle Books

This first book is a must-buy for anyone interested in Zentangle. I have also included my book in the group: it’s half tangling for kids, half drawing games.

One Zentangle A Day: A 6-Week CourseOne Zentangle A Day: A 6-Week Course The Great Zentangle Book: Learn to Tangle with 101 Favorite PatternsThe Great Zentangle Book: Learn to Tangle with 101 Favorite Patterns Joy of ZentangleJoy of Zentangle Zentangle for KidsZentangle for Kids Tangle Art and Drawing Games for KidsTangle Art and Drawing Games for Kids Zentangle Basics, Expanded Workbook EditionZentangle Basics, Expanded Workbook Edition Zentangle Art TherapyZentangle Art Therapy ZentangleZentangle Pattern Play: a Zentangle Creativity Boost (Volume 1)Pattern Play: a Zentangle Creativity Boost (Volume 1) Zentangle(R) DingbatzZentangle(R) Dingbatz

 

Zentangle Classes

zenangle patterns easy

Find Tangle Starter Pages Here:

Original Tangle Starter Pages Tangle Starter Pages Round 2 Save Money With the Entire Dozen

Wanna see my finished masterpiece? I decided to make an extremely colorful tangle:

Colorful Zentangle patterns - plus more zentangle ideas and tangle starter pages

More Zentangle Ideas:

  • Print the same design out for everyone to work on and see how different they look when they’re finished.
  • Limit yourself to using just black to tangle, or maybe 2-3 colors.
  • Tangle with a friend: you start one page, your friend starts another, then you switch pages after about 30 minutes.
  • Print the starter pages out on heavy white card stock. Fill in the white spaces with watercolor or marker-color, and tangle over them after they dry.
  • OMG, combine tangling and glitter! Fill in some shapes with glue, sprinkle glitter over them, and POW!
  • After you finish tangling, seal your masterpiece with shiny Mod Podge.
  • Kid craft: cut out tangled circles and Mod Podge both sides with a few coats to use as coasters! (Much better teacher gift than a bruised old apple.)
  • Here’s another Zentangle project I came up with- a totally easy way to get kids tangling.

Even More Zentangle Ideas

Comments

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29 thoughts on “Inspired By Zentangle: Patterns and Starter Pages of 2022”

  1. When I draw with my kids my favorite thing to do is take a ruler and draw intersecting lines all over the paper and then color them in. I didn’t know I was ZENTANGLEing!!! Can’t wait to get your pages and start coloring!

    Reply
  2. How do we access the starter pages? I can download the designs, but not the starter pages. Thanks!
    My 2nd grade students love doing pentangles.

    Reply
      • Thank you! You rock! I try all sorts of things with my students each year. This year there is a heavy emphasis on mindfulness at my school. Taking care of the self is very important and I wanted to show the kids that drawing can be very soothing for the mind, body and spirit. I needed to tap into “all” of their interests so I could hook them into the world of mindfulness with different choices. Zentangles continue to be a HUGE hit!

        Reply
  3. its funny, isn’t it…most of us have done something like this before. Now it has a real name. But it’s still lots of fun seeing how everyone else does it, and learning from everyone else.

    Reply
  4. Hello,
    I love it, my daughter loves it. And since I am doing recess buddies with Gr 1 and 2, can I print copies to work with them? Thank you! God bless you for your amazing ideas!.

    May

    Reply
  5. All these patterns are so elegant and amazing, whimsy and playful, angry and spicy, boring and plain (in its own good way)!!!!!!

    Reply
  6. Hello from Singapore!! I was at Artful Parent page trying out the Zentangle-inspired activity with my 5-year-old girl. It then led to your website for beginners tangling. Thanks for sharing.

    And i LOVE iced green tea too!!!

    Raudha
    Singapore

    Reply
    • Hi Raudha! I’m so glad you made your way over here. Did your daughter like the tangle project? I’m finding that some younger kids like to do it, and some find it totally boring (like my son) 🙂 Thanks for the comment, and let’s have a virtual green tea together…

      Reply
  7. My family all the time say that I am killing my
    time here at web, but I know I am getting know-how daily by reading thes pleasant posts.

    Reply
  8. I can see Zentangle, in a broader style working well with Quilting & Creation of your own gift bags. If you are so inclined… I have already tried it on a queen size & it works great.. If you think later it needs more stitching, just add more… Enjoy

    Reply

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