Zentangle Patterns and Starter Pages for Beginners

Zentangle® is a drawing method created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. You build a drawing out of simple repeating patterns, one pen stroke at a time, so no drawing skill is needed. The official Zentangle site has the full story, and the trademark belongs to them.

This page gives you free printable pattern sheets, practice pages, a step-by-step first tile, and links to starter pages, books and classes. Beginners can start with the first tile below. Experienced tanglers can jump to the inspiration gallery.

Zentangle vs. Doodling

Doodling is loose: any scribble that fills a space. Zentangle follows a method with a small set of materials and a set order of steps, and it builds drawings from structured patterns called tangles. Roberts and Thomas took something many people do naturally and added intention, which is much of why it appeals to people who think they can’t draw.

Supplies for Zentangle

The official method uses a 3.5-inch square paper tile, a black Pigma Micron 01 pen, and a soft pencil for the guide marks and shading (Zentangle Classic Kit). You can also tangle on any heavy white paper or cardstock. Here are some supplies to start with:

Sakura Pigma Micron Pen Set, Black 6CT SetStudio Series Artist’s Tiles: White (75 pack)Sakura Zentangle Tool Set, 12 PieceUni-Ball Signo Broad Point Gel Pen – White – Pack of 3Strathmore Artist Tiles, Black, 6×6Blackwing 602 Pencils

Sharpies work, but they bleed through thin paper, so use cardstock or a tile and keep a scrap sheet underneath.

Easy Zentangle Patterns for Beginners

Simple patterns are the best place to start: they are quick, relaxing, and look good once you repeat them. You can also draw the same base pattern several times and change it by shading different areas. The printable pattern below shows how.

First up is a free PDF of tangle patterns. I made it before I really knew what Zentangle was, so it is a beginner sheet. Click the image to download.

These are patterns I liked when I saw them, and many appear in this easy Zentangle project. Here are two more pattern sheets to download (click the images):

Print them and keep them where you draw, or build a binder of patterns. Some look harder than they are: most are made of straight lines, curves, circles and dots drawn in a repeating order.

A great way to learn patterns is to make a sampler page. Fill in a gridded page, or pencil in circles to tangle inside, using a stencil. I made blank practice pages of the squares and circles in pattern groups 2 and 3 above, and you can download the blank pages here.

How to Draw Your First Zentangle Tile

Ages 8 and up on their own, younger with an adult nearby. Difficulty: easy. Time: about 15 to 30 minutes. You need one tile or a 3.5-inch square of cardstock, a pencil, and a fine black pen.

1. Make a dot in each corner of the tile with the pencil.
2. Connect the dots with light pencil lines to draw a border.
3. Draw a loose pencil line, called a string, that wanders across the tile and splits it into sections.
4. Fill each section with a different repeating pattern in pen, such as stripes, rows of scallops, overlapping circles, or a crosshatch grid.
5. Shade with the pencil along the edges of a pattern, and blend with a finger or a tortillon so shapes look rounded.
6. Sign or initial your tile, then step back and look at it.

The official method has eight steps, which begin with a moment of gratitude and end with appreciating the finished tile.

Tips for Starting Out

• Mistakes happen, sometimes on the last line. You can scan the drawing, edit out the stray line, and print it again, or work the wonky line into the design.
• Try different pens. I used Sharpies for a long time, and when I want fancier pens I choose Faber-Castell Pitt pens or Microns. Use what you like.
• When you start to go cross-eyed, take a short break: rest your eyes, look at something far away, and stretch your fingers.
• Tangling is forgiving. A pattern you don’t love usually blends into the finished piece, because the other patterns balance it out.

Example: In this Zentangle hand-drawing I made as part of these 3 hand drawing ideas, I disliked one pattern, but the finished drawing still looks good.

Next Level Zentangle Patterns

These examples come from people who have been tangling for a while. Use them as inspiration, and click through to see more of their work. To learn more intricate patterns, look for classes with a Certified Zentangle Teacher, YouTube, books and other websites.

 

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Printable Pattern

Download this PDF, print it, and try shading different areas to make the pattern look different. I made a whole book of easy patterns to draw, too: Draw Your Own Damn Coloring Book.

More Zentangle Pattern Resources

Zentangle Starter Pages

My first pack of tangle starter pages sold well enough that I made a second pack, and you can buy all 12 together at a discount. They give you pre-made designs to practice your patterns in. Find them here.

Zentangle Pattern Videos

• Draw Tangles With Dawn
• Melinda Barlow
• Tiffany Lovering

Zentangle Books

One Zentangle A Day is a good first pick if you like a guided course. I also included my book in the group: it is half tangling for kids, half drawing games.

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

Zentangle Classes

• Zentangle 101: Learn to Tangle
• Zentangle 102: Basics and Beyond!
• Zentangle® 103: Creating Dimension with Layered Tangles
• Zentangle® 104 – Shading Zentangle

Find Tangle Starter Pages Here:

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

Here is my finished tangle, which I made extra colorful:

More Zentangle Ideas

• Print the same design for everyone and compare how different the finished pages look.
• Limit yourself to black only, or to two or three colors.
• Tangle with a friend: each of you starts a page, then you swap after about 30 minutes.
• Print starter pages on heavy white cardstock. Fill some white spaces with watercolor or marker, let it dry fully, then tangle over it.
• Add glitter: dab glue (adult-supervised for young kids) onto a few shapes, sprinkle on glitter, and shake off the extra. Keep glitter away from small children who still put things in their mouths.
• To protect a finished piece, brush on a coat of Mod Podge (follow the label, work in a ventilated space, and let it dry between coats).
• Kid craft: cut out tangled circles and seal both sides with several coats of Mod Podge, letting each coat dry, to make decorative coasters. They are for display or cold drinks, not for hot mugs, and an adult should handle the sealer.
• Another Zentangle project: a very easy way to get kids tangling.

Even More Zentangle Ideas

• Zentangle animals: lots of beautiful inspiration.
• More Zentangle pattern inspiration is here.
• Make a tangle bullseye, which is a bit like a mandala.
• Just for kids: a watercolor tangle rainbow.
• My book, Draw Your Own Damn Coloring Book, has easy directions for drawing coloring pages or tangle starters.

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