Accessing the Artist Within
This wonderful project pack was released in May 2021, during Mental Health Awareness month in the US. The Zentangle Headquarters team brought us a spirited series of classes developing the artist we often hide within ourselves. They were able to highlight a greater awareness of our own mental health and how our art contributes to positive feelings, reduction of stress, and a general increase in confidence. I personally have experienced these amazing outcomes.
Student Workbook
The project pack kit included a 5 1/2” square, pre-printed student workbook. Each page was carefully designed to follow the lessons delivered by our favorite ZT contributors. Many pages included inspiring quotes written in calligraphy by Maria Thomas.
Also included in the project pack was Sakura green Metallic and grey Moonlight gel pens. The workbook was beautifully stitched with title and end pages.
I began adding my own special touches to the workbook on the title page with my tangle Da’Deal and corner treatments.
Day 1 - Allow Your Pen to Sooth Your Soul
We started the video sessions with the tangle Noom. To be honest, I had not spent much time with this tangle and appreciated using it with Rick and Maria. They made it come alive with their special ways of explaining and drawing it.
Day 2 - Fill Your Paper with the Breathings of Your Heart
Molly and Martha helped us play with Stripping, Sampson, Bales and Tipple. Opening this page is a surprise as the “flower” shape jumps off the page.
Day 3 - Every Artist Was First an Amateur
Naturally, Rick had us play with Pardox, his favorite tangle. I appreciated using the green Metallic gel pen on this pattern. I added Hollis and Moonpie to round out the page design.
Day 4 - Creativity is Contagious, Pass It On!
Julie Willand led us through a series of tangles making this lovely ark of creativity. Pokeroot, Purk, Diva Dance, Cubine, and Marasu round out the collection.
Day 5 - Life is the Art of Drawing Without an Eraser
I loved the exploration of Verdigogh for this page reminiscent of the ink-stained booklet from a previous project pack. There is an amazing diversity of options for leaf patterns with Verdigogh and Martha and Molly shared just a few.
Day 6 - the Essence of All Art, All Great Art, is Gratitude
Gratitude and Appreciation are the hallmarks and beginning point of our Zentangle practice. It is good to be reminded of considering, reflecting on, breathing in and out, our gratitude for this process and our founders.
Rick showed us an interesting way to look at the tangle Well. Shaping it differently with tender direction changes makes amazing shapes in our patterns. I appreciated looking at this beloved tangle with new vision.
Day 7 - Art Enables Us to Find Ourselves and Loose Ourselves at the Same Time
Dingsplatz makes a wonderful tangle and string at the same time. I love it when we create tangles larger than normal, often breaking through our comfort zone. Larger tangles make room for other tangles to be included in the open spaces.
On day 7 we drew Dingsplatz with Rick and Maria and filled it with the coffering technique and colorful Printemps.
Day 8 - Tangle Your Own Conclusions
I took the opportunity to create my own end page with a Celtic Knot and a fragment.
In conclusion, I must say that once again I totally enjoyed this project pack. The workbook and collection of pens was of good quality and worth the price of kit. The daily videos are free and available on YouTube from the Zentangle Inc channel.
I hope you will give this fun and creative series a try!
Nancy