zentangle assignment pdf

PROJECT PACKS

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All contents of this website are Copyright © 2010 - 2023 Linda Farmer, TanglePatterns.com, and artists where named. Copying content in any form other than for your own personal offline reference and inspiration is expressly prohibited. No content may be reproduced, pinned or republished without express written permission. This work is not allowed to be used in training AI systems. Commercial use of any content is prohibited. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

TANGLE RANDOMIZER

Tangles by type, tangles by artist, random selector, recent comments.

Linda Farmer, CZT on Zentangle’s Project Pack #23 Summary – Birth of The Zentangle Method
Jenn Brayton CZT36 on Zentangle’s Project Pack #23 Summary – Birth of The Zentangle Method
Linda Farmer, CZT on ZENTANGLE PROJECT PACKS
Elizabeth on How to draw LEX
Deborah Davis on ZENTANGLE PROJECT PACKS
Darla Rae Duffy on How to draw SORKS
Jessica L Dykes on How to draw SUSPENDERS
Barbara Langston on How to draw SORKS
Sue Lesle CZT on How to draw SORKS
Margaret Bremner on How to draw SORKS
Ria Matheussen on How to draw SORKS
Cyndi Knapp on How to draw SORKS
Jody Genovese on How to draw SORKS
Jenn Brayton CZT36 on How to draw DIARAY2
Chris L Apao on How to draw GURDIL

SOURCE WEBSITES

Certified Zentangle Teachers® (CZT)
How to become a CZT to teach the Zentangle® Method
Official Kit and Supplies
TanglePatterns Strings Group on flickr
Zendala Zone on flickr
Zentangle.com
Zentangle® Blog

TanglePatterns.com BEGINNER’S GUIDE to Zentangle® eBook is now available! Visit the STORE > E-BOOKS tab for more details.

Prompted by ideas from folks who are sharing their organizing systems on the Organize Your Patterns page, I’ve added this page of free downloadable PDF templates to TanglePatterns.com for your use.

Right-click the links to download the PDF.

All templates have a place to write in the tangle name and to record the name of the person who deconstructed the steps for that tangle.

Note: If you use these templates to post your own patterns online, PLEASE be sure the patterns are tangles and not doodles. (See “ A pattern is not always a tangle “.) tangles are abstract tangles are not an image of some recognizable thing tangles need to be simple enough to do without a preprinted grid, pencil guidelines, or erased pencil lines tangles have no up or down orientation – there’s no right side up to a tangle tangles are simple, repetitive (all over) structured patterns created with at most 2 or 3 simple repeated elemental strokes

Template to Submit Your Pattern

The information for submitting your pattern for consideration for publication on TanglePatterns.com is explained in detail on the SUBMIT YOUR PATTERN tab on the top menu bar. Please read that page.
Please use this PDF to draw the steps: TanglePatterns Tangle Submission >> right click to save/download PDF.

Blank Tangle Pattern Templates

4″ x 6″ index card – print this template on blank index cards.
8.5″ x 11″ page – for those who like to organize in 3-ring binders. This page is similar to the card and also has the 3.5″ x 3.5″ tile outline to use the pattern along with some others in a Zentangle®.
5.5″ x 8.5″ – for smaller 3-ring binders. Same as #2 but half page size.
5.5. x 8.5″ 2up – same as #3 but there are 2 on one page. Print on an 8.5″ x 11″ letter sheet, then cut it in half to get 2 pages.

METRIC TEMPLATES

A6 index card – print this template on blank A6 index cards.
A4 page – for those who like to organize in 3-ring binders. This page is similar to the card and also has the 9 cm x 9 cm tile outline to use the pattern along with some others in a Zentangle®.
A5 – for smaller 3-ring binders. Same as #2 but A5 (half A4) page size.
A5 2up – same as #3 but there are 2 on one page. Print on an A4 sheet, then cut it in half to get 2 pages.

Copyright Issues You Should Know

With so many new people joining the ranks of the Zentangle® Zealots, the inevitable enthusiasm is beginning to raise questions about the fair use of tangle patterns in art for sale, as well as create some outright copyright infringement issues. It’s time to address this important topic so we’re all on the same page. Please read this article .

Indispensable for your library: every artist should have this FREE eBook on copyright written for crafters and artists from Interweave Publications: https://tanglepatterns.com/2012/04/new-free-ebook-copyright-for-crafters-and-artists.html

Support TanglePatterns

TanglePatterns exists to support your love of tangle patterns. I know the time and effort I devote to searching for Zentangle® patterns (so you don’t have to), providing links to pattern instructions, keeping you up-to-date with related videos, book reviews and news, and creating the free downloads on this site frees up your valuable time to spend the way you want – drawing Zentangles® = Tangling!

Please consider a contribution to help keep the site running. Your contribution will help fund continued site development.

Here’s How : visit the SUPPORT TANGLEPATTERNS page for more information.

Thank you and happy tangling!

61 comments to downloads.

I definitely love the grid lines. This really helps keep the instructions in perspective and easy to follow, especially for those patterns with multiple steps and with curves. Both sizes are great. I was thinking of color coding with either colored masking tape or those colored office dots on an edge.

Thanks, Deb. I’m thinking about making 5″ x 7″ templates too because those could be punched and organized in the smaller-size 3 ring binders.

Me encanta tu página, ya compré mi primer libro!!! Lista para empezar . Saludos! Gracias por compartir ??

Thank you for doing this! I love the 1/2 page size with the grids, would it be possible to do that 2 to an 8.5 x 11 page? I haven’t figured out how to print it twice on a sheet so I can then cut them.

Good suggestion Debby. Will get this done and posted by tomorrow.

Thank you Linda! That makes it so much easier!

I’d love to donate to Tanglepatterns, but can’t figure out how to do it through PayPal. When I click on your PayPal button it takes me to PayPal, but doesn’t give me info to donate. Can you help me?

Thanks for this heads up, Cindi. Apparently I didn’t have the button set up correctly (duh) so I really appreciate you asking me about it! I think it works correctly now.

BTW – In order to keep the tax folks happy that I’m reporting all my income, all donations are credited to my business account. So that’s why the button takes you to a page labeled “Concept Communiques, Inc.”. It’s still TanglePatterns!

Thanks for these downloads, Linda. I was going to do some templates but I worry now 🙂 Great site! I’ll put the link to this page on my blog.

Thank you Linda for the templates. I am trying my hand at making up tangles and didn’t have a form or template to do them on. I just uploaded my first tangle on flicker on the tangle pattern group and I had to do it just on a sketch paper for now. It works but your templates in different sizes will help and I do want to do the ones on this site and the tangle site onto cards for my own use so I don’t have to keep looking them up. So thanks alot for doing this. And thanks for this great site too.

Hi I am very new to this but love the beautiful photos that are posted. I was refered to doing tangles by a friend Linda. I have had allot of not good things happening in the last year and she said this helped her immensley…so here I am. I am looking for the beginners avenue and would love to have some input. Thanks in advance Sharon

Hi Sharon, and welcome. I’m so glad your friend introduced you to Zentangle® and to TanglePatterns.com – there are many members who have found this wonderful art form has helped them through some very tough times. I’m sure you will too.

If you visit this page: What’s a Zentangle? – the basics of getting started are outlined there. You really only need a pen and some nice blank paper to get started.

To help simplify things make yourself a 3.5-inch square tile template on an index card and cut it out. You can give it slightly rounded corners if you like. Then trace around your template onto some nice paper to create your “tile” and away you go. You can trace that shape into a notebook or journal too. Just make sure the paper is nice to write on with a pen – some paper is very rough or very thin and flimsy and will only frustrate you.

As far as patterns go, I suggest choosing the official ones first – you can find all of those in the left sidebar in the “Find Patterns By Tag” section by clicking on the tag “zentangle”. These patterns form the core of Zentangle®, and it’s very good to learn those first. Plus they’re all beautiful and fun to draw. A good starting point is to Zentangle your name – or choose any inspirational word. That helps if deciding on a pattern is hard. I know I get overwhelmed with choices (and tend to make none as a result, but that’s another story), so this is a good way of narrowing down the field.

If you feel you need ideas for drawing your string, visit the TIPS & TOOLS > STRING IDEAS , and STRING TEMPLATES pages on the top menu bar.

And if you’d like to preserve your creations (as you no doubt will), getting the official kit is a good idea because it not only includes the pens and the official tiles which are lovely to draw on and frame or store in albums, it also includes a very good starter DVD and a companion booklet and both are very helpful.

It’s also great to get any or all of the Zentangle books for reference because they are full of patterns that aren’t on this site (because they don’t have online instructions yet), plus there are all kinds of drawing tips and ideas for other Zentangle-inspired art (ZIA’s) that you will enjoy learning. And they are not expensive – you definitely get your $$$ worth from each and every one of them.

Well this started out to be a short reply but it grew! Today’s post “Exploring TanglePatterns” also has a roundup of good places to visit on the site. I hope this answered your questions and that you enjoy being part of the TanglePatterns community. Please let me know how you are getting on, you can find my email address on the About page too.

Hugs to you, Linda

I have been searching – in vain – for the Zentangle – Tidings – it was listed on your page for original Zentangles – I had wanted to direct some “tanglers” to that particular Zentangel and now, I can not find it anywhere. Can you helop me out here”??? Thank you, Nark

Hi Nark, there are no online instructions for the tangle named Tidings, that’s why it doesn’t have a link on my list of official tangles here: https://tanglepatterns.com/zentangles/list-of-official-tangle-patterns . It would have to be a tangle you’d learned from a CZT at a workshop because its instructions haven’t been published in any form yet.

Hi Linda! Let me start by Thanking you for a wonderful website! So much info that you have rounded up and banked for us all here in one place…with lots of great links to boot! I love the templates that you have created for us as downloads..! I just5 read about a dot pad…rhodia dot pads. I was thinking that a grid with just dots or small hash marks would be great. Can you make your computer turn something like that out? Assunta from the original site was started on the hash mark type grid….any thoughts? Thanks again for all of the time that you spend keeping this site up.

Hi Andrea, thanks for taking time to comment, I really appreciate hearing from everyone.

You can print dot paper, and a whole lot more types from this website: http://www.printablepaper.net/category/dot . As I describe on the “ Organize Your Patterns ” page, I like the Moleskine squared grid page books – the paper is really nice to write on with the Microns and I do use both sides of the pages now. The books are a nice portable size to carry around. Sometimes if a pattern is particularly dark you will get a small amount of ink bleedthrough but it’s not enough to get worked up about. The disadvantage, if it can be called that, is that you can rearrange patterns on loose leaf paper which you can’t with a bound book.

But there’s something to be said for having a nice mix of patterns that aren’t in a filing “system” – you get reminded of patterns you aren’t necessarily looking for. If that makes any sense. And that’s coming from someone obsessed with organization! Again, welcome and I look forward to your continuing participation. Happy tangling!

My Dearest Linda, Your link for the Dot Paper is exactly what I was looking for! Shout it from the rooftops…that is an amazing site! Thanks so much for all of the time that you put into making this site the BEST! I seem to spend a lot of time with you there…lol! Tangle till you drop… Aloha, Andy

Thanks, Andy. It gives me great pleasure to “hear” that TanglePatterns is fun and inspiring! You’ve made my day. 🙂

I took an introductory workshop at the seniors center this week and was amazed to see this. I sure am aware of patterns around me now. lol

Trying to get started has been made a little easier by this site and wealth of information. Not sure I will ever be able to do some of these patterns but will have fun trying them. May never be bored again…

Hi Linda – I actually do not go to your tangles site as often as I should, however, I would like to receive the PDF file for your Tangles that you recently mentioned on line. I was going to make a donation thru my PayPal account – I guess I need your acct number and info to do this – please advise thru email. Thank you, Nark

Greetings! I’ve been pouring over your site for weeks now! I’m a new tangler and love all the suggestions. I’m a grid kind of person so have started a tangle journal.

Thanks for taking the time to put together such an invaluable resource. Really. Just awesome. I can’t wait to get the PDF and the newsletter.

My eye sight isn’t as good as some so I find I like to tangle with a larger tile and 03 pen. My local Office Max cut my Bristol marker paper (110#) into 4×4 squares. The cutting was very inexpensive. Now I feel like I have all the tools I need to begin in earnest.

Thanks again. Looking forward to tangling with you all!

thanks for the great downloads

i made a donation almost three weeks ago so i could get the tangle guide, but i have yet to hear or receive anything and the payment went through. can you please check!

trying to be patient but really want the guide

thanks linda

Hi Teri, I’m so glad you got in touch with me this way. The page you were returned to when you made your donation and the FAQ page on the site explain that Comcast and several other large service providers block large files and request a gmail address I can send the file to.

The day you donated (4/7/12) I also sent you an email explaining that Comcast blocks large files and I need a gmail address from you. Since then I’ve sent THREE emails including replying to the emails you’ve sent directly to me. Obviously your Comcast account has blocked those too. Earlier this week, in desperation, I tried to contact you from my gmail account – apparently that didn’t get through either! Please email me a gmail address so you can get the file. Thanks!

Hi Ginny… Yes, Michael’s does carry some wood cutouts. Not a huge seeotciln, but enough to get you started. You can do white on black by painting the wood black, and using a white gel pen. Lots of possibilities!

Hi, I’d love to download the templates, but have been unable on my Mac. When I click on the templates (any of them) to view I get this message: Not Found Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn’t here.

And when I try to download them the file (PDF) shows up as not containing any data. Do I need to find a PC to download these? Many thanks for your wonderful website! It’s a great resource and it’s obvious how much work you have put into it. Much appreciated!

Hi Julie, try right-clicking on the links. The files are all there and they aren’t specific to a PC, so it may be something with your browser and security settings that’s causing the problem?

Linda, I have greatly enjoyed your site, am inspired and cannot wait to get my “hands” on the guide! Thank you for what you have done for us all!

LINDA – I’M SO HAPPY MY FRIENDS HAD SHOW US HOW TO DO ZENTANGLE AND GIVE US YOUR WEBSITE – THANK YOU I THINK THE RESTE OF MY LIFE I WILL BE DOING ZENTANGLE-

Linda- I tripped across you page thru Pinterest and I want to thank you for the wonderful patterns and the coloured instructions. It has help a great deal in filling the voids in my zentangle! Thanks again!

Thank you very much for a great website. I just got the 2012 Tangle guide and was wondering if the 2013 tangle guide will include the patterns from the 2012 guide, or if it will just have the patterns from the last year?

For 2013, the TanglePatterns.com TANGLE GUIDE will be completely revised and updated to include all the new tangles added to the site during 2012.

Hi, Linda. I just donated $ 15.00 to TanglePatterns.Com Tangle Guide for 2013. This is really cool what you’re doing.

Hope you and everybody else had a nice Christmas and Holiday and hope everybody have a Happy New Year.

Am a beginner and am interested in getting patterns.

You’ve come to the right place!

Thank you so much for the lovely 2-up half page forms. I love them. I’m a bit of an organizational nut case, maybe a little OCD. All those practice Tangles and Zentangles piling up all over the place (altho carefully alphabetized!) were starting to bother me. So I’ve gone out and bought two new notebooks, one for official Tangles and the other for Others. Problem solved.

Just wondering (I’m an absolute newbie) if I could use Bristol board (shiny side) to do a large Zentangle

I want to thank you for all that you do… I recently discovered Zentangle, through Pinterest. I’ve always be a bit of a doodler of sorts, and quickly discovered the therapeutic qualities of Zentangle. It is quite amazing. My husband is so sweet; I expressed my desire to get some micron pens and a great drawing pad, as closely similar to the one you describe (lush grain & all) and he came home with just that! I will eventually save enough for the actual kit that you offer on the site, as I understand the importance of embracing the fine materials used to create structured beauty. It can’t happen right now, but when it does, watch out! 🙂 Again, thank you for pouring yourselves into this site, it is graciously appreciated.

All of my gratitude, Andrea

Hi Linda. Your site rocks! I, too, like to organize, want to set up a three ring binder using your A4 template and alpha tabs. My question is about the appropriate paper to use for copying or printing the template. Regular office weight obviously won’t stand up to ink. Any suggestions?

Hi Joan, thank you so much for your compliment! I do use good quality office copier or printer paper for the steps templates, just make sure it isn’t ink-jet paper as I found that bleeds like crazy. Obviously for a Zentangle I use the real tiles, there’s nothing like them.

Another thought on the paper issue – try using 26 or 28 lb paper, bright white for a laser printer (even if your’s is ink jet). It’s a good stock weight and works well for saving to a binder. (I know…got a zillion print-outs working like that.)

gRACIAS POR TODO LO QUE NOS DA VIVO EN ARGENTINA Y HABER CONOCIDO ESTA PAGINA ES UNA BENDICION PARA UNA PERSONA JUBILADA GRACIAS SEÑORA LINDA VUELE UN ABRAZO MUY MUY GRANDE HASTA PRONTO

Hi there Linda.

I am fairly new to doing Zentangles and really would like to organize my tangle patterns with your system. Sadly two of the German meassured templates aren’t online anymore.

Those are the patterns that aren’t awailable anymore: Blank Tangle Pattern Templates METRIC TEMPLATES 2.A4 page – for those who like to organize in 3-ring binders. This page is similar to the card and also has the 9 cm x 9 cm tile outline to use the pattern along with some others in a Zentangle®. 3.A5 – for smaller 3-ring binders. Same as #2 but A5 (half A4) page size.

May I ask for a re-up or maybe a place where I can find them still? This would be very nice of you.

Greetings from Germany Claudia

Hi Claudia, the links and the files are still available so I’m not sure what happened. However I’m emailing you the two files you asked about. Cheers and happy tangling!

This is curious. I tried to download the two pdf-files a few times today, but never got lucky. Now they work just fine.

Anyway, thank you so much for coming back to me so fast and the templates.

I love your website and what you’ve done so far. Thank you for sharing this with us 🙂

I absolutely love this site! So many resources it’s amazing. Thanks for all you do for the tangling world!

This is so interesting.. I can’t wait to learn.

Linda, you have the best website. Your dedication to organization and generosity of knowledge and wanting others to succeed is apparent. Thank you. Yvonne

Your page is the best of the best. When I don’t know how to draw some patterns, this website can help. thanks a lot. 🙂

This website is the best. Many thanks for the templates – what a great and generous idea.

Hi Sheree, and Welcome! I’m delighted you are enjoying the site and glad you found the templates, I think you’ll find they’re very useful. Cheers and happy tangling!

This is a beautiful site. I love it! Patty

Thanks Patty 🙂

Thankyou for letting me subscribe. I am new to Zentangle can nt believe all the patterns there are.

Thank you for your Zentangle instruction. I have to go to many meetings, and tangling keeps relaxed and entertained. This tangling trick has changed my public image! People take me more seriously now that I’m not squirming around and interrupting.

Thank Kathy, and welcome to our Zentangle community! Yours is yet another endorsement for all of the many excellent benefits of this wonderful art form.

Why do your templets show grid lines when the requirements say not to use them?

Hi Diane, that is explained on the page above and both blank and grid templates are provided. This was written when I first started the site in 2010 and had ZERO experience drawing an-y-thing. As a novice I found the grid lines useful to help me, particularly with proportion. At that stage I didn’t even understand how to visualize dividing space into halves and so on. And I’m sure I wasn’t alone. But it didn’t take long to take the training wheels off and have confidence with the manageable small blank space that is Zentangle and graduating to the blank templates.

Looking forward to the 2020 edition of your Tangle Guide!

Thanks LaJuania, workin’ on it “as we speak”! Targeting this coming Friday, assuming all goes as planned …

I love the patterns on this website!

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Zentangle Art Lessons

This post shares my favorite Zentangle art lessons that are perfect for back to school or anytime throughout the year. I have taught the Zentangle method from 5th-12th grade and I love the individualized results.

“Back to school” are my three least favorite words in combination. I love school and I truly love teaching, but as soon as I see the school supplies hitting the stores my anxiety increases. It is so much effort starting a new school year! I am always hit with the emotional and physical stress at the start of August while re-setting up my classroom. Do I even remember how to teach?!

Once I rip off the bandaid and finish that first workday, I feel relieved that my hibernated teacher self does remember the ropes. I truly believe the first few days of school set the tone for the entire semester/year/quarter. First impressions are essential, and students observe everything like hawks. Or as I like to imagine, velociraptors checking the electric fence for weak spots. (#90skid). If you are new to teaching, I highly recommend the book The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher . Don’t let the outdated images or the author’s name throw you off. These strategies are timeless and very effective.

Another Year, Another Zentangle!

Zentangles are such a great starting point in an art class. It helps me understand my students abilities and personalities while giving me a structured and safe lesson to break in my classroom expectations. Students can feel successful trying out the basics for the first time, or create really impressive designs unique to their own style.

The Zentangle method is the peaceful style of drawing using structures patterns. Zentangle.com is an amazing resource with quite an artistic community. I usually have students use simpler or more organic patterns, but this is an amazing resource.

My favorite way to use a Zentangle is as a sketchbook cover. It gives students ownership of their sketchbook (we use them daily) and also gives them a feel for my classroom vibe. It is a great way to introduce a rubric and the discussion of how art is graded in an academic setting. You mean you can’t just draw what you want in art class?!?

Initial Zentangle Sketchbook Cover

This classroom ready tutorial shows the basics of created patterns using a pen. I’m using micron pens, but I’ve done this a million times with fine point Sharpies. The results are bold and students feel like they’re using a nice material from the start. They can be a tad expensive, but I think the results are worth it after trying ballpoint pens one semester.

We also use clear packing tape to attach them to their sketchbook covers. I found this to be more cost effective and less work than individually laminating each one. I prefer to give tasks to my students, not spend hours after school wrestling with the laminator. If students don’t have sketchbooks you can make small ones easily with some folded paper and a few staples. Binders also work well for notes and handouts.

Value Scale Hand Zentangle

Value is one of my favorite elements to explore with students. I love how this Value Scale Hand Zentangle allows students to explore creating areas of dark and light and mark making. It’s a great way to explore hatching, cross hatching and scumbling while allowing room for creativity.

I like to use hands to organize the composition because they are readily available and interesting, but also not intimidating. This can be simplified for lower levels or you could set your value scale expectations high for the older or more advanced students. It definitely is a more dynamic way to practice pen techniques than an old fill in the blanks handout.

Watercolor Drip Zentangle

This may be the Zentangle art lesson I am most excited about this year! After teaching at the intermediate level for six years, I am moving back to high school and will be teaching AP Art for the first time. I taught in the IB programme years ago, but it has been quite some time since I have taught a college level course.

This will be such a fun way to explore and create with a new batch of students the first few days of art class. I love the colorful watercolor drips, I think they create fun pops of color along with organic organization. This would also be a great method to include in all level classes and have the paper on hand for a substitute or early finishers. This zentangle art lesson is 100% doable in elementary, middle and the high school setting and I plan on doing some in my personal sketchbook as well.

Animal Zentangle

This animal zentangle requires to level up their drawing skills and create Zentangle patterns within the shape of an animal (or whatever!). Students can keep it simple like turtle shells, butterflies and zoomed in animal faces; or they can challenge themselves with a more detailed animal like a horses and giraffes.

I love doing this over watercolor paper because it elevates the finished product and I try and include as many mixed media experiences as possible. Public school schedules are quick with short class periods and I love including multiple techniques in one lesson.

I created these backgrounds using watercolor washes like in this tutorial , minus the salt. I felt the salt texture was a little distracting for the scale of this drawing, but on a larger piece of paper I think it would be beautiful.

Zentangle Art Lessons Perfect For Substitutes

Once students have created one zentangle, they can create them forever. That means if you teach this early in the semester, you have stress free emergency sub lessons ready to go! These can both be done with pencils or colored pencils if you don’t love the idea of leaving sharpies or fine point pens with a substitute.

Moonlit Night Monochromatic Painting

India Ink Nest Artwork

Hand Contour Drawing

Do you have favorite zentangle art lessons? What are your favorite lessons to teach at the start of a new year? I’d love to hear from you!

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HI! My name is Sierra Machado and I am an art educator in Oklahoma. This is a creative space dedicated to the craft of teaching and art making. My goal is to inspire young artists, encourage and support fellow art educators and to push myself to create more art. View all posts by Sierra Machado

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Zentangles - Extravagant Doodles!

Submitted by: Art teachers of the Art Education list group

With student art from Barbara Rhodes , retired art teacher

Grade Level: Middle Years

Unit: Line and Pattern Total Sessions: 1

Zentangles® are a fun way to increase focus and creativity. Structured patterns are created from a mind that has been freed up from the cares of the world. The patterns that are created are whimsical in nature and have been used in art therapy as a way to relax and help with insomnia. The Zentangle® art form and method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas and is copyrighted. See the links below for their website. Following are ideas shared by art teachers around the world on the Art Education List Group .

Trading Card Idea:

Enrichment Idea:

"First thing and if students finish their work early I have a large envelope taped up with squares in them so they can do them for 5 pts extra credit. Here is the website: Here is how you do them:

1. Start with a 3.5" piece of paper. With a pencil put a dot in each corner. 2. Now make a "frame" by connecting the dots. They do not have to be a square. 3. Now create a "string", separate the frame with a line that traditionally is continuous, this is what make the Zentangle look complicated. 4. Using a sharpie use different textures to fill in the sections on your Zentangle

Here is a link to my students Zentangles I have been trying to do one everyday, I have also done them digitally with llustrator and Photoshop (Found on the Adobe Software Page ). I have a couple of advanced students who are also doing them everyday.

Have fun!!!" - Tanya

Illustrated Letters:

Zentangles for Special Needs:

"I just thought of something I did with my students that caught on with the other art teachers. Have you ever heard of Zentangles? Look it up on Google. it has a great history. It can be used as "therapy " of sorts to calm people down. I drew the whole time I was getting ready for surgery once. It helped a lot. The art teachers started using Zentangles in their classes and said that they had never seen their classes quieter! It also is a great go-to activity when they get done with something in your class or in another class. There are books on it, but there's plenty online you can find and teach yourself. They can Zentangle a mug or cup or whatever. Even students with autism got into doing Zentangles! Also, we did the background of quilts and colored quilt patterns." - Dawn

Click on the images on this page for full size

Patterns and Textures: "Zentangles are awesome! I did it with Jr. High and High School. With Jr. High, I took them on a "walk about," around campus and they had to find patterns and textures, they could do rubbings or draw them in the sketchbook. Then we went back to the classroom and used what they found in the Zentangles There are lots of great YouTube Videos. I also used them in Sculpture class. (I got that Idea from Scholastic arts) Great Therapy, good teachable moments, and inspirational!" - Sue

Experimenting:

"I tested ultra fine sharpies with smooth bristol board for the Zentangles and it worked great. Starting with 7 inch (17.8 cm) squares on first day for grades 3 and 5. I have packets of pattern formation samples that I will show on white board and they will have at their table. You know how some kids just can't get the idea of how to start a pattern and make it more complex without something to actually copy first. Once they copy a few, they GET IT. I also encourage walking around and looking at what others are doing if they get stuck. By the time they get back to their table, the idea will become their own anyway. We once did an entire backdrop (HUGE) for Alice and Wonderland like this... a zillion years ago in a former life, lol. It was awesome. Kids lay on the floor to draw on big taped together rolls of craft paper the length of the room and about 8 feet (2.43 m) tall. So fun. It was amazing when it was finished." - Linda Woods

Figure Studies:

"I recently went to an art workshop and received some great ideas. The workshop was called Sketch and Doodle from Antiquities presented by Fahmi Khan (a great Art teacher/artist). She presented the lesson: The lesson concentrated on the use of contour figure studies from antiquities which would then be enhanced with doodles (patterns and designs from the 60's). It isn't quit doodling because doodling with some manner of control. The students have to stop every few moments to observe how the lines and shapes affect the drawing as a whole. Prior to this lesson, it is good idea to practice just doodling patterns in a sketch book- an exercise where students are not drawing anything in particular - the idea is to make the hand movements more controlled and to become a disciplined hand in drawing. The lesson can be a little more complicated when the student is asked to draw the sculpture or image from just a glance using more memory." - Erika

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Leah Newton Art

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Zentangle Reflections

October 12, 2018 8 Comments

Leah Newton Art is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This post may include affiliate links, and I may receive a commission when you click on one of these links and make a purchase.

Middle School students explore the mindfulness of Zentangle, the benchmarks for math, and the elements of line and texture in this Zentangle Reflections art lesson. This project covers Common Core Standards for Math for grade 6 which can be found at the end of the lesson.

Grade Level

6th, 7th, 8th Grade – The examples in this lesson are made by 7th graders.

In this Zentangle Reflections Art Lesson, students will design a Zentangle drawing creating positive and negative space using the silhouette of an animal or leaf.

2 60 min lessons

Ultra Fine Sharpie Marker – Sharpie 37101PP Permanent Marker, Ultra Fine Point, Black, 1 Count
Black Construction Paper – SunWorks Heavyweight Construction Paper, 9 x 12 Inches, Black, 100 Sheets
White Construction Paper – SunWorks Heavyweight Construction Paper, 9 x 12 Inches, White, 100 Sheets
Glue Stick – Elmer’s Glue Stick (E4062) (7 sticks)

Inspiration/Artist

I was inspired to create this lesson from this site: Click Here

Instruction with Questions

Before you begin this lesson, print out images from clip art. I used animals or leaves for this project to showcase items in Autumn. However, you could use just about any shape. For instance, I have done this lesson using sharks, unicorn heads, converse shoes, butterflies, and a t-rex. I like to think about what middle school students may be interested in and go from there. The sky is the limit! Students will choose from these images to create their mirror image. Click Here

Today, students will review what they know about Line, Texture, and Patterns.

Ask students what they already may know about zentangle or even more simply, about doodling. Do they doodle? Why? When? Where? How?

Next, define Line, texture, and pattern in a more formal way:

Zentangle:

The following ideas were found on psychologytoday.com..

Zentangle® is known to many artists and craftivistas as a way to create structured designs through drawing various patterns. Basically, it’s a specific way to draw images, most often in black pen on white paper.”
(It) has become an international phenomenon that now has applications in stress reduction, education, therapy and even motivational training.
The basic principles involved are as old as the history of art. It includes ritual [a core practice in ancient and contemporary arts] and mirrors the symbols, designs and patterns of numerous cultures [Mayan, Maori, Celtic, and American Indian, for example]
It’s Self-Soothing
It’s Simple
It Teaches How to Own Mistakes
It Reinforces “Aimlessness.” – Stay in the creative process and moment

Line: A line is an identifiable path created by a point moving in space . It is one-dimensional and can vary in width, direction, and length. Lines often define the edges of a form . Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, straight or curved, thick or thin.

Texture: texture refers to the way an object feels to the touch or looks as it may feel if it were touched., pattern: repetition refers to one object or shape repeated; pattern is a combination of elements or shapes repeated in a recurring and regular arrangement., negative and positive space.

Another important component of this lesson is the use of positive and negative space. Here is a great video to help explore and teach this concept. The main difference between negative and positive space depends on the area of interest. They actually work together. For this lesson, I refer to the Zentangle areas as positive space.

Next, hand out a worksheet with a variety of these. There are many worksheets you can use just by googling Zentangle. Here is a great one from www.instructables.com. Click Here. I print out a copy of this for the students for reference.

I recommend allowing them to practice at least four different zentangle elements on a practice paper before they begin their final project. Have them even create a few areas so they can create their designs alongside one another. This will also help them prepare for the final project.

Give students the worksheet, a half sheet of white construction paper, and a fine tip Sharpie Marker. No pencils. Gasp!

Instruct them to create 6-8 “areas” that are random by drawing lines from one side of the paper to the other.

Show students that each area will hold one Zentangle pattern. Using sharpie only, ask them to begin by choosing one area, and one zentangle pattern to create and repeat. Remind them about how effective it can be when they allow a pattern to go off of the page.

While they are creating these sections on the half sheet of paper, call a few students aside at a time, and have them choose from a selection of shapes. (I chose animals and a leaf to represent autumn) In a window, have them trace around the silhouette of the shape onto a new white paper.

The student cuts out the shape from the white paper. This shape is traced onto a half sheet of black construction paper. Once it is traced, they cut out the shape.

Once the half sheet of paper is filled in completely with a Zentangle, students use the white cut out shape from day one and draw Zentangle patterns on it. The Zentangle does not need to match the half sheet paper Zentangle. Instead, it can be a new set of patterns and lines. So there is a white half sheet with patterns and a separate cut out form like an owl, that has patterns on it as well.

Give the students a 9×12 size black piece of construction paper. This is the base. Choose which side that the white half sheet “Zentangle” will be glued onto.

Students should arrange their papers and review them before gluing anything down. It really depends on which side of their animal they drew their Zentangle. Half of the paper can be glued onto the left or right side of the black paper. So, ask them to experiment to see what makes the most sense.

Glue the half sheet to the black paper. Finally, they glue the Zentangle form to black side and the black form to the Zentangle side.

Check out these finished Zentangle Reflections Art Lesson pieces!

Common Core Standards

6th grade – math – the number system.

Apply and extend previous understandings of numbers to the system of rational numbers.

6. Understand a rational number as a point on the number line. Extend number line diagrams and coordinate axes familiar from previous grades to represent points on the line and in the plane with negative number coordinates.

b. Understand signs of numbers in ordered pairs as indicating locations in quadrants of the coordinate plane; recognize that when two ordered pairs differ only by signs, the locations of the points are related by reflections across one or both axes.

Check out more lessons like this one in my Best of Autumn and Fall Art Lessons for Kids post: Click Here

About leah newton.

October 7, 2021 at 2:16 pm

Hi, I love this project and want to do it with my students. However, the instructions are not exactly clear to me, specifically Day 2 the second half of the first sentence.

October 8, 2021 at 4:58 am

I made updates to “Day 2.” I appreciate you reaching out for clarification. Please check it out and read all of day two and see if it makes sense now. Please feel free to reach out again if it is still unclear.

October 27, 2021 at 1:15 pm

Thank you very much! The instructions are easier to understand. We did the project with 7th-10th graders with amazing results. Excellent project! I can’t wait to do it again.

October 27, 2021 at 10:31 pm

I really appreciate this feedback. Thank you for supporting the arts!

February 23, 2022 at 2:44 pm

Hello! I am currently filling the position of a long term art substitute, but as someone who has no art background, it tends to be a bit difficult at times. I love this concept and am trying to incorporate it into a positive/negative space lesson. However, I am totally not understanding the full concept. I read that positive space is the “subject” of the piece and negative is everything around it. In that sense, I can see the squirrel being the positive space in both “halves”. However, when I look at the definition being that positive is the area of interest and negative space is the empty space, I am totally lost. In that sense, I see the Zentangled squirrel and the Zentangled background both as the positive spaces. Do you have any clarifications or ways that I can better understand this concept? Thank you so much!

February 24, 2022 at 6:13 pm

I am so glad that you reached out! This can be a tricky concept. The main difference between negative and positive space depends on the area of interest. They actually work together. The attached video at the end of this message explains it best. For this project, I believe they work equally. When I teach it, I refer to the Zentangle areas as the positive space. I hope this helps. Please feel free direct message me for further support in your substitute position. I work with professional development with teachers, too. [email protected] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3Wx8vDsXuI

July 30, 2022 at 12:40 pm

Thank you for sharing! 🙂

August 3, 2022 at 6:09 pm

Awesome! Glad you liked it. Let me know if you need further support.

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Line zentangle collage asignment instructions

The purpose of this assignment is to give you practice in applying what you have learned so far into an actual art composition. This week we will be focusing on the element line by experimenting with different rhythmic patterns called zentangles. However, we will also add an area of contrast and emphasis that will be the inspiration for your design.

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SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

Zentangle Reflections

Grade Level

Inspiration/Artist

Instruction with Questions

Zentangle:

Line: A line is an identifiable path created by a point moving in space . It is one-dimensional and can vary in width, direction, and length. Lines often define the edges of a form . Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, straight or curved, thick or thin.

Check out these finished Zentangle Reflections Art Lesson pieces!

Common Core Standards

Check out more lessons like this one in my Best of Autumn and Fall Art Lessons for Kids post: Click Here

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Line zentangle collage asignment instructions

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