Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Lose your Mind





About two months ago I ran across a doodling technique that I thought seemed just like the kind of art exercise that would suit me. Called "Zentangles" or "Zen Doodling", it is a meditative technique that will help you let go of your mind and overthinking a project and take you away for a few minutes or more. I became immediately addicted.

As I understand it, Zentangles is doodling with repetitive patterns, geometric shapes and lines. You start with a piece of paper. I use bristol board because it has some heft and if I happen to make something I like, it's not on scrap paper. I cut the paper to about a 3-inch square. Put a light pencil dot about 1/16 of an inch from the edge on each corner of the paper. With your pencil, draw lines connecting the dots so you have a frame. Inside the frame you will do your drawing. Imagine holding a piece of thread and letting it fall on the paper. Draw this imaginary line within the frame. This will be the last you use your pencil. Oh, and no erasing. Some of the fun of this technique is that you don't plan anything, just let it evolve.

Take a Micron 0.1 or 0.05 black pen and start doodling from the line you've made so that shapes and designs are created within the entire frame of the paper.


The above image shows the original loopy line and what I doodled. You can embellish as much or as little as you like. It's perfect for doing while the TV is on or if you have a bit of time and you don't have all your supplies handy since pen and paper is all you need.

Here's another doodle:





Hope you enjoy losing your mind with this fun and relaxing technique. Go to www.zentangle.com for more info.

Annie




1 comment:

Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio said...

Way cool! My doodling doesn't look at all like yours (I guess mine should be called, scribbling).