If I asked you, do you know what is “Zentangle”? I have no doubt that more than half of you would think I had either made up the word or am just out of my mind. However, that is certainly not the case! Instead, Zentangle is actually an art that creates beautiful and attractive images from repetitive patterns known simply as tangles. These tangles are created using a simple combination of dots, lines, simple curves, S-curves, and orbs. They are drawn on pieces of paper called tiles which can then be used to construct a mosaic.
Source: Image by Constance Kowalik from Pixabay
Zentangle art is non-representational and unplanned; one can just do whatever one likes without worrying about the results. All you have to do is to know the steps and just let your hand do its work for you, that’s all! This gives one a greater freedom of expression while also enhancing one’s own creativity. For more about Zentangle, click here!
How I Stumbled Into The World Of Zentangle
As a child, I have always leaned more towards the arts of reading and music than art itself. I did however, have my fair share of dabbling in art through extra art classes and compulsory art classes in school. That being said, art has never been and will never be my forte. Sure, I could score an “A” for art, but it never came to me as naturally as to a true artist. My art was usually based off some other artwork I had found on the Internet, with just a few tweaks here and there so as not to make my teacher think I plagiarised it.
My stumbling upon the Zentangle art was utterly unintentional, however. I had been feeling creative that special day, which had led me to research on different types of art that I could try out. As if by fate, I landed on a website explaining the art of Zentangle. I found myself compelled to try it out though I could not explain why. I was drawn like a moth to a flame by the fact that the resulting artwork created through Zentangle was dictated by my own self-liking, instead of something already planned for me. With excitement coursing through my veins, I tried my first ever Zentangle and found myself in love with its beauty. I found so much peace in my first artwork that I began to make more and more; falling in love with it more and more each time.
The Creation Of Something Unique
In a bid to see others’ own attempts at Zentangle art, I began to search up accounts on social media that posted their own Zentangle creations. One account that I found that really caught my eye was an account dubbed “Zentangle With Love”. The person behind this account incorporated Zentangle art on to tote bags, jute bags, and more! As I scrolled through her pieces, I came to a realisation that this person had created her own version of Zentangle art. Instead of using pen and pencil to create her Zentangle art, she used fabric pen and paints! So intrigued was I by her unique way of creating her art that I contacted her to ask to meet up so I could learn more about it.
Source: Collage by Author; images from Facebook page of “Zentangle With Love“
The History Behind “Zentangle With Love”
The meeting with the owner of “Zentangle With Love”, Sharon Lian, was off to a good start. She first learnt of Zentangle while attending art and craft classes. Her art instructor was the one that introduced her to the art, and she found herself immediately hooked. After months of practice, she began to experiment on what she could do using the art.
She first started by replacing paper with fabric. After many experiments, she found that the fabric from which jute bags were made were the best. Further experiments concluded that tote bags were also perfect for her Zentangle art. After that, she moved on to experiment on using different types of pens and even paint to draw her art. She finally settled on using fabric pens of different colours, which differed from the usual black and white of classic Zentangle art. Paints were her go to as well, as they gave her art a 3-D feel to it. From there, she began to use paints or fabric pens to draw on tote bags or jute bags. She often added additional decorations including pom pom balls, ribbons, sequins, and lace as well. With that, “Zentangle With Love” was born.
Source: Image from “Zentangle With Love” Facebook
Need A Gift For A Friend?
For the past three years, Sharon has been selling her tote bags and jute bags left and right; with people from countries as far as Canada ordering from her. Since then, she has expanded her product range, and now sells pouches, hand-stitched pin cushion owls, cats and more. However, her best-sellers are still her traditional tote bags and jute bags. She also makes customised bags according to the customer’s preference.
Her products may be simple, but don’t let the simplicity of it fool you! Each product is handmade with love, and takes at least three days to complete. If you are looking for a gift for a loved one, why not give “Zentangle With Love” a try?
Image sourced by Author
Want To Find Out More About “Zentangle With Love”?
For more information on “Zentangle With Love”, you can visit their Facebook page or Instagram page.
For more gift ideas, check out this article: An Adventure Into A Florist’s
