From Medieval Manuscripts to Modern Mindfulness: Exploring Zentangle Art

Hey everyone! I wanted to share a little adventure I recently had at my local bookstore, which also has this cozy coffee shop. So, I’m sipping on a latte, browsing the shelves, when I stumble upon a book about creating zentangles. Intrigued, I decided skimming this could be the perfect companion for my coffee.

As I started flipping through Jane Marbaix’s book, a wave of nostalgia hit me. I realized I really missed working with pencils, pens, and paper. There’s something magical about getting lost in the process and finding yourself in “the zone.” I had drifted away from this hobby because my aging eyes made it tough to paint detailed scrolls or stick to tight deadlines. But maybe, just maybe, I could dive back in purely for fun with some zentangle art.

Another reason the book caught my eye is my friend Cheryll’s art. She creates these incredible, intricate pieces that are very zentangle-like. She was into this style even before Rick and Maria made it popular. Her free-flowing black-on-white creations are mesmerizing. I had tried my hand at it before but never reached her level of beauty. So, I bought the book as a personal challenge to up my game.

Looking over the book one quote jumped out at me. “Anything is possible, one stroke at a time”. That’s the zentangle mantra. This simple yet powerful message is encouraging, especially for anyone who doubts their artistic abilities. It emphasizes that the Zentangle Method is all about enjoying the process, not just the final product.

Given my devotion to the SCA and its scribes, I couldn’t help but wonder if there were any zentangles in medieval manuscripts. And guess what? There are! While they aren’t called zentangles, similar patterns can be found in Celtic and Mozarabic manuscript art. The Zentangle Blog even has a couple of posts about this (1 and 2). Inspired, I created a Pinterest board dedicated to these fascinating medieval zentangle-like finds.

One of the best parts about this new hobby is that I already had most of the materials in my studio. I just needed to do a bit of reorganizing. I have Bristol paper, which I just had to cut to the 3 1/2″ zentangle format. I also have the recommended high-quality Sakura Pigma Micron pens and a variety of black pencils. But wouldn’t you know it, when I tried to use them, the pen ink was dry, and the paper was too big for my Fiskars paper cutter. Go figure!

Once I sorted out those hiccups, I dove into creating the repeating patterns from the book and really started to feel the zen. The book describes how zentangle art “creates a safe and joyful inner space even when real life may be confronting us with difficult challenges”. It truly is meditation through art. It helps me relax, get into the zone, and feel proud of my creations again.

So, here are my first three zentangle pieces. You might notice a bit of medieval influence in the top one. Not too shabby for someone who is used to spending hours on detailed medieval art! Plus, I can complete one before my eyesight starts to blur.

Have any of you tried zentangle art? What did you think about it? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!