A few years ago, I started dabbling in Zentangle. My cousin sparked my interest by showing me her awesome work. Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts sort of fell into the art form when Maria noticed she felt better after drawing. Zentangle is a term they copyrighted to describe their method and patterns. Anyone can make up their own tangle, but one must submit it to see if it will be trademarked. It’s so much fun, that it’s hard to stop once you’ve tried. There is also a sense of calmness that comes from drawing, using their method.

Above is a very humble attempt at making a tangle composition. I was in a very floral mood, as you can see. All of the patterns in it are available for free in the first link. Unfortunately, I don’t remember their names, so it will take some hunting.

After studying and trying my hand with different patterns, I came up with my own tangle. Now, I say that not knowing if there is another one out there like it. I haven’t seen all the patterns, and I’m not a certified teacher. Honestly, this came about from hours of trying to come up with something. My brain just naturally flowed into it. I became fixated with diamonds and rays. There could be many variations depending on shading or the slightest additional line. The tangle reminds me of stars and stripes, but that name might be considered too suggestive. Perhaps, Starps is a good enough tangly term.

Zentangle-Inspired Pattern

Please feel free to use my patterns in your creations. Just drop a line for me, if you would be so kind. ? Saying where the pattern comes from helps my blog and encourages me to make more things. I enjoy sharing my ideas and projects with you. ?