The lockdown and its subsequent extension has confined most of us within the four walls of our house. Needless to say, our work-life balance probably left the building a long time ago thanks to the change of environment. But are you doing anything about it? If you're trying to cope with things your own way, then zentangling is definitely an option. V Priya, an internationally certified zentangle trainer, takes us through the meditative lane of zentangling and beyond. Check out her tips to zentangle right:
1. Basic needs, all right
"All you need is a microtip ballpoint pen, paper and an HB pencil. A simple Google search should help you understand the basic terms. Start with one simple pattern and keep practising it. If you are in doubt, then reach out to an expert through social media. They are just a search away," suggests Priya
2. Practise is the key
"Once you find a pattern, start practising it. Spending 30 minutes on the art every day can do wonders in building the person you are. The art, by itself, is a therapy. It reduces stress and helps you calm down and focus on one thing at a time," she informs
3. Embracing imperfections
"There is no right or wrong way to zentangle. You are just focusing your mind on one particular pattern. Your thoughts are minimised and it is only about the art and you at that point. Since the paper used for zentangling is small (9x9 size), mistakes are barely visible. And why care about that? It is a new pattern now," she laughs
4. Make room for peace
"Zentangling is all about concentration. You can have the zentangling kit always in your bag and start drawing a pattern wherever you are. A hospital waiting room or a calm office desk, any place where you can concentrate is your ideal zentangling spot," she beams
5. You be the judge
"There is no end to evolving. You are introduced to a pattern, you focus on those lines and start practising. Only you can judge your work. If it helps you evolve as a person and control your mood swings, congratulations! You won the game."
I want to zentangle, RIGHT AWAY!
Materials required: Tile, pencil, microtip pen
Step 1: Mark four dots with a pencil on each corner of the tile
Step 2: Join the dots, making a border
Step 3: Draw a string, here we are drawing a 'Z' string. The purpose is to divide the tile into sections. The strings should be light and use ONLY pencil till this step
Step 4: Fill each section in the string with tangles of your choice. Finally, add shades to the tangle. Happy first tile creation, folks!
Note: Do it slowly. Turn your tile when you tangle so that the strokes are clear
How is Priya 'tangled' during the lockdown?
Priya got introduced into the artistic field in the year 2014. Being a counsellor herself, she found solace in art. "I had a few bad days in my life, and I started drawing to ease the pressure. Following a few reference images on Google, I realised that the art form I was practising was zentangling," informs the artist. Immediately, she took off to the US to learn the technical aspects of the art, and now, she is an internationally certified zentangle artist.
The therapeutic benefits of the art made her stick to it even after years. "It helps me relax and control my emotions. I have made it a ritual to practice some art every day. This helps me get some 'me' time," she laughs. Apart from zentangling, Priya practises Mandalas, watercolours and much more.
Why is it monochrome?
"You are trying to focus your thoughts on one particular action - making patterns. When you keep changing the colours, your right brain gets activated, which instead makes you anxious. To help you calm down, it is advisable to use just black colour," she shares.
Brands in her kit
Pen - Sakura Micron
Pencil - Staedtler pencils
Paper - Zentangling tile (9 x 9 sized papers are called tile) are available in the market. But she prefers watercolour papers
Her inspiration
Zentangler Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts are her sources of inspiration. "The discipline and generosity on sharing their knowledge are beyond appreciation."
The TED Talk
Dilip Patel, a well known zentangle artist's TEDx Talk, 'Taming minds the Zentangle way' is a must-watch!
