Monday, October 13, 2008

A Little Zen



I've been seeing a few of these Zentangles around recently and thought I'd have a bash at one myself.
I looked them up on the internet and found the Zentangle website.
The theory behind them struck a chord with me:

You Can Do Anything, One Stroke at a Time™

I've always believed that myself, from a very young age. I remember a school yard conversation:

Anon: 'You can't fly a helicopter though'
Me: 'Only because I don't want to, if I wanted to I could. I can do anything'

I don't think that confidence ever quite left me, it's a little shaky at times but I still believe I am capable of anything I wish to learn.

"Give me a lever long enough and a prop strong enough. I can single-handedly move the world." -Archimedes

7 comments:

Quilt knit said...

Lovely! Zentangle! The one thing that gets me about the 'Zentangle' is how I have always drawn like that.
Then, my first drawing teacher in college, had us do What? Yes, What is now called zentangle. We even had to do it on a 9"x9" square. In the small pieces, all the solid appearing areas had to be lines. everything had to be line. In the half sheet of illustration board you had to have one solid white and one solid black. It is based on a drawn object.
I find it fascinating that I was taught this in my first semester of drawing class. They are still wonderful!

Sherrie Roberts

caseytoussaint said...

Great post Anita! I wasn't aware of zentangles, but it looks like a great way to loosen up - thanks for the link. This one is really interesting.

Dianne said...

I too love zentangles, i have acutually done a few myself:)
Your posting is a great inspiration to us who aren't so talented, thanks Anita...

Teri said...

This is a great zentangle! I use a lot of the same theory in my mandalas.

E-J said...

Aren't they an absorbing thing to create? Seeing them around on various blogs and on Flickr inspired me too, and though it is indeed a similar kind of doodling to what I used to do many years ago, I think the initial laying down of a sort of loose structure is what ultimately makes them work as pieces of art. I am also discovering their potential as a form of visual journalling, in which impressions of the world around you can be combined with lines and shapes inspired simply by your feelings at the moment of drawing. (What a load of pretentious twaddle ... just see my zentanglish sketch done at the beach in Greece as an example of what I'm on about).

Margaret Ann said...

LOL! Alright Anita...Way to go!Now you will be hooked for life! :)

Now, You must give these a go with Harry's classmates...Hee hee! Fun, Fun, Fun!:)

Sherry Pierce Thurner said...

Your entry today was thoughtful and a good reminder to be brave enough to try. I like your Zentangle, too.