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Do you Tangle?


Lots of my artist friends are into Zentangles.  I thought it was just called doodling, but there's a whole website devoted to teaching you how to do it and letting you hook up with teachers who will come and do workshops.  On the one hand, I think it's kind of neat, because it seems to be raising the humble doodle to a whole new level, but on the other hand, it's still just doodling.

Anyway, I guess I don't really do Zentangles, because I'm not into the whole relax and focus on your strokes kind of thing.  I do Prayer-tangles instead, and most likely the nice folks at the Zentangles site would say this is just fine :-)  I choose not to focus on the strokes themselves, but rather to focus on the things that I need to talk with God about.  In fact, if I do find myself thinking about the pen strokes, it's a signal to nudge my thoughts back in the proper direction. 

I like to make mine inside of a circle.  They are also a bit bigger than the standard tangles, and might be done over several days instead of at one sitting.  To me, the circle is more an image of completeness and the infinite, so it just works better for me. 



I would definitely encourage you to visit their site and see what other folks are doing, but mostly I'd like to encourage you to see if some form of Prayer-tangles or Zentangles fit into your prayer and thought life!  I was dealing with a couple of thorny problems when I made these two, and I think you can see that in the shapes and colors :-)




Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

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Comments

Linette said…
I've never Tangled, but I think I might have to. I could see how these would be very relaxing for a meditation or prayer. I love to "doodle" while I'm lost in thought.
Cyndi L said…
Thanks for stopping by, Linette :-) I think these have about a million and one applications!
They're lovely, Cyndi. I see sparks of inspiration rising off the waves of turmoil and hope you will soon be sailing on tranquil waters.

I've never been much of a doodler, but you guys are inspiring me to give it a try.

Do you realize we have 3 accomplished doodlers in our little group: you, June and Vicki. Must be something to all the buzz!
Genevieve said…
I discovered Zentangles last year via the Craft Critique blog. I am totally hooked. Here are some of my early efforts. I now use them on my hand-painted pins.

There's a great Zentangle Flickr pool. Grab a cup of coffee and turn on the slide show.
I don't think I "tangle"...but it definitely is very Zen for me. But, I've done this ALL my days, since I first picked up a crayon. My brain is always going in a hundred different directions, and I found early on that doodling is a wonderful way for me to calm some of the storm. Like you, I rarely do the size that the Zentangle group does...mine are all over the place (I'm about to post a few that are really different). I gave one to my friend Kellye that was huge, had about 20 to 25 hours of effort in it, and I've done them on scraps of paper that were tiny and took only minutes.

I know that, for me, I wander in the moment and let the rest of the world fall away. I love watching it build upon itself...much like life does...and I have been known, as you, to talk to the Creator a great deal while I am doodling...but then, these days I find myself in constant discussion with said Creator...

However they are created, and whatever we use them for...I do enjoy the doodling...and yours are lovely!
Cyndi L said…
Genevieve, I hadn't seen your tangles before! It doesn't surprise me since you do so many wonderful things. I need to share some of your work in another post devoted to other "tangle artists"...I hope you'll give me permission!
Cyndi L said…
June, I thought of you immediately when I started writing this. Your "doodles" are what I wish my tangles would look like! I love seeing what you come up with each time you post new ones. I'm planning a future post on this, and I'm hoping some folks like you who really know what they're doing will let me share their work!
Genevieve said…
Cyndi... Of course you have my permission.