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A Digital Artist’s Review of Zentangle Untangled by Kass Hall
Digital Art Journal Entry #2: A Review of Zentangle Untangled: Inspiration and Prompts for Meditative Drawing by Kass Hall from a Digital Zentangle Artist’s Point of View.
About Zentangle Untangled
After my first art lesson on Skillshare, I was ready to dive into Zentangle art and make beautiful artwork; however, I quickly came to a problem when I realized I had only learned 8 different tangles. And while the possibilities for making Zentangle art are endless, I knew I would quickly get bored with those few tangles to work with. So I went to my local library and found a book on Zentangle with new tangles for me to learn. This book was Zentangle Untangled: Inspiration and Prompts for Meditative Drawing by Kass Hall.
Zentangle Untangled offers a mix of step-by-step instructions, creative prompts, and project ideas. It encourages artists to use Zentangle as a form of meditative practice and creative expression. It is a book full of everything I need to continue learning this art form.
Learned New Tangles and Gained New Ideas
After a brief introduction to Zentangle art, Zentangle Untangled gives beginner-friendly instructions on how to create 12 different tangles. I also learned more about the tangles themselves. Kass tells you the creator of each tangle and her personal experience with the pattern. Followed the tutorial is a completed artwork using the tangle
The background of each tangle, along with the completed artwork, gives the reader a framework or idea of what can be done with the tangle. While there were no specific prompts to engage my creativity I did love seeing how a simple triangular tangle can become a star that shines.
The Best Part of Zentangle Untangled? The Creative Ideas
One of the highlights of the book is the variety of creative exercises. Kass encourages readers to experiment and not worry about making mistakes, which is really freeing. There are loads of pattern ideas and inspirations that you can mix and match to create unique designs. She also shares some of her personal experiences and insights, which makes the book feel more personal and engaging. She even has a chapter all about using tangles in digital art!
Using Adobe Photoshop as an example, Kass showed how versatile and inclusive Zentangle art can truly be. For instance, using Procreate, I can easily layer patterns, adjust their scale, and play with colors and effects that would be difficult to achieve on paper. This allows for a greater degree of experimentation and refinement, enabling me to push the boundaries of traditional Zentangle art.
What I Didn’t Like
The book would have been better for beginners if it had a chapter fully dedicated to prompts. For example, I am a visual, tactile learner so when trying something new I like to follow along with someone else who’s actually doing the task in front of me. Copying the tangle is easy on a blank canvas, which is why I love the step-by-step tutorials in the book. But a halfway completed string with the prompt to “add the new tangle and finish the artwork,” would have made me use my creativity and truly enjoy learning the tangle.
Do I Recommend Zentangle Untangled for Digital Artists?
From my perspective as a digital artist, I found “Zentangle Untangled” particularly inspiring. While Zentangle is traditionally done with pen and paper, the concepts and techniques Kass describes can easily be adapted to digital mediums. I immediately practiced creating each of the tangles in Procreate to add to my digital artwork, and it has opened up a whole new realm of creative possibilities. Plus, the meditative aspect of Zentangle takes the stress out of learning a new skill with no experience.
Overall, I think “Zentangle Untangled” is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to explore Zentangle art. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to expand your creative toolkit, this book offers plenty of inspiration and practical advice. I got plenty of ideas on how to sell my Zentangle art thanks to this book. Give it a try – I think you’ll find it both enjoyable and creatively rewarding!
Hey people!!!!!
Good mood and good luck to everyone!!!!!
Hey people!!!!!
Good mood and good luck to everyone!!!!!