My First Zentangle Class

Last night, I taught my first Zentangle class to five supportive and encouraging friends.  The table was set with their mini-kits (with bag, tiles, Micron, pencil, tortillon, and bookmark), my new Yankee Tangler brochure, and some examples of my Zentangle art.  I also had an easel with Post-It flip chart set up.   And on the front door, a sign announced "Zentangle Spoken and Signed Here."


Yes, signed.  In American Sign Language (ASL.)   I had learned and practiced various relevant signs (words I don't use in usual conversation, including outline, border, string, shading, pattern, dots, line, circle, gratitude, mindfulness, etc.) in order to interpret for my Deaf friend.  There are two signs for Zentangle, which I learned from the CZT Facebook group:  a "T"-sign with the dominant hand making a "Z" in the air and also a non-dominant L-hand with a "Z" signed inside it with the dominant hand.   Unfortunately, my friend had to cancel at the last minute due to illness.  I hope to have a class for her soon.

The class was structured as an introductory session, with two tiles and ten tangles.  I used the following outline.

Zentangle 101

1.  Meditation with singing bowl

2.  Brief history of the Zen of Rick Roberts and the Tangle of Maria Thomas

3.  Introduction to Zentangle method and philosophy 

4..  First tile:  traditional "Z" string with hollibaugh, shattuck, florz, and munchin, plus drawing behind, shading, and connecting two tangles

5.  Extra:  my children teach ING and pokeroot (they were so excited about the class and wanted to be involved!)

6.  Second tile:  triangle shape on a rectangle string with xander, flux, printemps, crescent moon, with auras, sparkle, going over borders, and tangle variations

7.  Discussion of what can be next (black tiles, Renaissance tiles, Zendalas, ZIAs, etc.), resources (my favorite books for beginners include Marie Browning and Suzanne McNeill's The Joy of Zentangle, Beckah Krahula's One Zentangle a Day, and Sandy Steen Bartholomew's Yoga for Your Brain; more serious students would like the two official Zentangle books), and supplies (both official ones and cheaper substitutes.)

Here are some of the finished tiles (tile #2 is on the top row, #1 on bottom):

As you can see, they all had different interpretations of the same tangles--some made tiny patterns, some pressed harder than others; everyone shaded and colored differently.  One even added extra tangles, including piano keys--I think she did all 10 on the same tile (lower left corner)!

It was a fun night--and I'm very excited for my next class.