How to Draw with Intention in Your Zentangle and Other Art

I thought I'd  post a quick video on how to, and what I mean by, Drawing with Intention since I'm constantly talking about it.

Every stroke that you put down on paper should be done with intention. Remember though, it doesn't need to be perfect (and it's usually not, lol) but it does have to be done purposefully. Drawing this way is what makes Mindful Doodling so, well... mindful, lol, and why it's so relaxing and has meditative qualities.

Let me know if you have any questions!


-xo Deb.

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Cute Fishies, Zentangle fun -- Step-out and Finished Examples

Lots of patterns: Static, Cuddles, Knightsbridge, Bales, Keeko, Nipa, Tipple, Amaze, and more.

Give this pattern a try. Reminiscent of tessellations (Escher is famous for his tessellations), it's a really easy pattern and is very cute. You can keep it simple with just some simple scales or fins on your fish or go to town with different patterns like I did. 

Thi image below is step by step instructions on how to make the basic pattern.

Step-Out instructions for the Fish pattern.

I'd LOVE to see everyone's fish art. Take a photo of your creation and post it in the comments!!

Just use a sketchbook, a scrap piece of paper, or even a napkin to draw on! Have fun!

Here's another idea I made with the same pattern, just to show you the possibilities.

Rows of houses made with the exact same pattern as the fish.

Have fun and remember to draw with intention, stay focused, take your time, and relax. :)

-xo Deb.

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Shading and Making Shadows Tutorial Videos for Zentangle and More

I made a few video tutorials on how to make shadows and shading your Zentangles and other drawings.

I kept them very basic, shading can get very technical but I don't think that's necessary when mindful doodling and making Zentangles. We really just want to add interest and definition to our art and these videos will show you how to do that.

Please let me know if you have any questions, either in the comments here or on my YouTube channel.

Happy drawing!

Part 1 - shading a sphere and paying attention to the light source


Part 2 - shading a couple more shapes: a cylinder and a cone

Part 3 - using shading to hi-light objects and bring them forward in the drawing

Part 4 - examples of shaded Zentangles and how they're made

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Mindful Doodling - An easier way to meditate!

I've decided to create a Facebook page to share the idea of mindful doodling, which includes Zentangle but is definitely not limited to it. Mindful Doodling - Zentangle and Beyond

I've wanted to meditate for a long time and really never could manage, I just really get bored, lol. The idea of Zentangle seemed silly to me at first, but when I actually sat down and tried it, like really tried it in a serious way, it was awesome. Drawing in a very mindful way, with intention and in the moment is a great way to "meditate" w/o getting bored, and you have some really cool artwork as a result.

It's a little difficult at first to draw mindfully. We're used to "doodling" that is mindless, something we do while thinking about something else and so we tend to be sloppy. Mindful doodling is about drawing each mark with intention. Thinking about the starting point and following through to the end point of the mark. You are really focusing on what your hand is doing and the mark that your pen is making on the paper. Once you get that, it's really great. It's still not easy and you'll still have to keep reminding yourself to slow down and draw mindfully and with intention, but it's easier to do that when there's something physical to focus on.

Anyway, I plan on posting exercises and tutorials, tips and info and some challenges. Please help me keep up with this, I tend to get distracted with life and forget to be consistent. If you don't see a new post on the FB page every few days, please send me a message or make a comment reminding me. I'm serious too, I really want to keep this going, not only to help everyone else be mindful and inspired, but to help myself too. Thanks!

Head on over to Mindful Doodling - Zentangle and Beyond and Like the page to join in! 

-xo deb.

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