Here is a collection of Zentangle®-related terms for inquiring minds. Although TanglePatterns is not affiliated with the official site, I am a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT). Unless noted otherwise definitions in quotation marks are from the official Zentangle® website, zentangle.com.
If you haven’t read this page on the Theory of Zentangle then please go, do!
As Sandy Steen Bartholomew reminds us in her AlphaTangle: A Truly Tangled Alphabet
TIP: Zentangle is a noun, not a verb. Don’t say “I Zentangled my bathroom floor.” Say “I tangled my bathroom floor.” Other things to say: “I need to create a Zentangle, right now!” “Sorry, I didn’t hear you. I was busy tangling.”
Same goes for “zentangling”… I often see references online to “zentangling” – ain’t no such thing. Don’t say it, don’t write it. Makes me wince when I see it. “Zentangling” or “Zentangled” don’t exist for the same reasons we use terms like “photocopying” not “xeroxing”, or “tissues” not “kleenex”. Legal trademarks. The correct terms are tangling, or tangled.
We’re all dyed-in-the-wool Zentangle Zealots here and out of respect for our passion and lest we lead newbies astray let’s endeavor to use the correct vocabulary. We’re tangling, baby, tangling.
Aura
One of six tangle enhancers along with dewdrop, perfs, rounding, shading and sparkle. “Tangles often use parallel or radiating patterns. The simplest example is aura … as you repeatedly outline a tangle, aura expands in rhythmic changing waves.” From Beginning Zentangle by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas (part of the official kit).
Border
Step 1 of creating a Zentangle®. A border starts with a lightly penciled dot placed in each corner of the tile. Then a lightly-penciled line connects the dots near the edges of the tile to frame the string and its contents. An example of a border can be seen on this page.
Copyright
What you should know about using the term Zentangle® and using tangle patterns in teaching or your art. Read about it here.
CZT®
Certified Zentangle Teacher® – a designation obtained by attending a certification seminar. Visit the official Zentangle® site for more information on becoming a CZT®. You can also read more about it here on TanglePatterns. Seminars are usually held approximately 3 times a year (February, May, October).
Dewdrop
One of six tangle enhancers along with aura, perfs, rounding, shading and sparkle. Learn all about it from a CZT®.
Monotangle
A completed Zentangle® composed entirely of a single tangle.
Perfs
One of six tangle enhancers along with aura, dewdrop, rounding, shading and sparkle. Learn all about it from a CZT®. An example of Perfs can be seen here.
Rounding
One of six tangle enhancers along with aura, dewdrop, perfs, shading and sparkle. Learn all about it from a CZT®.
Shading
Very light pencil shading adds depth and dimension to a tangle pattern. More about Shading here. One of six tangle enhancers along with aura, dewdrop, perfs, rounding, and sparkle.
Sparkle
One of six tangle enhancers along with aura, dewdrop, perfs, rounding and shading. Sparkles are often seen in Maria’s Zentangles.
String
The free-form penciled line drawn within the tile’s border, within which one adds tangle patterns to create a Zentangle®. “Strings allow Zentangles to grow without thinking or planning.” An example of a String and more ideas for Strings are here. Ideas for String templates are here.
Tangle Patterns (Tangles)
Abstract non-objective patterns usually created with 2 or 3 simple repeating lines drawn with a fine-nib black ink pen. Tangle patterns do not represent nor are they intended to represent any natural or actual object, figure, or scene.
TanglePatterns.com is an indexed guide to tangle patterns published on the web and selected according to my explanation here, under the Philosophy heading.
Tangleation
“A noticeable variation of an existing pattern.”
Tangle Enhancer
One of several embellishments to enhance a tangle. Aura and shading are the two most often seen. Dewdrop, Perfs, Rounding and Sparkle are the others. Learn all about these from a CZT®.
Tile
A 3 1/2-inch x 3 1/2-inch (89 mm x 89 mm) square card of high quality paper (“fine, individually die-cut printmaking paper selected for its texture and archival characteristics”). The format of a Zentangle®. So named because completed tiles can be arranged together to create a beautiful mosaic.
Zentangle®
Is more fully described on this “What is a Zentangle” page.
Zentangle-Inspired Art (ZIA)
CZT® Nancy Lubin responded to a discussion here, with this: “According to CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher) training, a Zentangle is the form created on a 3.5 in tile, with [abstract] patterns referred to as tangles. Works using these patterns but differing in size and shape and surface are ‘Zentangle inspired Art’.
Zentomology™
Definition coming soon.
Zentomologist™
Definition coming soon.
And for the Official Zentangle Glossary of Terms page, visit the Zentangle.com site.
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