How to draw IX

At  last week’s CZT® training seminar in Providence, Rhode Island, co-founder Maria Thomas demonstrated the new Zentangle®-original tangle, IX.

The name for this tangle pattern comes from the Roman numerals for the number 9, and IX was introduced at the 9th graduating class.

This is such a fun tangle to draw and it grows beautifully, although my example is the basic X formation created by the central I strokes. As you’re drawing IX, bear in mind that it doesn’t really look like much until Step 5 when you add the strokes connecting the corners and then the magic happens — somewhat how CZT Carole Ohl’s Puf tangle magically pulls together at the last. IX also reminds me of the Zentangle®-original tangle Hurry, the way it interweaves. Naturally, shading adds a lot to this tangle.

One of the new CZTs Jane Eileen Malone posted the step-by-step instructions for drawing IX on her blog here. Jane shows a lovely finished monotangle Zentangle featuring IX.

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UPDATE September 15, 2012 – Here are Maria’s steps for drawing IX.

Here’s another little tip to help make the tangle grow outwards: make your initial pattern and connect the corners, then use the corners to extend the I-connectors out in any direction. You can also use curvy-shaped I’s, they don’t have to be dead straight.

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UPDATE December 4, 2018 – Project Pack #4. As part of the Twelve Days of Zentangle, 2018 Edition series, in this Day 2 video starting at 11:55 Rick demonstrates how to tangle IX.

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UPDATE July 20, 2020 – Project Pack #10. As part of The Legend of Zentangle project pack series, Rick tangles IX at 05:52 in this video.

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I predict tons of fun with this one! And once again, congratulations to all the newly-graduated CZTs.

Check out the tag zentangle for more Zentangle®-original tangles on TanglePatterns.com.

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Zentangle Project Pack Summaries on TanglePatterns

1. November 2017: Introducing Sakura’s White Gelly Roll Pens
2. December 2017: The Twelve Days of Zentangle, 2017 Edition - A Stroll Down Memory Lane
3. June 2018: A Zentangle Ensemble
4. December 2018: The Twelve Days of Zentangle, 2018 Edition – Making a Zentangle Spinner
5. April 2019: Zentangle Cartouches
6. August 2019: No Mistakes
7. December 2019: The Twelve Days of Zentangle, 2019 Edition – Light and Shade
8. March 2020: Dancing in the Moonlight
9. April 2020: Spring has Sprung
10. July 2020: The Legend of Zentangle
11. September 2020: Fee-PHI-Fo-Fun!
12. December 2020: The Twelve Days of Zentangle, 2020 Edition - Zentangle Renaissance
13. April 2021: Layers and Transitions
14. May 2021: Accessing the Artist Within
15. September 2021: Alphaborders, Letter Forms, Alphabets and the Birth of Zentangle

1. January - February 2021: The Basics of the Zentangle Method

Related Links

• Looking for tangles by Artist or Type? For details visit the ABOUT > HOW TO FIND TANGLES BY ARTIST OR TYPE page on the top menu bar of any page on the site.
• What is a Zentangle? — if you are new to the Zentangle Method, start here for the fundamentals
• Zentangle terminology — a glossary of terms used in this art form
• Linda's List of Zentangle-Original Patterns — here is the complete list of original tangles (aka "official tangles") created and introduced by founders Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, including those not published online. If you are new to the Zentangle Method I highly recommend learning a few of the published Zentangle classics first.
• A pattern is not always a tangle — here's what makes a tangle. TIP: a tangle NEVER starts with pencil planning.
  • Un motif n’est pas toujours un tangle — Qu’est-ce qu’un tangle ?
  • Un diseño no es siempre un tangle — ¿Qué es un tangle?
• How to submit your pattern deconstruction to TanglePatterns
• For lots of great FREE tutorials on TanglePatterns, click on the TUTORIALS link in the pink alphabetic menu bar below the tangle images at the top of any page
• Strings! Have we got STRINGS! Click on the STRINGS link in the pink alphabetic menu bar below the tangle images at the top of any page for 250 different (free) Zentangle-starters. More than enough for any lifetime!

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