TanglePatterns String 132

This week’s String is shared by CZT Jane Dickinson for your creative enjoyment. This summer Jane relocated from Providence, Rhode Island, on the East coast to a new home in Eugene, Oregon, on the West coast of the country. When she sent me this string (and others to come in the future), she wrote:

“These string examples were inspired by snail/slug designs on the cover of the hot tub in the deck here. When I let out the dogs in the early a.m., I can see the grey on grey glistening of nocturnal activity as I stand with my flashlight waiting for the dogs to circumnavigate the yard.

There’s a lovely looseness to the slugs’ wanderings that make the strings bare guidelines, suggestions in Zentangle fashion, of the route one might then follow in one’s creative pen dancing.“

Bijou’s relatives seem to be appearing everywhere in Zentangle®-land!

Bear in mind that Zentangle® strings are guidelines, and there is no right side up. Strings are always drawn freehand in pencil so they magically disappear into your completed Zentangle.

You can use a string exactly as it is or adapt it to suit as your Zentangle grows. Start with the string as it’s shown then, as you go, combine sections if your tangles want to, or divide a section into smaller ones. Go with the flow and enjoy.

You can help our community’s String resource grow by sending me yours to share. Remember to keep them simple, Zentangle strings are not elaborate or complicated. For your convenience, below there’s a link to a template to use if you’d like. The template helps keep the Strings consistent in size.

Lightly pencil the string on your tile and you’re good to go tangling. Enjoy!

Reminders:

• Important: Strings are always drawn freehand in pencil so they magically disappear into your completed Zentangle.
• Use any string over and over again with different tangles.
• There are so many tangles available that your Zentangles will always be different even using the same string.
• Or use it with only one tangle — a monotangle.
• Usually each string will have many options.
• The Border (if one is given) is also a suggestion — use it, change it, or ignore it. It’s your art.
• As Bijou says, “Sometimes I even leave a section blank; which is occasionally my best choice!“
• And remember, in Zentangle there’s no right-side-up!

Related Links

• The Importance of Strings – and String 001
• Template to submit your Strings for sharing – right click link to save this PDF (or click link to open PDF), an instruction page is included with the template. The template helps keep all the Strings consistent in size for the site.
• TanglePatterns Strings group on flickr – a way to share your finished art using these Strings for all to enjoy
• Click on the link “STRINGS” on the alphabetic menu bar above for more Strings
• Linda’s List of Official Zentangle® Patterns – the complete list of official patterns (i.e., created by Zentangle® founders Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas), including those not published online

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eBooks available from TanglePatterns.com

TanglePatterns.com STRING GUIDES, Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Sure you can download the strings from the site but this saves you tons of time and as always your purchase helps keep TanglePatterns going and growing. Each STRING GUIDE begins by describing the importance of Strings in Zentangle® and then presents 50 strings from the site’s resource. Strings are given in two formats to jump-start your Zentangle creativity: three pages contain “at-a-glance” size images of all 50 strings, followed by 13 pages of full-size traceable images. Additional String suggestions by several CZTs are also provided. As an added bonus, beginning with Volume 2 each guide also contains blank String Organizers for you to record and organize your own favorite Strings.

TanglePatterns.com STRING GUIDE, Volume 1 (Strings 1-50)
	VOLUME 1 - STRINGS 001-050. A 22-page PDF eBook.
TanglePatterns.com STRING GUIDE, Volume 2 (Strings 51-100)
	VOLUME 2 - STRINGS 051-100. A 24-page PDF eBook includes bonus blank String Organizers to organize your own Strings.
TanglePatterns.com STRING GUIDE, Volume 3 (Strings 101-150)
	VOLUME 3 - STRINGS 101-150. A 24-page PDF eBook includes bonus blank String Organizers to organize your own Strings.
TanglePatterns.com STRING GUIDE, Volume 4 (Strings 151-200)
	VOLUME 4 - STRINGS 151-200. A 24-page PDF eBook includes bonus blank String Organizers to organize your own Strings.
TanglePatterns.com STRING GUIDE, Volume 5 (Strings 201-250)
	VOLUME 5 - STRINGS 201-250. A 24-page PDF eBook includes bonus blank String Organizers to organize your own Strings.
Visit the STORE > E-BOOKS page for more information and support TanglePatterns.com by getting your copies now!