Knightspeek is a cool tangle deconstructed some time ago by Illinois CZT Donna Lacey and this is her first on the site.
Knightspeek is by way of being a tangleation of the Zentangle®-original Knightsbridge but in fact Knightspeek isn’t limited to the usual checkerboard effect, as optically interesting as that is. You could also experiment with filling the spaces created in constructing Knightspeek with other grid-based tangles.
Donna writes, “i like this one because it’s graphic and it can take up space”, and Knightspeek can indeed fit into most any section of your Zentangle tile.
For my example I didn’t add shading and yet it still has a dynamic 3D effect to it. Donna’s example includes shading, nicely emphasizing these qualities.
On flickr, look for this arrow in the lower right corner of your screen to download the steps.
Donna illustrates the step-by-step instructions for drawing Knightspeek here on flickr. In this ATC tile, Donna features Knightspeek with the Zentangle-original Mooka.
It’s also possible to draw Knightspeek as a grid-based tangle itself, as CZT Daniel Lamothe demonstrates here.
As you enjoy any of the tangles on the site, please do leave a comment of thanks and encouragement to show the artists you appreciate them for sharing their creativity to inspire yours.
Check out the tag donnal for more of Donna’s tangles on TanglePatterns.com.
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A word about rulers
Many great tangles begin with an underlying inked grid (reticula) and they are always drawn freehand.
"Just as we point out that there's no eraser in a Zentangle Kit, there's also no ruler. ... With a relaxed focus and leaving rulers and preconceived notions aside, expect to be surprised and delighted." ~ Zentangle blog.
I've noticed quite a few "Zentangles" — and even tangle instructions — around the net where a some type of straight edge, stencil or other mechanical aid has been used to draw the underlying grid. Or even (egad!) to draw straight lines (or circles) making up the pattern within a Zentangle.
As CZT Sandy Hunter writes, "there is no zen to be had in the preoccupation with perfection."
Here's what I say ...
Zentangle is all about you and your pen
So put away the rulers and experience the Zen.
and you may quote me. 🙂
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.
- How to use the site — an excellent free video tutorial showing how to use the site as well as pointing out lots of useful features you might have missed.
- 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 Zentangle has no up or down and is not a picture of something, so you have no worries about whether you can draw a hand, or a duck. You always succeed in creating a Zentangle." Thus patterns that are drawings of a recognizable naturalistic or actual object, figure, or scene, are not tangles. A pattern is not always a tangle — here's what makes a tangle. TIP: tangles never start 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!
- Never miss a tangle! FREE eMAIL NEWSLETTER - visit the SUBSCRIBE page on the top menu bar of any page on the site and sign up to get notices delivered free to your inbox.
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January 18, 2017 | 
More like this: 
So wonderful to see tangles akin to the lovely String Arts. Maybe these sites will inspire more of the same: http://www.guidepatterns.com/35-string-art-patterns.php (simple) and http://www.stringart.ro/stringart.html (advanced)
I really like the 3-D effect of this tangle. Fun to do, thanks,Donna.
This was tricky at first! But once I practiced it a bit, I got hooked! Thanks for sharing!
This is marvelously inventive! As I drew it once, then twice, then again, it became simple to do, thanks to your clear diagram. Thank you, Donna!
I really love the look of this tangle; but I’ve been struggling to master drawing it. I seem to be in the minority; others seem to do it with no problems. But I’ll keep trying, because I do like it.
After sending my original post, I decided to try again. And Lo and Behold; this time I got it right. Thanks for another great tangle.
Hi Donna, Your tangle was shared with me nearly 3 years ago! I was new to Zentangle and my instructor shared your post as we learned Knightsbridge. I am staring at my tile using Knightspeak in the center of a Mandala that I made that day. Thank you for sharing.
I like Donna’s Tangle Pattern very much. I also enjoyed and learned from Daniel Lamothe’s video regarding ‘Knightstar’. I struggled with that one at first, but again, “repetition” is the still a “great teacher” so after more practice, I find the 3-D effects of both Knightspeak and Knightstar fun, challenging and quite effective to give a piece depth.