Happy Monday y’all, and Happy Year of the Rooster!
Yesterday was the first day of this Chinese New Year. The rooster (or chicken) is “one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac (and similar zodiacal systems) related to the Chinese calendar.” ~ Wikipedia. For much more on the year of the rooster and all the animals in the cycle, visit this page at The Telegraph.
So Happy New Year to all of our tangling friends around the world who are celebrating the year of the rooster!
In their recent newsletter the co-founders of Zentangle®, Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, introduced a new video series that’s available in the paid subscription version ($24.99/year) of the Zentangle Mosaic app. Rick explains that while the videos are available to paid subscribers of the app, occasionally a video from this series will also be published in their public (free) newsletter. And so we get to learn from this first one together!
This new series called Kitchen Table Tangles features Rick and Maria tangling a Zentangle tile and teaching some aspects of the Zentangle Method™. Rick writes, “Maria and I do the photography and tangling, Maria set the table and I played the music!”
In this first publicly-available video in the series Rick demonstrates how to interweave Paradox and Diva Dance, with both Rick and Maria giving tips for tangling both.
In the video Rick uses the terms fragment and reticula from their recent Zentangle PRIMER Vol 1 book.
One of the most helpful aspects of this video, in my view, is that you can so clearly see what we mean by “deliberate strokes”, such an important aspect of the Zentangle Method. You’ll notice that Rick takes his time and each stroke of his Sakura Micron 01 on the White Zentangle Tile is very purposefully made. He also reminds us not to grip the pen too tightly. Relaxed control.
The Zentangle Mosaic app has both a free version and a paid version. The free version has limited viewing capabilities and does not include the new videos. The app is available in an Android version from Google Play, and Apple versions (compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch) from iTunes.
From the newsletter:
If you already have the Zentangle Mosaic app, check your upgrade options to update it today.
If you haven’t experienced Zentangle Mosiac, you may want to download the free version because you can see what others in the worldwide Zentangle community are creating.
I looked everywhere but I couldn’t find an Upgrade option either in the app or in my device settings so I asked Julie Willand at Zentangle HQ for assistance and here’s her reply:
- On an Apple device, go to the App Store and then click Upgrade. Here, you will find all of the upgrades available.
- On an Android device, go to the Google Play Store and go to Upgrades via the menu by clicking the 3 dots.
Who knew? I thought apps updated automatically … Thanks, Julie!
For future reference as I add the publicly available videos in this KTT series to TanglePatterns.com you can locate them on the VIDEO tab on the pink alphabetic tangle menu bar.
Check out the tag zentangle for more Zentangle®-original tangles on TanglePatterns.com.
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.
- If you have questions about the TanglePatterns.com TANGLE GUIDE, visit the BOOK REVIEWS tab on the top menu bar of any page on the site for COMPLETE details!
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Enhance your Zentangle experience while supporting TanglePatterns: |
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CURRENT EDITION! TanglePatterns.com TANGLE GUIDE, 2024 Edition |
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The 13th Edition of the TanglePatterns.com TANGLE GUIDE is an instant-download 109-page interactive digital eBook/PDF containing approximately 2,000 tangles on the site from May 2010 through December 31, 2023. It's a great resource and a must-have digital tool for using the site. Visit the STORE > E-BOOKS page and help keep TanglePatterns.com going by getting your copy now! |
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"Linda, Thank you! I was relying on too few and getting stuck after 3 years of daily working with Zentangle. This has inspired me to ‘begin again’ with renewed excitement." ~ Barbara R. |
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| See the BOOK REVIEWS page for more details on its features and view a sample page. Note: this is a digital product you download immediately when you place your order, nothing will be physically mailed to you. | |
| GIFT ORDERS FOR ANOTHER PERSON: To give the TANGLE GUIDE as a gift, visit this page to place your gift order. | |
| If you're new to Zentangle® and tangling, my TanglePatterns.com BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO ZENTANGLE is just what you need to get started. Also available en Français and en Español. | |
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This is the only Zentangle book you'll ever need: the fabulous Zentangle PRIMER Vol 1. It's your CZT-in-a-book by the founders of Zentangle®. Visit the STORE tab on the top menu bar or click on the image. For more about the content and to read the rave reviews, visit the BOOK REVIEWS tab. |
| NEW! Now available in KINDLE format for $9.99. Spanish Edition here. Japanese Edition here. | |
| "Absolutely the best Zentangle Book yet! As an accomplished artist I used to think I did not need instruction on this art form. How wrong I was! My tangling improved by leaps and bounds after reading this book. If you think you have Zentangle down then you need this book more than ever!" ~ Kris H | |
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January 30, 2017 | 
More like this: 
It’s a great video! I recommend it. 🙂 Regarding Mosaic updates, I discovered that on my iPad mini as well as my Android phone, they were done automatically. Perhaps it’s a setting, then, on our devices. Thanks for posting this, Linda!
Thanks Jan, as it turns out my devices updated automatically too which is what I understood them to do. (Part of my confusion was the use of the word upgrade vs update.) However, I still can’t find the KTT videos, even this one. Still more sleuthing to do …
According to Julie, “The KTT’s live in the ‘Tangles, Tips and Techniques’ menu option.” And I see the first one (the video in this post) has since been added to that section.
Hahahahahah! I had the same trouble trying to find it as I too thought Mosaic updates automatically, but thanks to your detective work,and directions, have now got it on my Apple ipad. What an absolutely marvellous idea! To be able to see the person who came up with the tangle actually drawing it while we watch, is a virtual brainwave and to have it on Mosaic as well, without having to hunt it down on Youtube, is further brilliance! Plus, in case one’s ipad is charging or lost we can come to our PC and see the occasional public one through your site Linda! All I can say is YAY!
I also can’t agree more having it in my pocket on the app and here in”public” as well it’s just great. Absolute love KTT’s.
Linda
You have changed my life with your positive outlook and personality. Thank you for sharing the patterns and taking the time to show us what to do. You are just wonderful
Thank you so much, Linda. You’ve made my day 🙂
I really enjoyed this and look forward to more in the future.
Linda, would you be willing to explain what Rick means by “reticula”? I just retired, and have no way of buying anymore of their materials for a few months yet, so am hoping that you can explain without violating rules Rick and Maria may have in place. There is no such word in any dictionary I’ve looked in, though reticulum is as close as I can get–and that just does not apply to any of the art work Rick does in the video.
Great idea, combining Diva Dance with Paradox; I’m inspired, so am working on Fox Trot combined with Paradox. Only just started an hour ago, so it’ll be a bit before I get it done. It’s fun, so far!
Hi Joyce, all of the Zentangle definitions can be found on the ZENTANGLES > ZENTANGLE TERMINOLOGY page located on the top menu bar on the site. 🙂
I was having real difficulty mastering paradox until I actually saw Rick do the tangle. Now I am most grateful, having watched Rick do the tangle I can do it also. Thanks again Linda for all of your hard work in keeping the tangles in order for us. With your organization, I am on your website almost every day!