How to draw GOLDHAN

Today’s ribbon-style Goldhan tangle is from UK tangler Helen Little and it’s her first on the site.

Helen introduces herself and explains how she discovered Zentangle®:

I live in Devon, England, with my husband and two sons. In 2017, while browsing our local museum shop, my eldest son picked up a book called “Star, Branch, Spiral, Fan” by Yellena James. He persuaded me to buy it for him, even though it looked rather advanced for an 8 year old!

I started looking at it myself, and it rekindled my interest in drawing (something I loved as a child). While searching for pen and ink drawing tutorials online I came across Zentangle patterns, and I was hooked!

I read about the Zentangle Method™ as much as I could, and tangled whenever I had time. Since then I’ve also explored other forms of art, but Zentangle is my ‘first love’ and something I always come back to.

Helen describes her inspiration for Goldhan and how she named it:

My parents-in-law have a lovely golden picture frame which features overlapping arcs, and I’ve often wondered if I could deconstruct the design and create a tangle.

On a recent visit during inclement weather I had plenty of time to try it! The result is this tangle, Goldhan – the name combines the gold frame inspiration and part of their village name.

The key element is the overlapping arcs (with the ‘underneath’ arc drawn using the Hollibaugh drawing behind technique). This Bijou tile shows Goldhan in grid form.

Alternate the orientation of the arc pairs as you progress along the ribbon, with the points of each pair touching the points of the previous one.

It then offers plenty of scope for embellishments, in the form of auras, orbs, shading, fills and so on. Goldhan can also be drawn in grid form, by excluding the auras, or could even be drawn in clusters!

This tile includes examples of a few different ways to shade Goldhan.

I found it took a few practice runsfor me to get the basic shape to cooperate (baulky thumb acting up) but once you get the hang of it, you’re away. Inspired by Helen’s tan tile, I plan on exploring Goldhan with a dot grid, I’m curious to see how that turns out …

Helen illustrates the step-by-step instructions for drawing Goldhan below where she features it in a lovely tile with the Zentangle-originals Florz, Flux and Mooka.

Image copyright the artist and used with permission, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. These images are for your personal offline reference only. Please feel free to refer to the images to recreate this tangle in your personal Zentangles and ZIAs. However the artist and TanglePatterns.com reserve all rights to the images and they must not be publicly pinned, altered, reproduced or republished. Thank you for respecting these rights. For more information, click on the image for the article “Copyrights and your blog.” “We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.” ~ Albus Dumbledore

As you enjoy any of the tangles on the site, please leave a comment of thanks and encouragement to show the artists you appreciate them for sharing their creativity to inspire yours. Your comment helps motivate them to continue to share!

Check out the tag helenl for more of Helen’s tangles on TanglePatterns.com.

Related Links

1. 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.
2. What is a Zentangle? — if you are new to the Zentangle Method, start here for the fundamentals.
3. Zentangle terminology — a glossary of terms used in this art form.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. What Makes a Zentangle tangle? 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. Patterns that are drawings of a recognizable naturalistic or actual object, figure, or scene, are not tangles, and tangles never start with pencil planning.
   • A pattern is not always a tangle.
   • 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?
7. How to submit your pattern deconstruction to TanglePatterns
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Never miss a tangle! FREE eMAIL NEWSLETTER - visit the Here's how to SUBSCRIBE button (top of left sidebar on any page) and sign up to get notices delivered free to your inbox.
11. 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.

.oOo.

Share your Tangle on TanglePatterns

Have you created a tangle you'd like to share with the community? I'd love to see it.

You do not need to be a CZT to submit a pattern. Many of the tangles on TanglePatterns began as ideas shared by readers just like you.

Before sending your pattern, please take a few minutes to review What Makes a Zentangle® Tangle? and How to Submit Your Pattern Deconstruction to TanglePatterns. These pages on the SUBMIT YOUR PATTERN menu explain what qualifies as a tangle and how to prepare your pattern.

Not every pattern will be selected for publication, but I sincerely appreciate everyone who takes the time to share their creativity and contribute to TanglePatterns.

When you're ready, simply send your pattern by email following the instructions on the submission page.

I look forward to seeing what you've created.

.oOo.

.oOo.
Enhance your Zentangle experience while supporting TanglePatterns:
BRAND NEW! TanglePatterns.com TANGLE GUIDE, 2026 Edition
	The 15th Edition of the TanglePatterns.com TANGLE GUIDE is an instant-download 123-page interactive digital eBook/PDF containing over 2,300 tangles on the site from May 2010 through December 31, 2025. 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!
	"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.
See the BOOK REVIEWS page for more details on its features and view a sample page. Note: this is a digital product downloaded immediately when ordering, nothing will be physically mailed to you.
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.
	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®. For more about the content and to read the rave reviews, visit the BOOK REVIEWS tab.
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
.oOo.