How to draw XIRCUS

Xircus is a Zentangle®-original tangle dating back to the origins of this marvelous art form, one of the 102 original tangles.

Xircus has only previously appeared “publicly” as tangle example #3 on the Legend (L5) included in the Official Zentangle Kit.

But this summer as part of Project Pack #10 on Day 1 where Maria reproduces the tangles included on that Legend, she demonstrates Xircus.

Maria illustrates how to tangle Xircus starting at 5:29 into the video. I’ve set the video to begin at that time point but if you want to see the entire video from the beginning, simply use the controls to slide the timer back to the beginning. A link to my complete summary of Project Pack #10 (that includes a list of timestamps for each tangle) is given below.

Xircus is another super simple tangle and and though many of us — including me — prefer to have the printable step-by-step instructions, they really aren’t needed here, IMHO. However, if you’d like to have a printed version for your records, download a free template from the DOWNLOADS page and make your own version. Remember that if needed you can stop and start the video to help in creating your own printed steps for your records. (You can also slow down the playing speed using the settings/gear icon but be prepared for some wild sounding distorted voice-overs – enough to give you the giggles.)

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UPDATE July 25, 2020 – Project Pack #10. As part of The Legend of Zentangle project pack series, in this video starting at 04:09, Maria demonstrates a cool tangleation of Xircus.

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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 thanks helps motivate them to continue to share! And please share a link to your favorite tangles on social media. Thanks!

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

For a complete list of Zentangle’s Project Packs click the PROJECT PACKS link in the pink alphabetic tangle menu bar.

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. "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. 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?
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 SUBSCRIBE page on the top menu bar of any page on the site 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!

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