Before we get to our string for this week, I’d like to take a moment to celebrate TanglePatterns.com’s THIRD!!! Birthday with you. Three years ago today on May 4th, 2010, I started the site with the greeting, “Hello Zentangle® Zealots!”
From the bottom of my heart I thank you for your love and support and encouragement over the last three years. I’m honored by all your comments and emails, I treasure every one. It’s been so much fun and I look forward to many more years of Zentangle fun, learning, and inspiration as we share this wonderful Zentangle journey together. Thanks y’all!
And now back to our regularly scheduled programming …
Here’s another String for your creative enjoyment and this one’s from yours truly. String 051 was based on two inspirations. The first was a post on the Zentangle blog by Maria Thomas called “Line ’em Up” where she writes,
Whenever I am confronted with [difficulty in creating strings], I resort to something real simple . . . stripes! . . . lines, ribbons, pipes, moldings, borders … There is a basic simplicity of tangling within the string of a stripe and then shading on the outer edges to tie it all together. … This is also a fun exercise/challenge to do with tangles that you wouldn’t immediately think of as “border” tangles.
And Maria includes wonderful examples to get your creative juices going.
The second inspiration is today’s Birthday, hence three simple diagonal stripes. I was so tempted to draw candles, but I resisted the urge … Combining these two inspirations, you get today’s String 051.
Of course you know that Zentangle® strings are guidelines. 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.
Please 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.
Right click and SAVE to your computer; then print. Remember – no rulers! Draw your stripes freehand and once you add the tangles, any wobblies will disappear. Pinning of any content from this site is not permitted. Thank you for respecting these rights.
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.
- And remember, in Zentangle there’s no right-side-up!
Related Links
- The Importance of Strings – and String 001
- TanglePatterns Strings group on flickr – a way to share your finished art using these Strings for all to enjoy
- 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
- 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
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) |
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VOLUME 1 - STRINGS 001-050. A 22-page PDF eBook. |
| TanglePatterns.com STRING GUIDE, Volume 2 (Strings 51-100) | |
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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) | |
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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) | |
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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) | |
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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! | |
May 4, 2013 | 
Happy Birthday tanglepatterns.com
I’m only a newcomer but really love seeing what you have each day.
WooooooHoooooo
Congrats on the big birthday of TanglePatterns.com!!!!!
Happy Birthday and ty so much for always keeping us motivated!
Happy 3rd Birthday!! And, may the fourth be with you!!
Happy Birthday! Here’s to many more!
Thank you for everything you provide us Zentangle Zealots!
Keep up the great, great work!
Happy birthday. It’s my sister’s birthday today, too. So I’ll always remember TanglePattern’s birthday. Thanks for a wonderful 3 years.
Barbara
Happy Birthday TanglePatterns.com! Woohoo!!! Thanks for all you do!
Happy Birthday to TanglePatterns, a true life saver it’s been, it seems much longer than three years since it all started, myself only two years, but what a happy time it has brought to myself and to those I know. Thank you so very much. Barbara.
Congrats on your third anniversary! It’s hard to believe it’s been that long, and yet TanglePatterns.com has become such a part of my life, it seems as though it has always been there.
Woo hoo! Three years have simply flown by. This page means so much…gives inspiration and guidance. Bask in the warmth of the good wishes. You deserve this and more, Linda!
Happy Third! I think I’ve been around for about half of these years and I have learned so much, have gained so much. This site and especially, of course, the artists inspire me constantly. Thank you Linda for bringing it all together. You have accomplished something amazing for many people.
Be encouraged that you add motivation and inspiration to our “tangling”!
Many thanks for all the lovely comments and birthday wishes! 🙂
Happy Birthday! I look forward to your postings all the time. When I have some quiet minutes, I pick up my micron and go to it. Thank you.
A belated Happy Birthday! I am totally addicted to Zentangles and really appreciated your site and all your postings, as well as the Tangle Guide and the Strings Guide. Thanks for everything.
Happy 3rd Birthday Tanglepatterns!! Thank you for for the upkeep of this site Linda – I’ve learnt so much,its my No.1 go to site and I must say it’s a permanent fixture on my pc 🙂
Best wishes for the future 🙂
CongratulA+tions!
Belated Birthday best wishes!!! You do a great job, Linda and should be commended for your committed efforts with Tangle Patterns. It’s the site I refer to almost everyday. I so appreciate all you do. Keep up the great work.
Thanks Ronnie, I appreciate your compliments.