I'm not going to call this an easy project. The concept is simple and straight forward, but it really relies on precision and detail to be any good. Naturally, high precision + detailed details = lots of time spent creating. I did this one in my down time over the course of three days at work, so I don't have an exact estimate of the time involved, but I would guess at least 3 hours. I also was armed with only a simple bic ballpoint pen which makes darkening large areas a tedious task, but I think those are really the only negatives to this project. On to the pros!
Despite the somewhat tedious feeling, Zentangle is actually designed to be a relaxing activity. I find it enjoyable on those days when my brain just won't shut up about all it's inane reminders every other second. It actually reminds me of the beautiful and amazing mandalas created by Buddhist monks. I was once lucky enough to see one in an art museum that was painstakingly crafted by carefully pouring colored sand to create the intricate design. (Can I just say I would hate to be the one monk who sneezed?) Being so deeply focused on making a precise pattern feels meditative and can ease all that brain noise.
Beautiful! I'd never heard of Zentangle before but it looks gorgeous.
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