I love zentangles. My students love zentangles. My students love to zentangle so much they go home and zentangle more. The one above is from a boy who made 3 more mini zentangles at home!
My students also love using India Ink and calligraphy pens to create a zentangle. This is seriously one of the first art supplies I have found that nearly all of my students are impressed by. I put the India Ink in a little glass jar and give them a calligraphy pen with a cover sheet on the table to help with clean up and they are in heaven, some of them even attribute the feeling to 'back in olden times' or 'what they used to sign the Declaration of Independence." They really feel special, and it elevates the project beyond just using sharpies.
My students also love using India Ink and calligraphy pens to create a zentangle. This is seriously one of the first art supplies I have found that nearly all of my students are impressed by. I put the India Ink in a little glass jar and give them a calligraphy pen with a cover sheet on the table to help with clean up and they are in heaven, some of them even attribute the feeling to 'back in olden times' or 'what they used to sign the Declaration of Independence." They really feel special, and it elevates the project beyond just using sharpies.
Day One
For the first day of this project, students practiced drawing an animal silhouette in their sketchbooks. A silhouette is harder for some students, because they have to get the contour line right, or else it doesn't look anything like the animal. I purposely made the silhouette handout have super tiny silhouettes so that they could not trace their design, this was about observational skills.
After practicing the animal, they were to redraw it on white paper and outline with sharpie. For this project, we were not coloring the animal, we left it white, and created zentangles all the way around.
To make a zentangle, you bascially just make lines or 'tangles' around the object, all the way to the edge of the paper to break it up into sections. You fill the sections with structured patterns.
After practicing the animal, they were to redraw it on white paper and outline with sharpie. For this project, we were not coloring the animal, we left it white, and created zentangles all the way around.
To make a zentangle, you bascially just make lines or 'tangles' around the object, all the way to the edge of the paper to break it up into sections. You fill the sections with structured patterns.
Day 2
Now that they know about making a silhouette, it is time to learn about a zentangle. A zentangle is a design made up of structured patterns. I have another packet for students to look at today, comprised of mini optical illusions, patterns, and cool looking zentangles they can reference as they work.
Zentangling can be addictive. Some of my students loved it so much that they went home and zentangled more.
We used skinny and regular sharpies along with the black india ink and calligraphy pens. Some students did not like using the calligraphy pens because of the unpredictability. That was okay with me, as long as they tried it. Also, if they accidentally dripped the ink in the wrong spot, I told them to just leave it and turn it into a happy accident.
While students worked, I pulled them over to an art center to paint a frame for their zentangle. Next time, we would attach the zentangle to the frame.
List of zentangle reference books that I love:
Zentangle: The art of Inspiring and mindful drawing method
One Zentangle a Day
The Art of the Zentangle (I got the idea for this project on page 51)--I also show them those examples, in order to get some of the kids to go back and add a few BOLD designs for more CONTRAST. If they don't add contrast, the designs don't pop.
Zentangling can be addictive. Some of my students loved it so much that they went home and zentangled more.
We used skinny and regular sharpies along with the black india ink and calligraphy pens. Some students did not like using the calligraphy pens because of the unpredictability. That was okay with me, as long as they tried it. Also, if they accidentally dripped the ink in the wrong spot, I told them to just leave it and turn it into a happy accident.
While students worked, I pulled them over to an art center to paint a frame for their zentangle. Next time, we would attach the zentangle to the frame.
List of zentangle reference books that I love:
Zentangle: The art of Inspiring and mindful drawing method
One Zentangle a Day
The Art of the Zentangle (I got the idea for this project on page 51)--I also show them those examples, in order to get some of the kids to go back and add a few BOLD designs for more CONTRAST. If they don't add contrast, the designs don't pop.
Day 4
The final step is to finish adding the zentangle designs and then go back and add shading. I showed my students my woodless graphite pencils and let them use them to add a little shading in some spots on their zentangles. Some used the gray shading to emphasize an optical illusion. Some used the shading to make patterns, some used it to add emphasize to certain areas of the design. I even let some of the kids that seemed really 'into' it try out my zig pens and told them where to find them at Hobby Lobby. Lots of kids wanted a calligraphy pen after this lesson!
Once the shading was complete, students could pick a 'matte' and then attach the drawing to the matte, and attach that to their frame with white glue.
If they finished early, I had copies of a different 'calligraphy' practice sheets printed so they could use the pens to practice lettering.
Once the shading was complete, students could pick a 'matte' and then attach the drawing to the matte, and attach that to their frame with white glue.
If they finished early, I had copies of a different 'calligraphy' practice sheets printed so they could use the pens to practice lettering.
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