Bengaluru is one of those places where youngsters love exploring new art forms that are beyond oil or landscape painting. Zentangle is one such art form that is picking up among the youth and they are quite enthusiastic about it. All age groups enjoy it, because it’s easy to learn and it can be done almost anywhere whether alone or in groups.
“Zentangle is easy to learn and almost anyone can use it to create beautiful images. It increases focus and creativity and provides artistic satisfaction along with an increased sense of personal well being. While the process may look intricate, it is a deceptively simple pathway to relaxation and inner focus. People who do zentangle, always come back to it as a way of relaxation.” says Neha Agarwal, a certified zentangle artist who was trained under Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, the founders of zentangle art.
She further adds, “A lot of stress and anger is seen in youngsters these days, which leads to lack in focus. Zentangle gives a sense of achievement of creating something of their own which is unique. The advantages of practising zentangle is that it increases mindfulness. If something goes wrong while drawing, since we use direct pen, it can give a new dimension to the work”.
Zentangle is a constantly evolving art form and the beauty of it is that you need not be an artist. G S Varshini, a ninth standard student says, “The art is all about drawing symmetrical patterns. Zentangle is something that you have in your head and you use creativity to draw. It soothes and de-stresses me. Whenever I get a free period, I start drawing as it helps me to concentrate more”.
With the Zentangle Method, anyone can create beautiful images from repetitive patterns and even though it is a specified series of steps, it results in a creative expression that transcends its own rules. “When I get bored I do zentangle. It helps me to concentrate better when my mind is clustered. I even carry my pens to office. It is the easiest art form as you can draw on any surface like paper, wood or a wall,” says Keerthi Sameer Arabatti, an HR professional.
The art form offers both freedom and a challenge. One can always succeed when you create zentangle art because it lets you create a pattern. Amita Mathur, a kathak dancer says, “I was very interested in the kind of patterns and my interest lies in the fact that there is a good connection between movement art and zentangle. This came as something very fresh to me as it lets you lose thoughts in terms of drawing shapes and patterns”.
