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While working on this project, I conducted an
experiment where I designed some test pages
of some of the activities included in this book and
I gave them to someone who is the intended
audience. The "test subject" is not an artist, but
they appreciate art and would like to be able to
do something artistic themselves. I handed them
some test pages of activities I designed. What they
ended up doing was this drawing to the right. →
The test subject handed the papers back to me
and said, "It's a bird-dog."
What this tells me is that in my opinion and
viewpoint and experience, my inclination was
correct in that my intended audience often thinks
that "the only way to draw" is to draw representationally, meaning to draw something that is
clearly identifiable as something which already exists in life. Hence, the test subject's drawing they
explained as a "bird-dog." The drawing had to be something, instead of just being lines and
patterns and being about the process of making the art itself. This also shows me that this mindset
must be difficult to break, which is what I'm trying to do with this book.
In a 2022 study, (see citation below) the authors found that significant reductions in negative effects
occured in a Zentangle group compared with the control group who did not draw any zentangles.
Participants who practiced Zentangle for over 80 minutes per week experienced a significant
reduction in anxiety symptoms and an improvement in self-compassion.
A 2024 study (cited below) explored the effects of Zentange on older adults' anxiety and
happiness. The authors found that participants who attended Zentangle sessions which
incorporated instructor-led drawing and mindfulness techniques showed significant reduction in
anxiety (−7%) and an increase in happiness (+26%), with 71% percent reporting they would continue
attending or recommend it. Results suggest that Zentangle could be offered as a pleasurable
activity and a non-pharmacological addition to anxiety treatment.
Chung, S.-K., Ho, F. Y.-Y., & Chan, H. C.-Y. (2022). The effects of Zentangle® on affective well-being
among adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Occupational Therapy,
76, 7605205060. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2022.049113
Alex McCord, Sandra McKenny & Louise Horstmanshof (20 Feb 2024): Effects of Zentangle
on Older Adults’ Anxiety, Happiness, and Dexterity, Activities, Adaptation & Aging, DOI:
10.1080/01924788.2024.2317026. https://doi.org/10.1080/01924788.2024.2317026
For many, drawing Zentangles is considered “yoga for the brain,” since doing Zentangles has
calming and stress relieving effects on the people that practice it. It can also improve one’s
confidence and concentration. By drawing structured and repetitive patterns, fears like a lack of
inspiration or a fear of failure do not play a role in creating Zentangles. This allows you to let go of
expectations, and really live in the moment without having to worry about anything else.
zentangle.com
Stress Relief
Take to social media to explore all of what people are doing when it comes to drawing
zentangles. Instagram is a great place to look at art. Oftentimes, the artists even show a video of
how they do their drawings from start to finish, so you can try them out too. There is so much content
out there. Just search "zentangle," "zendoodle," "pattern drawing," "black and white drawing," etc.,
and you will find plenty more inspiration out there. And more is always being added, too!
Get Inspired! - Social Media, Instagram
ResearchAppendix
Zentangles were founded in 2004, by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Roberts, a meditator, and
Thomas a calligrapher combined their forces together and discovered the meditative effects
of creating repetitive patterns. They wanted to establish an art method that was accessible for
anyone to create. This is because they often heard that people did not have the time, ability, space
or patience to do art. In their opinion, all these reasons can be swiped off the table due to the
simplicity of Zentangle.
www.royaltalens.com/en/landingpages/zentangle
Rick Roberts & Maria Thomas