Drawing: The Art of Patterns Part 3

Hi Guys!

I hope you’re having a good day!

In my previous two blogs I applied the pattern techniques and detailing knowledge I have gathered and created a Mandala drawing and in a Pattern Flower drawing. Today I am going to explain how I create my 3^rd piece which is a combination of shapes and patterns and some new ideas and tips I learned.

For creating this third piece I was having a difficult time find inspiration because even though a lot of Zentangle drawings are imaginative and creating patterns as you go, it’s always hard to just start. It’s also helpful to have a reference photo or something to look back to when you stuck in the middle of drawing. That’s why I would definitely recommend watching YouTube videos, check out book and read articles on Zentangle drawings. You can gather soooo much knowledge and inspiration and it really helps me. When I was stuck I simply found some images on google to keep me going. I really do recommend the book I am using for this project Zendoodle written by Susanne Schaadt. She explains Zentangle so well!

   Once I start on one of these drawings I enjoy it so much that I could go on for hours adding and adding more patterns and shapes and expanding it but starting is difficult. That’s why one of my biggest tips is just start!! Put the pen on your paper and start with something as simple as a circle or flower and just add on too it! You will see slowly your outcome will be great. I know these drawings take patience and can look overwhelming but it is very relaxing and calming! Susanne explains how “there is simply no right or wrong way of doing it; anyone who can draw a line on a piece of paper can draw a zendoodle.” (Schaadt 7)

For this drawing I used some new techniques! In all of my previous drawings I focused on filling in larger shapes with patterns and details but this piece was different.  I had to focus more on have symmetrical design and repeating the pattern evenly around the circle. I enjoyed as I made the center larger and larger thinking of new patterns for each and every layer. It was very relaxing. Susanne Schaadt says “The symmetrical construction based around a center further enhances the calming and ordering effects of the patterns in the most delightful way.” (Schaadt 56)

This is how it came out and I’m really happy with it!

Have any of you had any experience when starting a new activity was difficult but it was worth it in the end? Share you experience below!   

Schaadt, Susanne. Zendoodle: Meditative Drawing to Calm Your Inner Self. Tunbridge Wells, Kent: Search, 2015. Print.

Drawing: The Art of Patterns Part 2

Drawing: The Art of Patterns Part 2

Sheena Kapila

Hi Everyone!

I hope your all having a good day and had a great New Years! I am continuing my journey of learning new patterns and shapes in the art of Zentangle. The book I checked out Zendoodle written by Susanne Schaadt has really helped me focus on improving my patterns in drawing. Last time I used the patterns I learned in a mandala drawing. Today I am going to use the techniques into creating a Pattern Flower. I decided to draw this because of how it is supposed to help you gain practice in patterns and shapes. Each petal of the lotus is filled with different patterns and designs. 

 I applied the techniques of filling in the petals that Susanne Schaadt suggested. “As you draw keep stopping and thinking about what parts to leave white. It is very easy to over-draw. Area and leaf patterns are good choices for the oval flower shapes. It can be more effective to not fill all the areas with patterns”. (Schaadht 50) When I was drawing this flower I kept that tip in mind and remembered to not over draw because that can lead to a messier drawing. Just like I explained in my last blog post, I continued to use the guide the book provides of an Overview of Patterns in this drawing and tried my best to keep the patterns really neat and precise.

I tried out some new patterns as well in this drawing! I usually fill the shapes in other drawings with dots and stripes but for these petals I decided to try out filling the shapes with words and flowers. I liked how it created more variety and detail to the drawing. “Fill some of the areas with scatter flowers and floral designs. Try to use as less dots as possible and be sure to include leaf patterns.” (Schaadt 51) Since the petals were very similar to an oval leaf shapes I included leaf patterns as well.

This drawing was tricky and these type of drawings can take a lot of patience but I’m happy with how it turned out!

In the book that I am reading the author explains in her introduction how “The meditative process of drawing these intricate and imaginative patterns will allow you to escape from daily life wherever you are and whenever you like.” (Schaadt 7)  

I wanted to ask you guys... Does drawing helps you stayed relaxed and do you think it’s a meditative activity? I think so! J Comment Below!

Thanks for reading this blog post! I hope you enjoyed it!  

Schaadt, Susanne. Zendoodle: Meditative Drawing to Calm Your Inner Self. Tunbridge Wells, Kent: Search, 2015. Print.

Drawing: The Art of Patterns

Hi! 😃

My name is Sheena! :) I have always had a passion for sketching and painting and loved art for a very long time. I always try to read new books about art and find tips and advice to improve my skills. I'm not very good but I'm hoping with practice I will improve!

I checked out the book Zendoodle 
written by Susanne Schaadt. It was a wonderful and helpful book with lots of detailed steps and guidelines. The best part of the book is that it goes very in detail into the designs such as mastering your leaf shape, flowers, stripes and dots.

This art book focuses on patterns, details, and taking simple shapes into complex drawings and doodles. I would really recommend checking this out!

I practiced many different patterns from this book to improve my precision and details. The book had a multitude of pattern options to include in your drawings. Above is a image of the cover of the book. And to the right is an image of the overview and selection of patterns to draw.

The key to accurately creating the designs is too use different pens so you can create thicker and thinner strokes and more detailed designs. "I would recommend using thin and fineliner black or jet black pens 0.4mm on 120 gm copying paper". (Schaadt)  I used multiple pens such as sharpies, Nano- Liner pens, Micron pens and BIC pens. Unless I was coloring in big spaces I used very thin/fine liner pens. "Black ink creates a lovely contrast with the white background of the paper making the patterns clear and bright." (Schaadt)

Here are the pens I used:

Next I practiced many different patterns such as the leaf, semi circle, flower, flash, zig zag and many others. I would then use these patterns, shapes and design in a final drawing. It was actually a lot of fun to make the unique design and making my own! Practice:

After this I finally took all the advice and tips and put the pieces together! I used many of the designs but the key in making this mandala drawing was creating and keeping consistent symmetry throughout the whole drawing. "The symmetrical construction based around the center further enhances the calming and ordering effects of the patterns in the most delightful way" (Schaadt)  Here is my final drawing! I enlarged the photo so you can see the patterns:

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post! In later posts I will using similar designs and patterns and create different drawings.

Do you like to draw using patterns? Comment Below 😄

Schaadt, Susanne. Zendoodle: Meditative Drawing to Calm Your Inner Self. Tunbridge Wells, Kent: Search, 2015. Print.