Zentangle® Cards

Have you wanted to try Zentangle®, but didn’t know where to start? Today, I’m creating 3 Zentangle® cards that could help get you started. All the artwork is hand drawn, with the exception of the sentiments.

Basis White cardstock from CutCardStock.com is bright white, 80lbs, and offers the perfect amount of surface texture for tangling and shading. I’ll be tangling on three A2 sized Basis panels with a Sakura Micron PN pen.

Draw Border Flowers

For the first card, I started tangling without planning for my sentiment. You may want to plan your sentiment. ;o)

Start by drawing a diagonal line, then starting at one end, draw a half moon shape approximately 1.25 inches long. Turn your panel and draw one on the opposite side and repeat until you get to the other end. 

Draw one petal at the center of each half moon and two on each side for a total of 5 petals for each flower. Make your petals kind of funky vs. symmetrical. Watch the video to see how to handle flower petals that overlap each other.

Add weight to the base of the petals by adding a shallow parentheses shape and filling it in with ink. Then add a fold to each of the petal tips.

Add the Zentangle® pattern, caviar, to the center of the flowers. Fill any empty space with ink.

Add Zentangle® pattern, tipple, to the folded petal tips. These are small orbs. Fill any empty space with ink.

Draw ‘Nzeppel Background

‘Nzeppel is a Zentangle® pattern that’s based on a grid which can be straight, wavy, or random.

Draw a wavy grid pattern and add diagonal lines to create triangle spaces vs. squares. Wavy lines will create different sized triangles and add a sense of movement and perspective.

Fill in the interstices with ink to add greater contrast.

Color Flowers with Alcohol Markers

I’m using Altenew Red Cosmos Artist Markers in Ruby Red R318, Coral Berry R304, and Frosty Pink R302.

At first, I only used the 2 lightest colors, then decided to add Ruby Red for greater contrast. I held the marker upright to retain the texture of the flicked strokes. If you’d like a smoother blend, hold your marker more horizontal to use the side of the nib. 

To create the appearance of a bend in the center of the petal, leave white highlights and add shadows under the petal folds and at the base of the petals. 

Add Shading

You can use a regular everyday pencil to add graphite and blend with a paper stump, tortillon, or a clean finger.

Add a light thin line of graphite under the flower petals and to one side of each of the ‘nzeppel triangles. Use a paper stump to blend out the edges. Preserve a highlight area otherwise, the background will become solid gray and lack contrast.

Add a Sentiment

After some digging around, I found the Thank You sentiment from Altenew Flower Arrangement Die Set fit perfectly in this space. I die cut 2 out of Basis Black cardstock, glued them together, and adhered them to the card.

Card Variations

I was inspired so much by the first card I decided to create 2 variations on the same design and this time I picked my sentiments before drawing. 

Single Bloom Variation

The first variation had a single large bloom. I started by drawing a full circle and drew a pencil line across the center of the circle. Bisecting the circle allowed me to approach the full bloom like the half blooms in the first card. I find it easier to space the petals this way.

All the other steps are the same.

Four Blooms with Small Scale ‘Nzeppel

The first thing I did with this card was to draw the 4 flower centers and I realized that was a mistake when I started adding the petals. Do you see how the petals disappear under neat the flower centers? That not physically possible.

So, what I’d recommend is to draw one complete flower before moving onto the next flower. Despite the mistake, I wasn’t about to start over, and I still love this card! I “think” people may not notice the mistake unless it’s pointed out.

The blooms are so lovely and full, they only left a small space for ‘nzeppel. Due to the smaller space, I decided to scale down ‘nzeppel by using a smaller less wavy grid.

And that’s a wrap! I hope you feel inspired to give Zentangle® cardmaking a try. I’ll be back soon with more inspiration. In the meantime be sure to check out my YouTube channel for more Zentangle® inspired cards.

Thanks so much for stopping by! As always supplies are linked below.

Supplies