Draw Something Beautiful with Zentangle® — You’ll Feel Better

New and traditional patterns come to life in a step-by-step, meditative drawing process for all

Paula Bramante, PhD
ILLUMINATION

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A 3.5 x 3.5-inch Zentangle tile drawn by the author

First Encounter with Zentangle

In 2012, I was a burned-out university ESL instructor seeking any creative outlet that might restore my faith in discovery and spontaneity. At first, the search seemed futile. Lagging energy suggested that I needed a reduced daily schedule, not another project on my plate, even a creative one.

Still, I kept trying. While poking around on the Internet one day, I navigated idly from one site to the next, following breadcrumbs that piqued my interest with no particular destination in mind.

Somehow, I happened upon Chris Dunmire’s award-winning site, Creativity Portal. (It’s gratifying to see that in 2021, the site is still going strong.) When I landed on the home page, I was overwhelmed by the number and variety of links leading to all sorts of highly creative-sounding destinations. Then I noticed a link for doodling, of all things.

I was intrigued. As a teen, I had been one of those under-the-radar ADD girls, apparently quiet, cooperative, and conformist, but in reality, disengaged from a formal education system that seemed for all…

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Paula Bramante, PhD
ILLUMINATION

Paula is a writer and researcher specializing in mindful living, art, psychology, and other topics.