Easy doodles. Doodling and Zentangle - interesting drawing techniques

Zentangle and doodling will help you draw in ways similar to graphics. Pattern diagrams and master class are attached.

What is doodling?

Doodling is an interesting drawing technique. In this case, simple graphic elements called doodles are used. Using them, a person relaxes, expresses himself and shows his Creative skills. Here are the graphic elements used:

dots;
sticks;
squiggles;
diamonds;
circles.

In common parlance they are called doodles. But these simple graphic elements are combined and complex compositions are obtained. However, you can create lighter ones.

You can create such designs not only on a sheet of paper, but also on pieces of jewelry. See how you can decorate a bracelet using this simple technique.

What is Zentangle?

This technique arose not so long ago. Its founders came up with the idea of creating patterns that would also help meditation.

Zentangle is used to create repeating patterns that turn into an abstract image.

The word itself has two roots, which denote the name of the Buddhist sect and the tangle, weaving. The drawing has limited space and fits in a square. There are certain rules, using which you can create drawings using the Zentangle technique.

You can view the created masterpieces from any angle, since they do not have one direction.

Patterns should be objective and abstract.
Masterpieces are created without using a stencil or ruler.
Each pattern must have at least 6 strokes.
Elements are made in black and white.
When drawing patterns, you usually don't use an eraser.

To draw a zentangle, cut out a square of paper with a side of 9 cm. They are called tiles. Such a small size is needed in order to complete the drawing in one go. Take a comfortable position, relax and begin the creative process.

If you will be drawing on black paper then use white pen or marker. If you use white paper, then use a black pen.

When you first start creating patterns, you can take ready-made ones to adopt them.

Here's how to draw a zentangle step by step:

Place a paper square in front of you, step back slightly from its corners inward and mark four points that will form a frame. It can consist of straight or curved lines. Now select one part of the paper space and start drawing the lines you want. It's better to start from the bottom section. You can use the following tutorial to draw such a pattern.

First draw a curved frame, then, starting from the bottom, you need to draw wavy lines. Each subsequent one is similar to the previous one in a mirror image. Now all sectors need to be filled with semicircular strokes. You will get this voluminous effect.

If you like to knit, then draw a themed pattern that resembles loops.

First you need to draw small circles in a checkerboard pattern, then connect them with parallel, slightly curved lines. If you want to make a different knitting pattern, then draw the circles in even rows and connect them with wavy lines.

For your next masterpiece, you'll need to learn how to draw simple shapes.

First draw two perpendicular lines passing through a sheet of paper. Now draw narrow diagonal petals in each of the 4 sectors. Behind them is a rhombus, fill it with straight lines parallel to the sides of this figure. You can make such strokes behind the diamond, and leave it white.

Now you know what zentangle and doodling are, you can create drawings using these techniques.

Zentangle and doodling for beginners - how to draw a pumpkin?

To depict this vegetable, use zentangle and doodling at once. Here's what you'll need:

ball or gel pen with a thin black rod;
black thin felt-tip pen;
thin synthetic brush;
eraser;
a simple pencil;
watercolor;
sheet of thick paper.

Using this image, draw a pumpkin on construction paper. Now start coloring it with watercolors. You can make some strokes brighter and others lighter to show the effect of volume.

When the paint has dried, now you need to draw a specific pattern in each segment.

Start from the edges, here the patterns can be darker rich color. Closer to the center they are lighter.

Keep up the good work.

Fill the entire space of the pumpkin, as well as its tail and leaves. If you still need to remove some incorrect dashes or lines, then use an eraser. Such interesting job it will work out.

You can use this idea to decorate not only a pumpkin, but also various other vegetables or objects. So that you know how to do this, practice drawing individual elements.

Zentangle and doodling - patterns and diagrams for drawing

To make the final drawing look like 4-petalled flowers arranged in a checkerboard pattern, first draw regular perpendicular lines located slightly diagonally on a sheet of paper.
Now in each square, draw a diagonal petal so that two petals of one flower relate not only to it, but also to other flowers. You can fill the space between the petals with strokes, and color the other with a black pen or felt-tip pen of the same color.
The following diagram will allow you to create a pattern similar to ball threads. Draw a diagonal petal across the entire sheet and another one perpendicular to it. These details will help you create others.
Some of them run parallel to one diagonal element, and the second - to another. Leave a small square free in the center. If you are drawing a ball, then round your outline.

The following abstract drawing is created from symmetrical elements. First, draw lines on a piece of paper that run parallel or perpendicular to each other. At the intersection of each square with another you need to draw a small petal. Complete the pattern with sectors consisting of a quarter oval. Highlight the elements with a black pen or felt-tip pen of the same color.

How to design a personal album using zentangle and doodling techniques?

Zentangle and doodling will also help with this. Open a sheet of your notebook and draw oval elements at the bottom that look like eyes. Connect some with lines.

In the upper right corner you can create a similar pattern, but in a smaller size. The center can be decorated with an abstract flower. To create it, first draw a point, and around it, using a compass or freehand, draw circles.

Now you can draw a flower in the center, filling it with various strokes.

Fill the large circle with dashes, make the flower more picturesque. In the free space you can write clever sayings or something else.

Fill the outer ring of the circle with repeating patterns and see what remains to be done. If everything is satisfactory, then this diary page is ready.

You can move on to another one. First create it in black and white using a dark pen.

Start decorating your diary from the corner. Now smoothly move to the other corner, depicting here other elements of the schematic drawing.

Now fill in the next corner, write clever sayings in the free space, and make spectacular curls in the center.

If you want, decorate your drawing. Make it more vibrant.

On the next unfolded sheet you can depict a lady in ancient attire.

Using doodling and zentangle patterns, fill the surrounding space with them.

Make the drawing more expressive, write down what you want to immortalize on a piece of paper.

If you want to depict a city, you can also use an already familiar technique for it. Buildings can be positioned not strictly horizontally and vertically, but diagonally. First draw their frames, then fill them with themed patterns.

As you can see, the inscription here is also applied diagonally.

All that remains is to make them clearer. After which work on the author's diary is completed.

You can also place the inscription diagonally, but not in the lower corner, but almost in the center. Frame it with all sorts of colors, keeping them in black and white or adding color.

This is how you can create a diary using various methods of self-expression.

Zentangle - master class

See how you can paint feathers in watercolor using the presented technique.

To get such an image, you need to take:

watercolor paper;
brush;
a simple pencil;
gel pen with black ink;
simple pencil.

Do pencil sketches feathers on a sheet of paper.

When painting with watercolors, use thick paper, like whatman paper, so that it does not get wet.

To prevent watercolor paints from merging or mixing, moisten the painted feathers with water. The tops of the feathers do not need to be moistened in order for these parts of the pattern to be clear.

You can use a paint mixing chart to help you decide which shades you want.

In this case, the sketch looks like this.

Now let the paint dry completely and you can move on to the next step. To do this, first use a pencil to delimit the space, then draw the lines with a gel pen. In this case, the feather must contain a rod, right and left horizontal branches.

Fill the sheet with various curls, dashes, and circles.

You can use the following zentangle patterns to create them.

Having painted the first feather, come to the second. You can make the images identical or different.

Decorate the third, after which the process of pleasant meditation and at the same time creativity is completed.

Using the diagrams presented above, you can also create animals.

Take a closer look and you will understand what this cat's face is made of.

Using already known techniques, try making an inscription. You will see how the letters will play in a new way.

Eyeglass case - doodling

Now it’s time to put all the acquired knowledge and training into practice and paint some object. Let it be a glasses case. To decorate it this way take:

glasses case;
sponge;
paper napkins;
glossy acrylic varnish;
white acrylic paint;
black gel pen;
brush;
glass of water.

Paint the case with white paint. To avoid getting the bottom cover dirty, you can temporarily insert a pen into it.

Select suitable drawing. It can be black and white or color, contain an image of some animal, flowers, or have an abstract design. In this case, repeating figures were drawn parallel to each other.

Let the paint dry now. If you want to speed up this process, then you can dry it with a cold stream of a hairdryer, placing it away from the eyeglass case. But be careful that the elements of the design do not spread out. Then blot the surface with a napkin to remove excess paint.

Next you need to coat your creation with varnish. But since the gel pen tends to smear, this must be done very carefully. Use a spray bottle or sponge. It is best to take an empty spray bottle and pour varnish into it. Now you can spray the surface. After the polish has dried, it's time to use this stylish item.

This is how, using the Zentangle and doodling techniques, you can decorate your personal diary, draw various items, vegetables, animals in a new way, do meditation, color the eyeglass case.

The videos below make it easier to understand this type of art. Following the example of the needlewoman from the first master class, together with her you can create simple patterns using the Zentangle technique for beginners.

The second video lesson will teach you how to draw using the doodling technique. These techniques are also suitable for beginners.

How to start drawing, if you don’t even know the rules of such a drawing? It's OK! The beauty of doodling is that there are no rules. Yes, yes: any doodles, by and large, can be called doodling. And perhaps you, without knowing it, have already drawn doodles, you just didn’t know that these involuntary unconscious sketches were called that.

On the one hand, when there are no rules and you don’t need to memorize anything, it’s good, easy and attractive. But there is also back side medals: it’s difficult to start without any framework at all and you can quickly become disappointed if it doesn’t immediately work out the way you would like. Therefore, it is better to master the technique slowly, allowing yourself to try, giving yourself the right to make mistakes. Perhaps some advice from experienced doodlers is worth taking into account.

Of course, there cannot be universal advice here, but there are still several recommendations that initial stages will do this creative process more convenient and enjoyable:

You can draw doodles different instruments — there are no restrictions, but it is better to choose those that are comfortable for you to work with and pleasant to hold in your hands. The emotional mood is important here; it affects the entire process and depends on such seemingly small parts, like the surface of a pencil, the brightness of the color...
Many doodling masters are not professionals at all, they are simply so fascinated by this technique that they consider it a blessing to spend every free minute pursuing their favorite hobby. This is how the skill is gradually honed, the eye, creativity, and sense of composition are trained, and time after time the doodle masterpieces turn out better and better. Therefore, it would be nice to get into the healthy habit of doodling every day for 15-20 minutes: and you will train your hand, and emotional condition will be balanced.
To quiet your inner Critic at the very beginning, allow yourself to just try. Find pleasure in the process, focus on what you like, what you achieved in the drawing.

Tell yourself: "I'm drawing to try something new, I'm just experimenting"

It can be difficult to start drawing on a white sheet of paper, then you can practice using rough drafts to draw details, parts of the drawing, train your hand and eye by copying simple templates that can be easily found on the Internet.
Some people suggest mastering the technique step by step. First you need to get better at drawing different parts of the patterns (many variants of motifs can be found on the Internet). When you learn how to draw individual details of ornaments, you can try to combine them into compositions.
It is useful to allocate a special small notebook for sketching your favorite motifs and patterns, training your hand - it is convenient to carry it with you everywhere and use it on occasion.

The main thing is not to forget that in doodling it is impossible to do something wrong, and what at first glance seems like a mistake can ultimately turn out to be beautiful pattern, which was not yet in any catalogue.

Let's start drawing in doodling style

Just turn on some pleasant music so that your attention dissipates and your consciousness switches. Take a pencil, liner or pen in your hand and start drawing, drawing lines and without thinking about where and how they should be drawn. Don’t get too hung up on it, listen to the music, you can even sing along, let your hand move the pen freely along the sheet. This can create an initial outline for a drawing, and then the empty space inside the outline will be filled with patterns.

You might want to experiment with color - this is not at all forbidden in doodling. Some paint in black and white, blue, green, while others use the entire color palette. It all depends on the imagination and tastes of the artist. So create, invent and try with pleasure!

Download doodling

Doodling (from the English doodle - “doodle”) is a form contemporary art and irrational drawing style.

Unlike school art lessons, there are no rules in doodling. Patterns can be both abstract and plot-based. You can use and combine classic and.

Doodle evangelist Sunni Brown, in her book Creative Doodles, identifies three areas for using doodling.

Personal effectiveness(cognitive direction): memorization and recall of information, as well as its understanding, the birth of insights, increased creativity.
Collective effectiveness(organizational direction): access to the full picture, strengthening teamwork, developing creative, strategic and tactical thinking, active participation in solving problems and creating innovations, effective meetings, visual recording of meetings.
Doodling for fun(personal focus): focus, relaxation, empowerment.

Brown loves doodling and despises any attempt to “create a technique.” However, on the pages of the same book, it tries to classify doodle artists and invites readers to take the “What kind of doodler are you?” test.

Exercise “Find out your doodling DNA”
Turn on the radio or music (but not the TV, because you won’t be able to resist looking at the screen), sit at the table with a pen and notebook, and let your hand write, draw, react to what you hear. Don't focus too much on this, and don't think that the first thing you draw will be your doodling DNA. Sometimes the hand gets rusty, so to speak, and you have to let it develop before it reveals your true inner doodler. After 5-10 minutes - or however long it takes you to truly get into a relaxed state - look at the result of your creativity. you drew vertical lines, cells, painted a face? Does something look familiar to you, perhaps a pattern or object that you have drawn before? Close your eyes and remember how you used to doodle. What do you remember? What do you see?

Here are the five main types of doodlers identified by Sunny Brown.

Brown believes that each of us has our own unique visual-linguistic signature, almost like a signature or fingerprint. And this can be a starting point for activating and developing the natural ability to interpret visual language and use it in different contexts.

Where to start

Doodling is suitable even for those who have never drawn and are convinced that they cannot do it. The main thing is mechanicalness and spontaneity. While the head is busy with something, the hand draws and reveals the secrets of the subconscious. You are free to choose colors, shapes and sizes. However, if you are just starting to practice, consider the following tips.

Get a creative notebook

It is better if it is a small notebook (A6 or A5) with thick paper so that you can always take it with you.

Choose convenient tools

What do you prefer: ballpoint pen, gel pen or pencil? Do you prefer to color with water-based markers or markers? Choose tools that you will be comfortable working with.

Take time to draw

As in any other business, mastery in doodling comes with practice. Let your thoughts fly every day: draw over your morning coffee, on the subway on the way to work, in bed before bed. 15–20 minutes a day is enough. Soon, doodling will become your daily positive habit.

Experiment with color

Colors have a strong effect on a person: some calm, others, on the contrary, irritate; some are inspiring, while others are depressing. For many, doodling is black and white, but try playing with the rainbow. Apply a light background to the paper watercolor paints and draw doodles on top. You can go the other way: first draw a pattern, and then color its individual elements or the whole.

Use templates

A blank sheet of paper can cause confusion. How to draw? Where to begin? Start your own creative path Templates will help you with doodling.

In the book Zen Doodling by Tonya Jenny and Amy Jones. The art of subconscious drawing » collected the world's best examples of the art of doodling with step by step instructions. Try repeating them to find your creative style.

As you can see, there are no strict rules in doodling. A flight of fancy, and that’s all. Whatever the pattern turns out to be, the main thing is that it reflects your soul.

Most people, sitting with a piece of paper and a pen at a boring lecture, meeting, meeting or just thinking, make unconscious movements with a pen, drawing involuntary lines, shapes, creating incomprehensible drawings, thereby improving their mood and distracting themselves from something uninteresting that makes them bored . But not everyone knows that he makes drawings in a certain style. Therefore, it is worth considering such a direction as zentangle and doodling in the art of drawing, which is rightfully considered a relaxation procedure that brings inner satisfaction.

Definition of concepts

It is worth noting that Doodling and Zentangle are two similar directions that promote relaxation for the person doing the drawings, but with some differences:

Doodling - unconscious reproduction of any actions with a pen intricate patterns, curls, pointing the same strokes and other forms. Drawings are most often made on a small piece of paper, in the margins or in the corners of notebooks.

Zentangle - patented modern direction in the art of drawing and conducting art therapy with a person, his psychological relaxation. It is performed on small pieces of paper with a specific sequence of actions and clearer requirements for patterns and drawing schemes.

A newfangled drawing style patented by Americans R. Roberts and M. Thomas in 2006. Roberts and Thomas determined for themselves that zen is the path of development (movement), and reflects the character of R. Roberts, tangle is confused curls, reflecting the character of M. Thomas. In fact, “zen” means balance, meditation, and “Tangle” comes from “rectangle” - a rectangle for drawing.

The main similarity between the two directions is the age category of people who can perform them - from small to large, who can hold a pen, pencil or liner in their hands.

Before you start drawing in the Zentangle or doodling style, you need to purchase drawing supplies. For Zentangle - watercolor paper, use it to make cards measuring 9 cm by 9 cm, for Doodling - a notepad, notebook, etc. You will need a ballpoint pen, a liner, a pencil (plain or colored) - you can choose everything with different thickness of the core and softness.

When making drawings in the Doodling style, you shouldn’t think too much, you need to completely rely on intuition and inner sensations, without rules and restrictions of imagination, color and shape and type of drawing.

Zentangle is done in black and white, with certain clear lines, in the form of abstraction. The sketch should be complete on all sides and look like a single picture.

The main thing in performing any drawing technique is interest, relaxation and inner sensations.

Zentangle – step-by-step lessons for beginners

How to start drawing in Zentangle style:

You should make a frame on the drawing sheet with a pencil, leaving small margins; to do this, put dots in the corners and draw thin lines along the perimeter with a pencil. This method should help a beginner navigate the delimitation of space on the sheet. Gradually, with gaining experience, it is not necessary to create such a frame; as they say, everything will appear by itself “by eye.”
Next, draw out with a pencil the zones that will make up the integrity of the picture. The main thing is that all strokes that will divide the sheet into zones must be carried out without lifting your hand, smoothly.
Fill the selected segments with patterns one by one. Having finished one drawing, you can start filling in a new zone.
When drawing, you should use not only simple lines, but also curls, geometric figures, figures irregular shapes giving them shades with a simple pencil, making some strokes several times.

A few examples of simple patterns for beginners with which you can start your fascinating journey in drawing:

Points and straight lines

Before moving on to drawing in the form of simple lines, you should practice on a separate piece of paper: draw simple and thick lines, give them shadows with a simple and colored pencil or pen:

Draw dotted lines and gradually thicken with each line and give a different shadow.
Draw broken lines and make them voluminous, also highlighting them with shadows and strokes of color.
Try to give the lines cone-shaped thickenings in different directions.
It is important to learn how to give directions to lines; for this you should learn to draw straight lines from one point, like a fan. You should carry out this exercise by creating fans on one sheet of paper different directions, first in a straight line: right-left (west-east), up-down (north-south), then use other directions.

Wavy lines, waves, arcs

You should draw 2 straight lines parallel to each other. Between these lines, first draw straight lines that will be at the same distance from each other. Then gradually reduce the distance between them, then increase the distance between them. Then bend the lines in the form of an English S and do the same exercises with it.

We draw several squares, each of which we divide into 4 equal parts. First, we make straight lines in different directions or from the center of the square. Curved lines and arcs in different directions, making them also sometimes wider, sometimes narrower

Scales, stones, lanterns, rings, three-dimensional figures

Rings are drawn similar to the second lesson, first between two straight lines, narrowing, expanding the ring, following the decrease or increase in the distance between them, changing the thickness of the lines.

Scales - depicted either wide or narrow, shading them with a simple pencil, then pressing harder - creating dark shadows, then weaker - creating a light shadow

Lanterns are drawn using notebook cells. From one end to the other, draw arcs on both sides that will connect and form a kind of flashlight. The parts that are inside should be shaded, this will give volume to the lantern.

Stones are a simple version of an image in the Zentangle style; they are drawn in a round, uneven shape, overlapping each other, shading them. The exercise should begin by filling the square from the corner, drawing stones that will create a blockage effect in the drawing, then try to shade them.

Training should be carried out every day, devoting at least 30 minutes, then the sketches will acquire more beautiful, clear, confident lines and shapes, curls.

Step-by-step doodling for a beginner

To create drawings in the Doodling style there are no rules or restrictions, just use your imagination in interweaving fancy curls and patterns.

To create a picture, you need to decide what to draw on: an album, a notebook, a piece of notebook paper, a wall, glass. Choose pencils, liners, ballpoint pens or markers for drawing;

The following are the simplest step by step drawings in doodling style.

Examples for sketching

For the drawing, you can use any shape in which it is created from lines and curls original decoration. Patterns can be repeated or randomly scattered throughout the design.

We bring to your attention examples for an advanced level (increased difficulty of drawing):

Zentangle patterns and diagrams for beginners

This style is so interesting that many people find unusual uses for it, such as decorating eggs or a tea set, manicure, or T-shirt for Easter.

Zentangle brings a lot of positive results:

relaxes;
inspires;
concentrates attention;
eliminates negative thoughts;
relieves stress;
develops fine motor skills;
increases motor activity of the eyes.

There are a huge number of patterns and patterns, the main thing is to start with the simplest, training your hand and imagination.

Doodling with a pencil, pen, liner - simple drawings

The owl is a wise bird that many try to depict on a sheet of paper in the Doodling style - it looks original and unique:

On a piece of paper, first draw 2 eyes in the form of a circle, in which draw 2 shaded semicircles on one side.
Draw a cone-shaped nose in the middle between the edges of the circles.
Determine the size of the owl, draw the floor of the oval from the bottom to the top of the eyes and draw a line between the line of the unfinished oval, slightly angular, so that the resulting 2 corners resemble the ears of an owl.
Draw 2 arcs on the sides of the oval - these are the wings of an owl.
Next, you should highlight the owl’s eyes, draw arcs above the eyes and below the eyes and nose on one side of the ear and on the other, connect them between the eyes, and the lower ones under the owl’s nose.
The penultimate touch is the paws, depicted in the form of 2 stripes.
Now you can start the Doodling technique, and apply shadows and strokes with a pen, pencil, or liner.

Monsters are often depicted by schoolchildren and students at lectures.

And also other drawings:

The most beautiful drawings in the Doodling style

We have made a selection of the most beautiful drawings in Doodling style:

For beginners to draw in these styles, you need to follow a few tips:

If you first apply drawings with a pencil, you should choose the thinnest pencil, which can then be disguised under the drawing.
You should not use an eraser to erase details or unfinished curls; it can ruin the drawing.
In the first stages of drawing and training your hands, you should follow the rules. Once you have gained the necessary experience and confidence in the movement of a pencil or pen, you can disregard the rules, creating the most incredible and bizarre compositions.
For drawing, it is better to use liners with different thicknesses of the rod, which are sold in any stationery department;
While drawing, you need to relax, take your mind off outside world and immerse yourself, concentrate on your inner world;
It is not necessary to create a huge painting in one go; it can be completed over several days or months.
If you can’t do something, draw something, you need to get distracted, and then it will come. new idea to create a drawing.

Each person, drawing daily, will eventually understand and find for himself exactly those secrets that will help him make the most original and unique paintings in the Doodling and Zentangle style.

Some people have been using Doodling and Zentangle techniques for a long time, maybe even since school, but they do not know that these “doodles” have their own name and execution technology. After reading this article and a little practice, you can sit down and relax even after a working day, creating unimaginable patterns and shapes. It is even possible that the paintings created after a working day will one day become a masterpiece of art and will be highly appreciated by art critics and admirers of such creativity.

Today, drawing techniques such as doodling and zentangle. This interesting ways draw, which help you relax, show creativity, and give an outlet to your internal energy. These techniques are unique in that they have no age limit. Both kids and adults can draw this way. So what are these techniques?

Doodling. Translated from in English doodle is an unconscious drawing. Doodling is a technique for drawing simple figures (dots, circles, scribbles). Everyone can do this! It is very easy. Such small elements then create beautiful, complex paintings. This kind of drawing turns off the brain, relaxes and greatly develops creative abilities.

Pick up a pencil and start drawing different squiggles, figures, strokes, dots. Don't think about what and how to draw. Let your hand move on its own, easily and freely. Our main task is to have fun.

Zentangle. In translation, zen means balance and rectangle means rectangle. This technique is similar to doodling, but unlike the latter, it requires higher concentration and is more conscious. For drawing in this technique, squares measuring 9x9 cm are used. Inside such a square is a drawing. Or this square is divided into segments and each segment is filled with various elements (figures, lines, dots, etc.)

Zentangle will help you collect your thoughts, concentrate, free yourself from accumulated experiences, calm down, and develop creativity.

If these two techniques are combined together, it turns out Zendudling. This mixture is just perfect for children. You can take a coloring book and ask your child to fill in this image with simple small figures. And then color them. Or a little more difficult task: divide the drawing into several parts and ask them to fill each with their own pattern.

Creativity and inspiration to you!