Tangled Trading Cards

I’ve been having a lot of fun creating Zentangles since I first blogged about them last month. I have a handful of patterns that I come back to again and again in my Zentangles, and beyond that I tend to consult my Totally Tangled book for new ideas and patterns to try.

The “Zen” in Zentangle reflects the fact that the repetitive patterns keep me focused, yet also relaxed, to the point of being a kind “artistic meditation” (a phrase used on the official Zentangle web site). Zentangles look so complex, and yet are probably simpler to create than many art forms because they build on simple pen strokes, applied over and over again. All those simple pen strokes can build up to something pretty interesting to look at.

Recently, I paired my interest in tangling with my love of Artist Trading Cards (ATCs), 2-1/2x3-1/2 inch works of art created to be traded among those who make them. An ATC can be photographed, painted, collaged, stitched, drawn—anything!—so I realized they could be “tangled” too.

I love working on this size. Even though the “official” Zentangle site recommended tangling in 3x3 squares, I was just drawing drawing squares freehand, and making them much larger. Creating a tangled ATC is quick, and feeds my “need to produce results”!

Here are my Tangled Trading Cards:

I have a feeling there will be a lot more where they came from!