Calm and Creative Doodling: Zentangling
Zentangling is back! Due to popular demand we have a further 6 sessions please see back in the Creative Zone for details and booking information (19th April to 24th May)
Zentangling was held in April-May-June 2021
This is a creative doodling session especially prepared by Mindfulness Skills4Life for Footsteps Festival 2021.
Ok, let’s get the big question out of the way: “I’m not arty so I can’t do this, I’m not coming!” If you can write your name, this enjoyable, fun BEGINNERS creative session is absolutely for you
In these workshops you will meet your facilitator: Dr. Sandra McCutcheon, and share a little hello to all our new friends in the session. Sandra will offer a short introduction to ‘Zentangling’: which involves using repeating and contrasting patterns, lines, dots and shapes. We will see that the individual patterns, called tangles, can be pieced together to make a wonderful piece of bespoke art!
Zentangling and creative doodling is for everyone! It is relaxing, convenient, good for your well-being and is also an easy to access mindfulness-based activity.
Sessions 1 and 2: Exploring: we will explore ‘creating waves’ with some light and flowing tangle patterns. This free-flow session we will see what it is like to use, simper repeating patterns of straight lines, shapes, squiggles and dots placed carefully and mindfully in simply drawn and placed square-like outline. A lovely session of us exploring creative and calm spaces.
Sessions 3 and 4: Growing: we will explore making a little card with a Zentangle pattern on the front. You can customise your card to say ‘thanks’, ‘hello’, ‘how are you’ – or something else of your choosing. The tangles we will use will be a mix of dark and light patterns, more busy and others spacious. A super fun session were we and our creativity can grow.
Sessions 5 and 6: Connecting: we will take a little dive into ‘Zentangle Borders’ and explore tangling round the edges of a sheet of paper – be it rectangular / square or even a round shape. Borders are brilliant and perhaps you can see your own little project emerging: maybe a border as a photo frame or a border that can be used to frame a lovely hand written letter. A lovely session where will explore connection with moments, memories or those that we care for.
Whilst this is our wish and intentions, we will create the necessary space for each mini project. It may be, therefore, that things change a little and we adapt. None the less we will have a lovely time together, with a cuppa, each other and our pens.
As a group you will:
- Understand what Zentangling is
- Browse a catalogue of demo patterns
- Practice drawing some gorgeous tangles
- Have helpful encouragement along the way
- Be directed towards some online material showcasing other tangles for you to try
As a group you will create pieces of artwork:
- Prepare the outline for your final artwork
- Create the individual spaces within your outline drawing
- Start filling in the space using a range of beautiful tangle patterns
- Be amazed and proud of yourself and your gorgeous creation
Attendees will need to bring with them:
- Plain A4 sized paper or thicker A4 drawing-style paper (whatever is to hand)
- 2 pencils, one sharpened
- A sharpener
– OPTIONAL: a fine nibbed ‘inky’ black pen (not a biro)
– Warm curiosity, and your own cuppa of choice
Help keep Footsteps Festival free
We are raising £10,000 to support Footsteps Festival so it remains free to access for everyone, no amount is too small and very much appreciated…
Follow us on social media
About your host
Your Calm and Creative Doodling session will be hosted by Dr. Sandra McCutcheon, founder and principal facilitator of Mindfulness Skills4Life. Her intention was to share a heart-warming and easy-to-access portal to calm, rest and relaxation with the fringe benefit of creating your own beautiful and bespoke piece of art.
Sandra is an expert teacher of compassion-focused mindfulness and is interested in YOUR well-being, through mindfulness, meditation, and compassion training. Her work in this field is underpinned and enhanced by a scientific career encompassing the field of neuroscience. She is enrolled on The Aberdeen University MSc In Mindfulness, is a visiting Research Fellow at The University of Lincoln and teaches on an ad hoc basis for the Mindfulness Association UK (CIC).
https://www.mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk/zentangling/zentangling-explained
Sandra runs accredited training courses for businesses & organisations, public groups, 1-to-1 and in schools. As well as being a well-being consultant for BBC TV and Radio, she is a partner to the lovely Andy and mum to two magical little humans: Joshua and Katie Rose.