Is There A Difference?

I was asked what's the difference between a Zentangle and a Zenspiration.

The black and white image is a Zentangle. The art form was developed by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts. The process involves being mindful to reach a meditative state as you draw "one stroke at a time". The tangles (the terms for the patterns) are made on a 3.5 inch square of paper referred to as a tile. The tile begins with a light pencil line called a string randomly drawn on the tile. The string is the framework where you draw the patterns in or outside of the string as the mood strikes. The patterns are drawn with a .01 Micron Pigma pen. You don't pencil your pattern first then go over it with the pen. There is no erasing. The pencil is also used to lightly shade the patterns to create depth. While color can be added, the pure form is black and white. There is also a 12 step philosophy to get into the zone. The process is easy to learn, portable, and addictive. For more information visit Zentangle.com

The second creation comes from the imagination of Joanne Fink and is one of her Zenspirations called Dangles. Dangles remind me of whimsical windchimes or beaded, hippie curtains. There are no special papers or pens to use. The dangles hang from rods (like a curtain) and are filled with doodles which are then colored in using pens, colored pencils or whatever media your heart desires.

Joanne's patterns aren't limited to the dangles. She creates double stroked figures such as birds, bird cages, flowers, and doodles in the spaces created by the double lines. She also created a double stroked alphabet to add words and inspirational messages. The method is easy to learn, less rules to follow, and also addictive. To learn more visit Zenspirations.