Seriously. Wherever you are… just start.

In my case, the start was small. Several years ago, I was told that I would have to be on medication for the rest of my life. And just like that my mind did a flash forward: I was a little, old lady surrounded by grandchildren and my art. And while I cannot control my boy’s reproductive future, I sure as heck could control being an artist! And I hadn’t drawn anything in decades.

Enter the Zentangle — a 3.5″ square of artistic possibility! For me, they were the perfect place to start:

  • They did not take up much room in my tiny house
  • I could take them anywhere (I drew one on a flight from Chicago to San Francisco)
  • I could easily finish a zentangle in one sitting — usually after my kids went to bed
  • Black pens and a pencil simplified any color palette decision-making
  • No pressure on creating something amazing with my limited time, because I would do it again the next day.

I started with the book below — One Zentangle a Day — plus some Sakura Pigma Micron pens (still my pen of choice) and a 75 pack of White Artist’s Tiles. The four pictured above were my favorite designs and the two below were my first attempts.

For me, this was an easy, portable, no-pressure way to start drawing again. Perhaps this can be a great start for you too!