ART | Zentches
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Zentches : my made up name for zentangle + sketches
Last year I discovered Zentangle, a technique very close to my nature of graphic artist. Using micro-pens you fill areas with little patterns that try to best illustrate the feelings of your shapes to generate an harmonious composition.
As you can imagine there are hundreds of patterns, perhaps even thousands. Artists share their creations, collect patterns for their libraries, teach classes, or publish books to spread the knowledge.
With the abundance of examples around me, I decided to start my own collection. Twenty books later, dozens of sketchbooks filled with my learning steps, I realized that I needed to convert all of that paper into something easier to manage.
I tried few things and I finally found what works for me. Pinterest.com allows me to create any number of boards (up to 500), so I can have one board for each category of patterns. Because Pinterest is made for pinning content online, my search for new patterns is figuratively never-ending.
The key is to define the categories that best work for you; after few trials I came up with these six categories which seems to be doing well so far–still going through the cleanup process.
Here is a description of each category with the link to its board.
GRID
Same motif repeats itself on a squared grid. The cross-axis-repetition generates a secondary shape. The illusion of two shapes is generated by the grid modularity. This type of effect makes the pattern a not-standalone.
NET
The container becomes the shape. The motif usually starts from the outside edges, randomly filling the space. There is no modular repetition.
LINEAR
Same motif repeats itself on a directional path. The linear repetition may generate a secondary shape visible from a single row. This pattern is not meant to be a standalone. If you slice one row, the pattern is still intact, no shape is broken.
FLOATER
Suspended elements. Geometric or irregular shape. Can stand alone or repeat.
ORGANIC
Irregular shape, grows on itself. Mixes well with others. Assumes various shapes. Generally attached to space.
Natural composition. Defines the space. Shapes morphs.
CORNER / BORDER
Corner: Starts from the corner or border of an area.
Border: Repetition of a pattern outside of any grid, follows a natural flow.
