Gnome Zentangle

Gnome zentangle is a great way to get kids involved in drawing and expressing their creativity. The funky gnome template is the perfect base for students to fill in with coloring tools, markers, crayons, glitter and pom poms – the options are endless. The downloadable template is also perfect for classroom art projects, especially for younger students.

A tangle is a drawing composed of structured patterns. The zentangle method of drawing is not like doodling or scribbling, it requires high concentration and focus, but there’s no time limit or pressure to create a “good” result. The aim is to draw one pattern at a time. As you draw more and more, your brain creates a new image from the repetition of the patterns – this is what’s called the flow. This is what makes zentangle so relaxing and therapeutic!

The tangles are often quite fine and complex, that’s why a good pencil, maybe a small ruler for straight lines, and thick paper is recommended. Alternatively, you can purchase pre-fabricated tiles (9×9 cm).

It is important to note that a tangle is not a drawing of a real object or person – it’s a completely new drawing technique. For that reason, the tangles are often referred to as “zendoodling”.

You can find a lot of FREE tutorials on this website. Simply click on the TUTORIALS link in the pink alphabetic menu bar below the tangle images at the top of any page. Then select a tangle from the list. Also, check out the TANGLES BY ARTIST OR TYPE pages in the left column of any page for many more tutorials.

You can also take a CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher) course, either in person or via video-conference. The two German Zentangle teachers, Anya Lothrop and Claudia Tolle, both took special training courses led by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. The tangles are taught in accordance with the official teaching materials of the Zentangle® trademark.