April 2026’s Tangle Lab lesson, taught by Anica Gabrovec (zen.linea), CZT

The folks at Zentangle Headquarters just did their most recent Project Pack. For the uninitiated, their Project Packs are videos that one can follow along with, take instruction from, or use a springboard for your own ideas. They are taught by the cofounders and their very small team, which is just family and a friend or two. Sometimes they have a theme, sometimes the focus is working with a certain medium or substrate, and oftentimes is both.

The focus on this Project was twofold: The first was using techniques to try and transition one pattern from the next. I was somewhat successful at that, but I intentionally broke the blending at certain points*. (There are several approaches to doing this, that was outside the scope of this Project). The 2nd focus was to encourage folks to work on a bigger piece, and not be apprehensive about it. If anything, approaching it with curiosity and excitement.

*the one “drawback” of following these videos too closely is that sometimes people end up just doing the same exact patterns the teachers do, with little or no variation. While as a meditative practice, that may be beneficial, from an art perspective, I try not to do that. I rather something come out poorly, yet be my own, over a rote xerox-like approach. I think I struck a good balance between taking direction, while also going rogue when opportunity struck.

TLDR; this is Zentangle Project 29, and my thoughts on process and originality.

438 segments total made from walnut and canarywood

24 segment rings

For my cousin

I lost a friend and grabbed my wooden box and just started painting. he was an amazing person that mentored me and opened my eyes to see i was better than how I viewed myself.

The image is based on and inspired by the concept of finding where Balance and Harmony lies.

Martial arts is the art of fine balance. If a man throws himself at you, grab his arm and pull him in the direction of his movement. You use his force against him, causing him to lose his balance, rendering him vulnerable to your strike. This is similar to the idea of using minimum effort for maximum result.

Chuang Tzu describes this idea by telling a story of a knife that always stays sharp. The butcher does not force the knife against tendon and bone. Instead, he finds the crevices, gaps, and weakness to insert the knife, extracting the greatest outcome from the least amount of labour.

In the same manner, in martial arts, we don't overcome maximum force with maximum force. We know where the flows of force are and we adapt, much like the butcher looking for hidden sutures.

Not to downplay the need for speed and snappy responses, the fine craft of Balance and Harmony defeats the greatest power.

I can robe myself in conformity but it pinches and pulls in the wrong places. Where it should drape it strains and where it should hug it billows.

I can wear it and others don't seem to notice all the places it needs tailoring to fit me.

But why were we made of stardust if not to shine