Yoga for Your Brain: A Zentangle Workout

by Sandy Steen Bartholomew

This much anticipated sequel to Totally Tangled is just as tangled! Inside Yoga for Your Brain , the pages are jam-packed with Zentangle(R) ideas, tips, projects and more than 60 new tangle patterns! Zentangle is the perfect exercise to keep that big muscle inside your skull flexible! Are you addicted to Zentangle? Do you need to calm your mind... and rev-up your creativity? Well, grab your pen and put on your stretchy pants, because your workout is starting... NOW! Zentangle can help you stay calm and relaxed, but it also teaches you to notice your surroundings, to really pay attention, to use your hand-eye coordination (also good for balance!) and Zentangle can change your thoughts. Anyone can create a beautiful Zentangle. Once you realize that you are creative, your thoughts begin to change in other areas of your life too. Your brain will start telling you a new, more positive "You can do it!"

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Drawing, Crafts, Zen, Reference, Creative

52 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[reading is my hustle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to give this a try after reading an article about the benefits of doodling. The article asserted that doodling aids memory. Um, sign me up. I often lament that it is a mystery how I make it through the day. My memory is that bad.

But I digress.

This is a surprising little gem of a book. Great format, easy exercises that increase in difficulty, and lots of additional info to boot: shading, transferring designs, using different types of materials for your zentangles.

Recommended.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yoga for Your Brain: A Zentangle Workout by Sandy Steen Bartholomew is a collection of exercises that you can use if you are familiar with the Zentangle techniques. Now if you are anything like me you might be asking at this point… “What is a Zentangle?” Here is a brief description of Zentangles…
Zentangle is an art form that is based on repetitive patterns, think really artistic doodling. You an encouraged to use it as a form mediation and for journaling. They are fun, easy and when you are done you have these awesome little creations that make you look really talented. They are designed so anyone (even children) can do them, anywhere. If you want to find out more or get your own Zentangle Kit I suggest you check out their website (http://zentangle.com/index.php).

The book Yoga for Your Brain which is the subject of this book review is a collection of exercises that, once you know the basic techniques you can work on. The book starts off with an overview of the basics then moves into the exercises. The first exercise is a conversation on how to shade. In great detail Bartholomew tells the reader how to hold the pencil or pen and when and where to add shadows. The exercises get more involved and detailed as you make your way through this small book.

My favorite part of this book are the little sections where Bartholomew shows you pictures of things in the world and shows you how to create a Zentangle based on those patterns. There are all sorts of things from grapes to columns that you can recreate into a Zentangle. Not all the book is about doing things with you pens and pencils though. There is a little section on “transfers” in which you print photos out or other materials and place them onto your Zentangle journal. In short this book is all about being creative with patterns and when I played around with them I found myself completely involved in the drawings, it was very enjoyable.

This is a book you will want to have as a paper book or on your computer or iPad because you will want to be able to see the images in the book clearly. I recommend this book and the Zentangle technique to anyone. It is fun, and the end products are really neat.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first saw the book and the pictures, I immediately thought of quilting. I am a quilter and many of these patterns (bales & botto) match patterns in quilt tops or blocks (Pumpkin seeds & Drunkards path) and in the quilting that joins the sandwich of the quilt. Bellaposa is very much like a quilting feather pattern. The main difference between Zentangles and quilting would be the small detail lines that only a prize winning (read insane) quilter will sew into a quilt due to the time it would take. The author does mention quilting as a source of inspiration for her "Ballenchain" taken from the "Wedding Ring" block/pattern.

The author makes an assumption that if you're reading this book, you already know the basic Zentangles, which I didn't. She does cover some of the basics but also uses terminology for beginning designs that I haven't seen to know what she was talking about. There are oodles of references to the doodles (Zentangles) in previous publications. I do like many of her names for her Zentangles - Ballenchain (Ball and chain based on the wedding ring - bad marriage experience?) and Pingline (penguins in a line).

The reading is easy and light. The author's style is fun and whimsy. She covers more in this book that I first realize. Beyond drawing fun patterns, she discusses ...

- shading
- finding and copying new designs
- ways to track your designs - journaling
- ways to develop new ideas for patterns
- how to use drawing to clear your thoughts and track your to do's
- how to transfer your Zentagles onto other surfaces with useful tips
- printing your design multiple times
- using alternate materials - drawing on rocks instead of paper

Extra items in the book that I appreciated is an index to find an example of that design and even more, explicitly mentioning what product or tool she used to achieve the shown Zentangle with URLs to the products. Very helpful if I wanted to achieve the same look.

I'd recommend the book to long-arm quilters and doodlers who want to up their game.

[Georgina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess that the word "Yoga" in the title of this book kinda put me off. I like my art instruction to be art instruction (and my stretching to be stretching) without the fancy-schmancy spiritual stamp. There is no denying however, that doing art is very satisfying as Sandy Steen Bartholomew's contented-looking self-portrait on the cover clearly illustrates. I get that blissed-out expression when I doodle, too. :-)

I'm glad that I put my biases aside and opened the book. Like Totally Tangled, her earlier work, Yoga for Your Brain: A Zentangle Workout is super stuffed with cool Tangles and (bonus!) some modest illustration lessons. Bartholomew also shows how to spot Tangles in your surroundings and adapt them for your Zentangles. Now that's a workout I really appreciate! Highly recommended.

[Sue Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book for Zentangle inspiration

[Valerie Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first doodle book and I bought the card deck that goes along with this book.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for those looking to expand their set of Tangles, with lots of hints on designing your own from many sources of inspiration!

[Nadina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good and I liked all the new tangle patterns introduced as well as the tips on how to create variations of tangles, combine tangles, and where to find new tangles.

[Bobbi J Aker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new tangles!!

[Kyle Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

More for the experienced zentangle artist, which I am not. I wish that was indicated before picking it up. However, her ideas and designs are great inspiration.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book that contains some tangles that I love. Especially Lilah Bean (even though I haven't formally used it yet, I still draw them as stand alones). If you are stuck for ideas, this is a good place to go. I will admit to not having formally worked through any of the exercises, but I was also the person who made up my own Zentangle while going through the introductory DVD from the official starter kit.

[Sandy Weir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book at the first Zentangle class I took. The teacher recommended it and she was right on track. Lots of good ideas and tangles to practice in this book. Oh! Actually I bought it because I wanted to do some zentangles on smooth stones (directions in this book). Useful for beginners and a bit of inspiration for all.

[Marjorie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

You will find everything you need to get started with Zentangle or "tangling". This is a method of drawing similiar to doodling but being mindful of what you are doing. I use zentangle to increase my concentration as well as keep my stress down. All you need is a fine tip pen and paper. Anyone can Zentangle.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawing Zentangles has enriched my life! Totally Tangled is a good book to start out with, but I like the suggestions in this volume to continue a zentangle exploration. I've tried a few of them out. The only improvement I would suggest for this book would be to make it longer! :-)

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

New patterns (with step by step instructions) and shading techniques. Also, zentangles on rocks, on transfers, and for printmaking. Inspiration from nature.

Would be nice if it had a one page summary of all the patterns like Zentangle 4 does.

[Joyce]

This book is a marvelous book with so many very creative ideas. It is exactly as its title suggests. There are so many suggestions to creatively use zentangle patterns to challenge oneself. I suggest it often to the people in my Zentangle classes in the Milwaukee area.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the idea of Zentangle...it's a matter of making the time for it. Some of the ideas about rocks etc...that's awesome. May need to ask family members up 'nort to look for flat smooth stones to 'tangle'

I have a new journal...now to use it :D

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exceedingly short :(

[Lynne N · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous follow-on to "Totally Tangled". This contains even more tangles to learn and beautiful examples to look at. Loved it!

[Joanna Slan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indispensable for the person who wants to learn to tangle. An outstanding guide that I take with me when I travel. Her example of shading along is worth the price of the book.

[Sussu Leclerc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear explanations and beautiful designs.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, but very short book. Has some nice tangles and is useful for beginners.

[Debra Lowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book for beginning tanglers.

[Jan]

Do you enjoy coloring, quilting, or sketching? This is the book for you. Do you find yourself frustrated by these arts? Well, that was me, yet I'm trying to integrate this approach to wellness in my overall wellness. Because this is such a hands-on text, I have no rating for this book which I've read and reread many times over; the reading of it is not so difficult, but the practice of it has been my challenge.

So often I've taken the mind/body coordination for granted, and it is a wake-up call for me to slow down and focus on curves, patterns, colors, and disciplined creativity. I sometimes was humbled by what challenged me on particular mornings (my quiet time of morning pages and exercises like these), and other times I've been affirmed in recognizing new patterns of my own emerge. I'm making a vow to draw as much as I read - or at least I'm pairing an ongoing practice of this book as I read studies and explanations of brain-based research.

This is fun, and the discovery of what you can create is rewarding. I recommend it for daily practice. Enjoy!