Summer Zentangle: June Art Guide
Celebrating Summer Through Meditative Pattern-Making
Welcome to June's creative journey, where we'll celebrate the vibrant energy of summer through the meditative art of zentangle patterns. This month takes a focused approach—diving deep into the zen-like practice of repetitive mark-making using only pens and small touches of repurposed magazine text.
While I'll be traveling this month (which means fewer weekly video tutorials), I wanted to create a guide that celebrates the portable, peaceful nature of zentangle art. These projects require minimal supplies and can be created anywhere—perfect for summer adventures, vacation downtime, or simply finding moments of calm during busy summer days.
Summer is a season of abundance—longer days, vibrant energy, and the perfect rhythm for meditative drawing. Each week, we'll explore different aspects of summer through zentangle: the radiating energy of sunshine, the flowing patterns that remind us of warm breezes, the refreshing movement of water, and the lush growth of summer foliage.
The beauty of zentangle lies in its simplicity and accessibility. With just a pen and paper, you can create intricate, beautiful artwork while finding a peaceful meditative state. Adding small touches of magazine text creates interesting contrast and continues our commitment to repurposing materials.
Materials
Essential Supplies:
Gel pens in various colors (or black if you prefer monochrome)
Acrylic markers/pens (use whatever you have in your collection)
Fine liner pens for detailed work
Mixed media paper or sketchbook
Magazines with dense text pages
Scissors
Glue stick
Paper punches (optional - all shapes can be achieved with scissors alone)
Optional Supplies:
White gel pen for highlights
Metallic pens for summer sparkle
Colored pencils for subtle backgrounds
Ruler for initial guidelines (optional)
Amazon Storefront Note: I've created a dedicated board on my Amazon Storefront with all the materials I'll be using this month, making it easy to find the exact supplies if you'd like to follow along with the same tools.
Summer Palette
Since we're working primarily with pens, focus on colors that evoke summer energy:
Sunshine Yellow (#FFD700) - The warmth and energy of summer sun
Ocean Blue (#006994) - Cool waters and summer skies
Coral Pink (#FF7F50) - Sunset hues and summer flowers
Vibrant Green (#32CD32) - Lush summer growth and foliage
Turquoise (#40E0D0) - Swimming pools and tropical waters
Orange (#FFA500) - Summer fruits and golden hour light
Black (#000000) - For contrast and definition
White (#FFFFFF) - For highlights and breathing space
Choose the colors that speak to your summer mood, or stick with classic black and white for a timeless approach.
Zentangle Basics for Summer
Creating Flow
Summer zentangles should feel alive with movement—think of warm breezes, flowing water, and growing plants. Let your patterns have organic movement even within structured repetition.
Building Layers
Start with larger pattern areas and gradually add smaller details. This creates visual depth and keeps your eye engaged, just like the complex beauty of a summer landscape.
Using Magazine Text
Small strips or shapes of text can serve as:
Dividing elements between pattern sections
Background texture
Contrast areas that make your patterns pop
Unexpected elements that add visual interest
Finding Your Rhythm
The meditative quality of zentangle comes from repetition. Let each mark flow naturally from the last, finding the rhythm that feels right for your hand and your mood.
Week 1: "Hello, Sunshine!"
Radiating energy and warmth through zentangle
Inspiration: Create a composition that radiates outward from a central sun, with flowing patterns that suggest warmth, energy, and the life-giving power of summer light.
Approach:
Begin with a central circle (your sun) in bright orange or yellow
Create radiating lines extending outward in all directions
Fill sections between rays with different zentangle patterns
Add magazine text strips as accent elements
Include dots, circles, and flowing organic shapes
Use warm colors to enhance the sunny feeling
Let some patterns be tight and structured, others loose and flowing
Zentangle Patterns to Explore:
Radiating lines and sunbursts
Circular motifs and spirals
Dotted patterns suggesting light particles
Flowing, ribbon-like shapes
Organic leaf and petal forms
Week 2: "Summer Flow"
Organic patterns that dance like warm summer breezes
Inspiration: Create a composition filled with flowing, organic zentangle patterns that remind you of summer movement—gentle breezes, flowing fabric, dancing leaves.
Approach:
Start with flowing, curved division lines across your page
Fill each section with different but harmonious patterns
Let patterns flow into each other at boundaries
Include small pieces of magazine text as textural elements
Focus on curved lines, spirals, and organic shapes
Use a mix of detailed and simpler patterns for visual balance
Consider working in monochrome for maximum pattern focus
Zentangle Patterns to Explore:
Spirals and swirls
Wave-like patterns
Interlocking curved shapes
Dotted and circle patterns
Flowing linear elements
Week 3: "Pool Patterns"
Cool, refreshing zentangles inspired by summer waters
Inspiration: Channel the refreshing feeling of summer swimming pools, flowing water, and cool relief from heat through your zentangle patterns.
Approach:
Create wave-like divisions across your composition
Use cool colors (blues, turquoise, aqua) as your primary palette
Include patterns that suggest water movement and ripples
Add magazine text in strategic places to suggest depth
Layer patterns to create visual depth like looking through water
Include circular patterns suggesting bubbles or water drops
Balance busy pattern areas with simpler, calmer sections
Zentangle Patterns to Explore:
Wave and ripple patterns
Circular bubble motifs
Flowing water-like lines
Scale-like patterns
Geometric pool tile patterns
Week 4: "Leaves of Summer"
Celebrating the lush growth of summer through leaf-inspired zentangles
Inspiration: Create a composition filled with overlapping leaf shapes, each containing different zentangle patterns that celebrate the abundance and variety of summer foliage.
Approach:
Draw multiple overlapping leaf shapes across your page
Fill each leaf with a different zentangle pattern
Use various shades of green plus accent colors
Include small strips of magazine text between leaves
Let some leaves be highly detailed, others simpler
Create depth through overlapping and varied pattern density
Consider adding small details like leaf veins or stems
Zentangle Patterns to Explore:
Linear patterns following leaf vein structures
Dotted and stippled textures
Cross-hatching and parallel lines
Geometric patterns within organic shapes
Small repetitive motifs
Portable Summer Art
One of the beautiful aspects of zentangle is its portability. These projects can be created:
On vacation while traveling
Poolside during summer relaxation
In a park under a shady tree
During quiet summer evenings
Anywhere you find a few peaceful moments
The minimal supply list means you can always have creative opportunities at hand during your summer adventures.
Final Thoughts
This month's focus on zentangle offers a different pace from our previous mixed-media explorations. Sometimes slowing down to focus on one technique deeply can be just as rewarding as trying many approaches. The meditative quality of repetitive mark-making provides a perfect counterbalance to summer's high energy and busy schedules.
As you work through these summer zentangle projects, notice how the rhythm of pattern-making can become a form of moving meditation. Each line, dot, and curve becomes a moment of presence and intention.
Since I'll be traveling and may not have regular video content this month, I encourage you to share your progress and discoveries with our community. Your interpretations and creative additions make our artistic journey richer for everyone.
A Travel Note: While my weekly video schedule may be lighter this month due to travel, I'll be sharing glimpses of creating art on the road and how zentangle practices can enhance any adventure. Sometimes the best creative discoveries happen when we step outside our usual routines!
I'd love to see your summer zentangle creations! Share them using #JuneZentangles and tag me in your posts.
Happy summer creating!
Next month: July "Summer Memories" - since I'll be returning home on July 11th, the first half of July will continue with portable zentangle and pen-based projects, transitioning to mixed media explorations once I'm back in my studio.
