Zentangle Initial(s)

In this precursor to the 4th Grade full-name zentangle, 3rd Grade students practice making "bubble" letters by drawing their initial or initials and then filling in with permanent black marker. We then divide the background into sections using a ruler, and using an ultra-fine black permanent marker, we create "tangles" in each section. Tangles are from the Zentangle process of making designs or patterns as a form of mindfulness practice. As we concentrate and focus solely on our (permanent) mark-making, we can appreciate the permanence and the nature of zen - as "mistakes" do happen and they are also meant to be. The mindful focus facilitates our ability to challenge our skills and become more successful at creating or reproducing designs and figuring out patterns in existing designs. We finish the piece with another moment of zen when we create marker-mono-prints. Using colorful markers and a spray bottle, we color a sheet of plastic to our own artistic preference, then spray with water, and flip our zentangle on top. We leave the colorful "painting" up to chance, and are rarely disappointed in the results.