How I Create Tangles

See How to Draw a Tangle for a short version of how to draw a tangle by various methods. This post is specific to how I tend to create tangles (see also Tangle Art Supplies for more details about the materials I use and why). Warning: mild humor.

My actual process for creating a tangle goes something like this:

• Get a white art tile (4" by 4" or 6" by 6")


• Draw or trace some kind of border in pencil (I often roughly draw a square or use a stencil to trace a circle).


• Use a pencil to divide the area inside the border into sections by some method.


• Look through various tangle pattern sources for an interesting pattern that I want to try (I often start with a geometric pattern that is tricky for me) and fill in one or more sections with that pattern using a black pen (usually 0.5 mm size). If the pattern is difficult for me I will lightly trace at least the basic outline of the pattern in pencil first.


• Possibly fill in one or more sections with a light marker color or color gradient that I want to use as the background or base color for a tangle pattern (because "waterproof" black pens cannot be entirely trusted not to bleed).


• Fill in the other sections with different patterns -- probably easier ones. If I get somewhat stuck on what pattern to use I try rotating the tangle to see if any new ideas occur to me. If I am still stuck I look at additional tangle pattern sources (see "Finding and Organizing Tangle Patterns" blog post). I sleep on it if necessary. I try to have some balance of darker and lighter sections and some variety of patterns (perhaps one based on a square grid, one with lots of curves, one based on circles, etc.). I may decide to change where the section boundaries are if convenient, and possibly have some part of the tangle extend beyond the original border.


• Add colors to some sections (I try to find combinations of about 3 colors that work well together) directly with markers or by blending colors on a plastic sheet and using a colorless blender pen to transfer the color to the tangle (see "Coloring Tangles" blog post).


• Frantically try to edit parts of the tangle that are annoying me (the results of which may inspire swearing and occasionally cause me to ditch the tangle). Many sections may contain a lot more black after these edits. Sometimes additional marks may be added to make previous "mistakes" look intentional.


• Possibly attempt to add a little bit of white as an accent on top of another color using a white pen and discover once again that I have instead created grey mush. Get really frustrated, wait until the ink is ACTUALLY dry, and then try again. Adding white on top makes the tangle look somewhat "flat" and odd in that spot, so I try to avoid it as much as possible. Adding black on top of the white looks even worse, so be careful with adding white.


• Sign the art somewhere, and write my name and the date on the back. If I colored the tangle, I may also indicate what colors I used on the back for future reference.

I predict that my methods will evolve somewhat over time -- at the very least now that I've written this blog post I am more likely to wait until my art dries before trying to use a white gel pen on it. :-)