What is all the hullabaloo with erasers? Can we really erase something we have done?
When I look back at why we included this principle in the Zentangle Method eleven years ago, nothing exacting comes to mind. Although, as an artist, I tend not to do rough drafts or purposeful sketches. I do think about my work before I start. I have a sense of what I want (or need) to be in the composition. I like the idea of creating as I go along. This has served me well. It has given me a space that allows growth and unexpected change in my art over time.
Rick and I agree that Zentangle tiles we create with no plan in mind, and which include so-called "mistakes" that happen along the way, shine above all others.
Zentangle provides, aside from other fabulous things (!), an opportunity to take chances, try new approaches and forge ahead, no matter what happens.
I love how this has meandered into my private everyday life, helping me not to schedule too much, or be upset by the inevitable "plan B" that sneaks into our days.
Our motto used to be "Embrace Plan B," but now that has changed to a more accurate description, "Embrace Plan Z!"
Rick adds:
Often I start a tile like I might plant a seed. When I plant a seed (tangle), I know where I put that seed in my garden (tile, border, string). Then I watch it grow and take its own twists and unexpected turns . . . much like I imagine some authors feel as they write their books, not knowing what their characters will do until a decision point arrives.
Maria and I recently enjoyed reading this article from the BBC, "Are erasers in school 'instruments of the devil'?" and we thought you might enjoy it, too.
I can remember times in my life when I wished I had an "eraser." But now I feel so grateful that I did not have one. Otherwise I might not find myself here/now with Maria and our family . . . and our extended Zentangle family.
Please share with us your thoughts about erasers. We will randomly choose a commenter (for whom we have contact info) and send that person these two tiles from us both.
With thanks,
R&M
Click image for larger view.
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47 comments:
I haven't used an eraser in so many years. Don't see much need for one. Even an eraser can't get you perfection (those darn smudges).
I have loved the concept of no erasers, and have embraced it, for the most part. I occasionally work on larger pieces where I will line out a rough string, and occasionally that, or too much errant graphite, detracts from what is truly beautiful. For those times, I may tidy up...but never on a large scale.
It's so freeing to go with the idea of "no wrong" lines and just explore where your pencil takes you.
It's so freeing to go with the idea of "no wrong" lines and just explore where your pencil takes you.
I teach Zentangle every week, I have many returning students and some new. I always talk about that there are no mistakes in Zentangle, and how we don't have erasers in life and we don't have them in our tangle world. One day as I was teaching I said, "opps" I had made a mark that I had not entended to make, "a mistake" one of my students spoke right up and said, "What! Remember there are no mistakes in Zentangle" we all had a good laugh. I was able to work around the "OOPS" and move on just like all the other mistakes I have made in my life. The class was taught a good lesson, and so was I.
Oh, for an eraser in life, but that is not how it goes! The "rule" of no erasers in Zentangle frees people to create, mistakes and all. Through a tile we can try to plan how our tile will look, but if we make a "mistake" we realize that it can be incorporated into our tile to end up with a beautiful creation, one that we couldn't fully predict the outcome, just like life!
I like having no erasers in Zentangles. It has taught me a lot about letting go, being more relaxed, and embracing the serendipity of life!! I have also quit relying on an eraser in my other art work. When I teach classes, I also teach 'no eraser', as there are no mistakes in Zentangles - that any imperfections increase the beauty of the art!
I must admit I have used an eraser during my Zentangle life since February 12th 2012, when I was reborn! However, I have only used it to 'tidy up' any odd graphite smudges from my shading pencil or fingers in the margins, never when I am doing a tangle within the square.
It IS freeing and I agree with the other people who commented; it IS a valuable lesson, not only to get used to not rubbing out part of a pattern, but to get used to the same sort of thing in Life. I am far more relaxed in my life than I ever was and my husband says that I often say, when things don't go as planned,....."ah well, it's not the end of the world, something good will come of it soon".......ye GADS, I am turning into an 'optimist' morphing into a "Pollyanna" !!
I have struggled with the concept of not using an eraser. But I am trying to let my zentangles run free. If I happen to have a line where I think "someone" thinks shouldn't be there, I just try to Let It Go and hope they will see is as part of my art.
It was HARD, but I am sticking to the "no eraser" concept. I have found that my zentangles have been something I am proud of. If I make a "opportunity" (this is what I would have once called a mistake and erased it), I go with it. These have been some of my favorite zentangles.
An eraser in my artwork stunts my creativity! Had I not been introduced to your beautiful Zentangle, I would not realize this, nor would it be my motto in life today. I feel every aspect of my life has been much improved after adopting this idea, for it is a reality I must face. And my artwork should be given the same respect. There are no "do-overs" in reality, why should there be in art? It comes from the soul, and that is never wrong.Thank you Rick and Maria, for helping me change my life for the better!
I can see that the NO eraser concept is winning hands down.
But I would like to offer a counter view…
First, I do not give my Zentangle students erasers and I do encourage them to "make the best" of unexpected lines and to view them as "opportunities" to try not to view them as "mistakes".
But I never say to students there are no erasers in life.
Because frankly I do believe that there are.
It's called "forgiveness".
I suppose it's just a different way of wording it.
And I do think there ARE do-overs. There are successful second marriages, there are important second opinions, there are folks who make it through AA successfully, there are people who step out and succeed in after traumatic illness or injury. You can change your profession, you can change our outlook, and you can forgive yourself and others in big ways. I think "do-overs" can be totally inspirational. It's all semantics, of course. But I never ever say "there are no erasers in life". This sounds sad to me. Instead I say "there are no erasers in your Zentangle kit for a reason" and then we talk about the importance of mistakes being turned into opportunities. But the metaphor for life needs some re-wording and re-thinking.
I have never heard that comment before but it is so true, we cannot erase things we have done in life. I guess we can re-write our history in our minds or when we tell our side of the story but what was done is done. Since learning to tangle I have pretty much ceased to use my eraser but I have not even noticed that until I read this. My work has improved leaps and bounds because of this and my stress level has decreased. Thanks for this post, it has given me much to reflect upon.
Great point, Ginny. My current life is a do-over so you hit the nail on the head. Had I not been blessed with a second chance, my life would be fruitless. I do believe in Rick and Maria's "no erasers" view, though. Art speaks from my soul, and that which is produced from the soul is perfect and needs no correcting...or erasing, for that matter. Thanks for your perspective, Ginny!
The top drawing reminds me of a belt buckle. Love them both but have to say the bottom one is my favorite. Probably as I see it more as free form and flowing where the top one seems very contained. I am such a perfectionist that I use an eraser to make things match instead of going with the flow.
I do teach the students that we don't need erasers. I always tell them if they do something that they perceive as a mistake, it is really an opportunity to be creative. They laugh at that, but they find some relief as well. For them it means whatever we do is OK, there is no quest for perfection and that frees them up a bit. I will sometimes share tiles I have done that have a so-called 'mistake' and ask them to find it, or show them how I have used it to create something different and often more interesting. We often work on that concept in class.
The article was fascinating. I'm still thinking on it but I don't think I agree with going to that extreme. Yes, it's good for children to be able to admit "mistakes" but I'm not certain that telling them to display those mistakes outside of an academic environment is a good thing. If I were to turn in a report for work covered with typographical errors (mistakes) that I hadn't fixed (no digital erasures), I would quickly be reprimanded and/or fired.
I do believe that asking children to show their work is essential to the learning process and allows teachers to see where more work/teaching exposure is needed but I also think the idea that allowing self-discovered mistakes to not be corrected/erased will inspire children to learn to accept their mistakes is, perhaps, flawed and will, instead, teach children that they have to be perfect all the time, the first time - what a burden.
The purpose of academe and the purpose of Zentangle are not the same, however. I do teach that we don't use erasers so that we can accept where we are at any given time and move forward creatively from that. That is the factor that was, quite literally, life changing for me and I see the effects almost every day - I'm far more able to let the past go and to embrace the future since tangling has become a part of my life.
Someone above said they do believe life has erasers - second chances, etc. - I don't think that second changes are truly erasers though. Where we have been, what we have done, what we have experienced, always remains a part of us for good or ill. And, so often, the experiences we wish we could erase - a bad marriage, getting fired - are the ones that enable us to get to a place where we are ready to accept and make the most of every second chance.
Just my 2 cents!
Trying again to post a comment -- don't know why it doesn't always work, and I hope I'm not duplicating.
I do love to tangle in ink, knowing I won't be able to erase. It's like committing to an adventure, for better or worse, without knowing where it will come out. Letting go of that control is good for me, and just going with the flow and taking what comes. I do, however, sometimes use an eraser to remove string/border lines that don't completely disappear, if I feel they distract from or box in, even faintly, my finished drawing. That also feels very freeing to me.
I don't need to erase. If I make a what I think is a mistake, I just change my path.
So happy I chose to check in with your blog today! Wow, some really good comments included.
I will definitely be re-wording the "…as in life there are No Erasers!" First though I want to share on how amazing the practice of Zentangle has and continues to change my daily life. I have had lots of do-overs in life. Second Marriage, second chance in life well lived, by overcoming addiction(s) 21 years ago, and being able to share with others my experience, strength and hope and this most powerful and freeing gift to teach others The Zentangle Method. I have been a decorative artist since 1988, and always followed other peoples patterns and processes to re-create "their" art. With Zentangle I have become free to use the creative spirit from within without worrying about the outcome. In turn, I have been able to create some original and beautiful gifts for my loved ones, from the heart. Zentangle has filled a passion I have had for many years, which is to teach others to tap into their creative being, and "re" create God's gifts. I am pursuing other areas in my life with much more self confidence and my perfectionistic tendencies are not a daily struggle. Acceptance is Key! I am free to the woman I was meant to be, and freely express it, and share it, with seniors, children and everyone in between.
some great thoughts in the blog post as well as the comments. I agree, there are do-overs in life...but that isn't an eraser. It is building on what we've already done, and who we are is made up of all the things we have done, and all that has happened to us.
As for using an eraser in art. I don't in zentangle EXCEPT to erase sections of string that might not have gotten incorporated into the design. I must admit, if I'm not careful with my lines, sometimes the white gel pen comes out to mask any out of place lines. I'll stop that, though. And be more careful with my lines!
Wow! Great comments about erasers and life in general. I love how philosophical people get when talking about Zentangle. I do use an eraser, but not to try to take away mistakes. I use it as simply another tool. When doing shading, I like to use the tip of a kneaded eraser to add highlights. I know it is possible to do so by leaving the white space, but my shading is quick and loose. Having to shade so carefully would be stressful to me, not Zen.
For me, erasers are like most things in life: there is a time and a place for them. To assist with shading, an eraser can really let the light shine. You also don't want it to be the primary tool in the toolbox. Even as a child, I noticed that there was proportionately more pencil than eraser, and tried to use it accordingly. Note that I am not a CZT, so I've not been exposed to the full treatment. Lastly, an eraser can enable one to salvage what is good and then move on. After all aren't we all faced with that task from time to time?
I use my Zentangle tiles for other drawings, as well as for Zentangle, because I love the paper. It is so beautiful. BUT... It does NOT like rubbing out. No matter how soft the eraser, how light my pressure or how light the line, the paper does not react well. It lifts and roughens and generally complains. And makes me VERY careful about how I think and plan and draw.
There is not much I can add to the previous comments. I am new to zentangle, (only four days since I came across it), but I love the concept of no erasers. I am not an artist, and thought I couldn't draw any sort of art, but I still like no erasers for the true zentangle tile work. If I was creating some of the amazing ZIA I have seen then I expect I would want to use an eraser, but for true Zentangle I think it should stay 'no erasers'.
Ginny makes some good points, and I do agree that rather than it being explained as mistakes can't be erased in life, I prefer the explanation that it is more freeing to work around and embrace mistakes,
Agree!
Honestly, when I use an eraser to tidy up graphite smudges, my tiles look wonky. However I do believe in second chances and forgiveness and I will give you a mulligan if you ask. 💗
No mistakes is one of the core principles I've embraced as both a CZT and an artist. I even made chalk art for my studio that incorporates a quote about this.
Thank you for creating it without an eraser. https://instagram.com/p/24tAl0I3Eb/?taken-by=whimsybykelly
As an art teacher who had to watch supplies carefully, I taught my students that there were "no mistakes in art, just opportunities." I do use my eraser, my kneaded eraser, as a tool to help smudge pencil shading. I also use it to pick up excess graphite that gets in the margins, pressing and lifting as one does with Silly Putty. I never use it to rub anything out on my Zentangle work. Too much rubbing with anything on the tiles messes up the surface of the paper, including the tortillons. I pinch a tiny bit of my kneaded eraser and use it to gently smudge the graphite shading.
When I was in highschool, I discovered that the eraser on my pencil, if coated with graphite, made an excellent "smudger" without getting fingerprints on my work. I never even knew about tortillons or stumps til I went to college! I have never been a person that thinks in terms of black & white, but in shades of gray. So I don't vilify erasers. They can be useful tools too.
To say that there is no eraser in life so there should be no eraser in pencil drawing is illogical. Pencil drawing is a small part of life in which there IS an eraser, so let us enjoy that opportunity. Pencils and erasers are both tools to express ourselves and create. If my lightly drawn string is not quite what I envision, I can easily erase part of it to invisibility without damaging the paper surface using my Pentel Clic Eraser. If a bit of my shading is darker than desired, I can lift a bit of surface graphite with my kneadable eraser. I certainly never try to erase a pen line. That's a better comparison to no eraser in life.
The eraser at the end of most pencils will make a mess instead of a correction. Quality drawing pencils don't include erasers because the choice of eraser depends on the artist. Remove eraser crumbs with a feather or soft brush, not fingers.
To me, erasers are the personification of perfection.
So what is perfection? For me, The urbandictionary.com defines perfection best ,as ‘an impossiblity, something unattainable, something that cannot be reached..ever’.
Perfection makes our own self-critic more powerful & increases anxiety. This can lead to depression and if left unchecked, even death. Is this how we want to live our lives?
Zentangle to me is the personification of being human. Zentangle is freedom from having to be perfect. No-one is perfect, we all make mistakes. The Zentangle principles have given me permission to be myself, to explore and make choices. They have created possibilities where possibilities didn’t exist before. The freedom and excitement that comes from tangling has increased my self-esteem and made me more aware of the world and people around me.
My Zentangle journey has helped me come to terms with my history, which can’t be erased. I am now more able to deal with the unexpected and continue my life journey, not knowing where it will take me but opening up possibilities.
There is so much negativity in this world already. Lets lose the erasers (perfection) and let’s turn the tide and be more human. Give ourselves permission to embrace the unexpected, and use it as a means to creativity, finding solutions and making a journey of excitement and discovery.
I had blogged about the exact same thing a couple of days ago!!! :)
I like your take on it... I agree that we are better off without erasers :)
here is my post: http://unrulednote.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-life-without-pencil-erasers.html
I came into the Zentangle world with no art background at all. I’ve loved learning and teaching the Zentangle method since 2010. My students become well acquainted with the “no mistakes” concept of Zentangle and I absolutely agree with it. Where I differ a bit with the eraser concept is when it comes to shading. For those of us with no art background, using a graphite pencil can be a bit daunting, even with examples and instructions. As my students learn to shade, I allow them to erase areas if the shading has become too intense or heavy. My feeling is that the most important part of the journey is creating the tangle(s), however they flow. If they know they can correct shading using an eraser, I’ve found it gives them more freedom and confidence to try their hand at shading.
Nicer way of looking at it. I don't use an eraser in my art, but I am so thankful for the second (and often more) chances life has given me.
Nicer way of looking at it. I don't use an eraser in my art, but I am so thankful for the second (and often more) chances life has given me.
Pens, pencils, tiles, books, erasers....they are all just 'creativity tools', and I like having every possible tool nearby when I am creating. My husband's motto (which I love and embrace) is, "I'd rather be looking AT it, than looking FOR it." So sensible.
But the important thing behind the concept of eraser is the psychological principle that lies behind it. Erasers for most people indicate the idea of 'not good enough'.....Too often on the Facebook groups dedicated to Zentangle, I see the newcomers, who have not had a class with a CZT being horrified by the idea that others will judge them, or that they will do the wrong thing on their tile, or that by sharing their Tangle they will be revealed as 'less than'. Some people even beg to hear and know that it is permissible to use an eraser, so that they can fit in with the artists and artwork they see shared and displayed.
That is why I think it is so important for people to be taught about Zentangle whenever possible by a CZT, so they will understand that is absolutely perfect to be OKAY, to make MISTAKES, to create something UNEXPECTED, to be DIFFERENT from others, and to embrace the creative pathway however it unfolds. The artwork is a blissful by-product; it is the Zentangle journey that is most important.
I love to have an eraser with me, but I love knowing that it is entirely unnecessary when I am in the world of Zentangle. All is well, all is good in this wonderful world no matter how my pen and pencil dance with my paper.
Jeannette Bisbee, mrsbissybee@hotmail.com
Things are always working out for me. That includes tangles, it's always a challenge to create beauty from a possible challenge. Enjoy!!
"No eraser!" is one of the most important principles of Zentangle for me. As there are no mistakes to be erased on my sheet/tile the message is: "All you draw ist beautiful and well!" It gives freedom and withdraws stress.
And that's why I really love Zentangle! :-)
Thanks for your really helpful comments and sorry for my bad English ;o)
In my classes when I introduce students to their tools I always mention the "Magical Pencil" and then ask if anyone knows why it is magical. "Because it has no eraser. You don't need an eraser in Zentangle because there are no mistakes!" I was resistant to not having an eraser and have totally embraced it. Thanks!
I love the opening statement by Maria, "....can we really erase something we have done?" I think it is a loaded sentence. And what followed was more of life's philosophy. What is important is how does one deal with what has been done. A good/great deed brings in a lot of laurels ( and also a fat ego!). And a bad/wrong deed?
One can cover up what is (wrong) done, and some one else can choose to openly express it. The implications are totally different. It does require a lot of courage to choose the second path. Gandhi did it and became a Mahatma (Great soul).
Dilip Patel CZT09
As a beginner sometimes I get frustrated with myself for not drawing the beginning structure right or not being consistent with the size of my lines but I love the idea of focusing on how to incorporate my mistake into my tangle... Much as we have to do with our lives ... We don't really get erasers there either.
#zentangleaddict
When I give out the materials for a Zentangle class I always go through each item in the bag. Then I make a point of mentioning that there is no eraser. Some of my young school age students found this to be a really cool thing. One young girl said that she could hardly wait to get home to tell her brother there are no mistakes in Zentangle and that is why there was no eraser in the muslin bag. They both thought it was a fun idea. I do to. Teaches a person that their mistakes are just that, mistakes. You cannot erase them and make them go away. The best one can do is do your best, learn to live with them and move on. Thanks Rick and Maria for not including an eraser in the kit. It gives CZTs a chance to teach a life lesson along with teaching Zentangle.
There we go again! Erasers or no erasers. To be or not to be???
Apart from it being a personal choice what tools I take (or deny using?) to construct drawings or paintings, I am now confronted with the argument that you cannot erase life, and that is the reason for not using an eraser. I'll except any argument except this one for the simple reason that there are periods in our lives we would prefer to erase, if there were such a thing as an eraser for tripping on banana skins, getting into a bad marriage, choosing the wrong... well anything.
At least in drawing and painting (except possibly watercolour)I do have the possibility of getting rid of stuff I no longer want on the paper or canvas. On canvas, paint can do the job. I don't believe there is a painter who hasn't adjusted lines, design or shading during the painting process. That's part of it.
Apropos watercolour: The same sort of argument goes on there - no black or white, we are told, but you will find that many watercolourists do use these colours. It is often white gouache (chinese white) and a colour nicely called neutral tint, which is nearly black (and becomes black the moment you mix it with other dark pigments). Watercolourists also go to great lengths to mix their red, blues and greens to make a synthetic black, if they need it, as in colour-printing, though extra special black is often given for colour printing on regular printers.
I note that in the zentangle style one has gone over to drawing on coloured paper, and that requires white for the highlights, so one of the other zentangle customs seems to have gone by the board. Colour is also often recommended these days. Recognized zentangle artists have been using it for much longer. I don't remember that being an alternative at the time I started noticing zentangle and getting interested in the idea.
Another argument that is like raising a red flag to a bull is the one about zentangle not being doodling (doodling being considered by many zentangle fanatics to be below their niveau, which is patently absurd since most art starts on the doodling level). If you've looked around YouTube you may have noticed that some people call their work doodling and some zentangle.
Well... I thought zentangle was only done on those little squares. But that can't be true, can it, since received zentanglers sometimes draw on vast formats and shoes. etc.
Whatever decision one makes about tools, it's good to remember that art is of necessity artificial. The act of expressing 3 dimensional ideas on 2 dimensional paper and making it look 3 dimensional thanks to the way we see (and draw) things is a phenomena belonging in the word of illusions (and a big part of what happens in the construction of (genuine) zentangle and many other patterns). Making a life-form out of it is a matter of personal choice. Comparing it with life itself is problematical.
There is no rule about changing a word in a letter or poem. I can see no primeval sin in changing, moving or removing a line on a piece of paper.
Fact is that rules are made to be broken!
Dear Rick, Maria and the wonderful Zentangle family,
I agree with some of the responses that doing away with the erasers completely and permanently may not be appropriate from the academic point of view and might sound scary for some children... but as a learning tool in everyday life, practice, revisions... it is good to phase it out! Children do need to show their workings on how they arrived at a solution for teachers to gauge their understanding of the subject. The debate is between Academics and Hobby......
Something very interesting about life : "Mistakes are proof that you are trying....we should enjoy the journey... "
rings the bell with the Zentangle rule of thunb ... that there are no mistakes ... we are all trying, growing and learning to take these mistakes in our stride as well as creating opportunities from them some times! :)
I realized this when I started off with Zentangle and created patterns, made mistakes .... and sometimes stopped and left a square halfway only to restart and improve it in the next attempt...and at times created a pattern around the mistake - which when looked at as a whole...did not seem to be a mistake at all....
I love line drawings, doodling and Zentangle!
I cannot embed by my journey of "mistakes" which led me to submit the final pieces for the Zentangle Art Wall in Kowloon Shangri-la Hong Kong, organised by SCMP Operation Santa Claus last year, so shall attach in a seperate email for you to share.
Thank for introducing Zentangle to the world.... a source of inspiration and an escape from the daily stresses of life.
Warm regards,
Vinita
When you are raised to try and do everything "right" with straight lines and consistency it colors our whole lives. We fight against the natural order of things which is to live as life comes. A rigid and structured life can be misery. There are a few people I know who stucture and order their lives as much as they can and while they seem happy I just wonder how they can live that way. An eraser might come in handy but it is just as good to let go which is really the design of a Zentangle. Let go and let your mind and hand wander, stop all of the fretting, just draw. While some aspects of life demand order, out minds are not designed that way...at least not mine. How refreshing it would be for students in school to be taught to let go and live life in their own way and if only school could allow them to find what they love and go in that direction with further formal education (or not). I think I got carried away but what an interesting question about an eraser. I have never done a Zentangle but will be doing them now! You have a wonderful web page! Thanks for the food for thought!
Hi Everyone!
I often catch myself as I think, "Oh no! I didn't want that to happen, my pen slipped! This is a REAL mistake!" Then I calm down, look at the pen stroke, and re-evaluate it. In every case, I find a new path, or find myself inspired to try adding a new tangle. I get lost in the art of changing my direction, and totally forget the supposed disappointment. This is what I love about the Zentangle Method, and that is why no eraser is on my table.
Thank you!
Jillian
There was a time when I thought why can't we erase, but I wanted to stay true to Maria and Ricks' concept of Zentangle. I found when I tangled I would let the world go for a while. Oh such bliss!!! Ok, so one day I picked up an eraser and started to used it. I kept thinking why am I not getting the same enjoyment I had before. After some thought and months away from tangle I was in the hospital sitting with my daughter. I dug through my bag for something to do. Well, if you have seen my bag I probably have the kitchen sink somewhere in it. Anyway, I found my Zentangle journal and my pens. Ok, I can do this, so I started tangling again. Time slipped away, worries were placed on hold and I was at peace. I thought about what was different. No Eraser ! I could do my thing and not worry about those pesky thoughts of, this isn't right, need to do a different way on this, or lets just make it disappear. Now my eraser sits in a lonely box waiting for the grandkids to show up.
Jane
7/27/15
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