Review-The Great Zentangle® Book #Zentangle #BookReview #LearnToTangle

The Great Zentangle Book by Beate Winkler, CZT® is now available in English!  Previously, it was only available in German (Das Grosse Zentangle®-Buch).  There are 101 patterns with original artwork from 47 CZTs and other artists.

I did review the German version, so this review will be very similar, but more accurate because I had to guess what was being said in the first version.  I'm sadly lacking in the ability to speak more than one language.  


Look & Feel

Specs
144 pages
8 x 0.5 x 10 inches
Glued Binding
Soft bound Cover
101 tangle step-outs

The paper is high quality and thick, so the book is fairly heavy.  This is a mixed blessing.  The book should withstand lots of use but the weight might make it uncomfortable to carry.  

Although the binding is glued, you can fold the book backwards and if you do this (gently) the pages will lie almost flat, even in the middle.  

There are many illustrations throughout, not just for the tangle step-outs.  While the examples are done by various people, the step-outs are done by the same person, so there is a cohesive look.  The illustrations are beautiful and well-done.

The tangles are broken out into three kinds - beginner, exciting, and master class.

Many of the tangles included can be found in other books and on the internet.  I'm not sure if any of them were created just for this book.  However, even if you are familiar with most of the tangles this is a very nice and comprehensive collection of tangle patterns, presented in a clear and accessible fashion. 

Content
The format of the book is straight-forward and traditional with introductions to the Zentangle Method at the beginning, the tangle patterns presented one-by-one, and ending with a glossary of terms, answers to common questions, link resources, gallery, acknowledgments, about the author and a list of all the tangles contained in the book.

The List of Contents:
  • Foreword
  • Welcome!
  • What is Zentangle?
  • What Materials Do I Need?
  • How Do I Start?
  • Curtains Up! 
  • Great Tangles for Getting Started
  • Exciting Tangles from A to Z
  • Tangles for the Master Class
  • Good to Know
    • Questions and Answers
    • Good Reasons to Zentangle
    • Technical Terms
    • Opportunities for Continuing Tanglers
    • Links
    • Who Are the Friends
    • Gallery
    • Acknowledgements
    • About the Author
    • All Tangles from A to Z

Tangle Patterns included

Ahh  
Florz
Paradox
Angle Fish
Flux
Poke Leaf
Appearance
Fracas
Potterbee
Aquafleur
Gallileo
Printemps
Aura-Leah
Goldilocks
Puffle
B-horn
Golven
Purk
Birds on a Wire
Gryst
Purrlyz
Blooming Butter
Henna Drum
Qoo
Brayd
Herzlbee
Quare
Bubble Bobble Bloop
Hollibaugh
Quib
Bumpety Bump
Huggins-W2
Quipple
Bumpkenz
Impossible Triangle
Rubenesque
Bunzo
Ing
Sanibelle
Cadent
Keleido
Sharalarelli
Casella
Keeko
Shattuck
Cat-kin
Kettelbee
Strircles
Ceebee
Knightsbridge
Sundoo
Chainlea
Ko’oke’o
Sweda
Checkers
Kuke
Trio
Chemystery
Laced
Tri-Po
Coil
Leaflet
Tripoli
Connessess
Logjam
Tropicana
Cool ‘Sista
Luv-A
Tulipe
Crescent Moon
Mak-rah-mee
Twenty-One
Cruffle
MI2  1 & 2
Verdigogh 
Crusade
Mooka
Wheelz
Crux
Moving Day
Widgets
Cubine
M’Spire
Wiking
Dessus-Dessous
Msst
Winkbee
Ditto
Munchin
Zander
Dragonair
Nipa
Zenplosion Folds
Dutch Hourglass
Nzeppel
Zinger
Ennies
Nzeppel Random

Fescu
Octonet

Fiore
Onamato

  Fjura

Examples
Tangles used: Rubenesque, Sweda, Octonet, Printemps, Gryst, Twenty-One, Kaleido and Fiore.


Tangles Used: Quib, Casella, Birds On a Wire, and Dutch Hourglass.


Overall
This is a great book for newbies to Zentangle.  It has all the information needed to get started and  with 101 patterns, they have inspiration to last a long time.  

For more advanced tanglers, it is still a good buy because of the number of patterns collected together.  The book itself is sturdy and well-made.  It is a bit heavy for carry, but will stand up to a lot of abuse.  A good overall reference book that will last for years.

I know I'll be referring to it often!

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