I've flipped through each one of these books except maybe 11 and 12 and each and every one of these has a specific purpose, so definitely look into the one that interests your favorite medium of art! This first workbook is really good for beginners just getting into the pattern style, and it lays a really good foundation for each future book. I wouldn't say it's a prerequisite but it's definitely a very nice practice book to get step by step practice for starters and anyone just looking for a bit of a mix-up from your usual routines!

This Zentangle book is definitely far more ideas for mixed media, collages, and of course as titles Scrapbooks and Journals, and while they aren't exactly for me personally I really appreciate the introduction of designed banners and using zentangles as  backgrounds, which seems obvious in hindsight but it can be nice to be reminded of cool ideas!

This Zentangle book on using them to make rubber stamps hit a deep sense of nostalgia for me because I remember making stamps when I was a young kid with my parents friends as art projects. Stamps are a really unique way to work with zentangles, especially when they incorporate circles because it leaves such a dynamic space between the ink and the blank page. The same can definitely be said for every line though!

The second Zentangle book to really focus on mixed media, Zentangle 40 More Designs incorporates suggestions for water color and flower petal art designs, and even art ON them! This is definitely a book for someone who loves collages and young minds who are getting into naturist scrapbooking and mindful practices. 

This Zentangle book is one of my favorites because it shows just how many things that zentangles can be applied to. The sampled jewelry pieces showcased in this workbook are absolutely beautiful. I personally think that the earrings and necklaces make for particularly stunning sets of art, which make this a great gift for the creative in your life!

This Zentangle book brings a whole new perspective on zentangles with creating cards, but I think there can also be so much more to work with for this one! I really enjoy customized drink coasters, I'm a sucker for etched glass and themed sets, so the ability to create a design that's perfectly sized for a coaster, with card stencils that fit perfectly on a storage box for one! This is a really great workbook, especially for anyone who loves to work with stationary and create personalized cards for their loved ones!

This is one of the pinnacle designs of zentangles in the core community, seeing mandalas (or rather, zendalas!) is one of the most common styles to come across when looking online for inspirations -- but that does not mean the art is common by any means!So many of these vibrant pieces showcase the time, dedication, and mindfulness it can take to create a fullsized page. For that reason, I don't think it's especially great for young children, although I would certainly suggest it as a good activity to learn about long-term art projects, and how setting up a workspace, taking a break and breaking down the space, and coming back to it later as a lesson on real life impressing its shapes on our art. 

I love this workbook when I'm with my friends kids on babysitting night because a lot of them are right around the age where spelling is just beginning to be a bigger part of their artistic spectrum, so this is definitely a great workbook for younger kids. But don't be discouraged, because the Monograms are SUPER different compared to the previous workbooks, even with something seemingly as simple as letters just two concepts can really bring out a lot of creativity that we didn't even think about!

The third mixed media Zentangle Workbook! But the first one in the installment by name, Zentangle 9 Color with Mixed Media is the first introduction to creating Zentangles with color specifically in mind! What's really great about this zentangle workbook is that it is the perfect blend of adding onto existing knowledge, giving us more zentangle patterns, as well as adding that splash of color that brings a new dynamic to our page!

The Zentangle 10 Origami Paper & Crafts is another really unique workbook that once again brings a whole new dynamic to this medium of art and expands it even further than even realized! This is also a nostalgic workbook for me because even though all of the designs inside are fairly original pieces, I have fond memories of making origami animals in school, and I can only imagine how cute the foxes and frogs would have been with these adorable zentangle patterns!

The final foray into the mixed media realm for zentangles, the 11th installment Lettering, Quotes, & Inspirational Sayings is a truly lovely way to incorporate zentangles into logos, additional ideas for cards, as well as incorporating smaller elements to create a  larger centerpiece that stands out from anything else you've made so far!

Last but certainly not least of this Zentangle instructional series is a sendoff with the complete collection of black and white techniques used to create dynamic art and reach new depths in ways we've yet to see. From utilizing inky blacks on a page (a great tip if you find a section that isn't quite right, since a zentangle is a form of art that is almost never truly "complete!" There could always be something to come back to and doodle further! 

Of course, I couldn't leave you without some of the tools that I've used for years to create so many of my pieces! Very early on I mention a Japanese Brush Pen, none other than this exact one! I love this pen because it has a huge inkwell that allows you to press and deliver as much ink to the page as you like. I've had it for well over a decade now and it still is holding up phenomenally, I only infrequently trim the brush if it gets to be too unwieldy. Even if you're not using it for calligraphy, I highly recommend this brush pen because it is the most dynamic individual pen, being able to make huge, gashing brush strokes, as well as the tiniest, infinitely tiniest little details. 

Now for as nice as the Japanese Brush Pen is, it is also really nice to have a single consistent fine line not dependent on your pressure and to avoid the happy little accidents which can happen from any slip-ups on the delicate brush. I personally get some hand cramping after a really long drawing session, so having the finer control of the micron pens is really important for relieving for especially small, more tense sections. 

First and foremost - these are 0.4 micro line pens so coloring in a full page of paper is going to be quite a time consuming effort, so I personally like to use these for thematic pages and specifically color zentangles where I know I'll be using more than just black ink and white negative space.

Full Color Set of Japanese Brush Pens!

This is the definitive set that will last you years unless you were to fill a page with one of these pens daily. Personally, I have 3 sets (~15 brush pens) which cover all the most basic colors, each one extremely vibrant and unique. This full set comes in a much easier carrying case, the plastic sheathes from the Spring, Autumn, and Winter sets can be a bit cumbersome by the third year! So if you have any long term interest in colors, I definitely recommend this set for a dedicated art space, but if you're on the minimalist end then definitely check out the single set of 5 pens below!

Autumn Japanese Watercolor Pen Brushes!

I have had the Spring and Autumn set of these for at least 5 years now and they are all still holding up very well with no signs of slowing down! I really like these brushes, the only core difference between the other brush pen I linked is these ones cannot be squeezed to get more ink on the page, however that does not prevent from being vibrant colors! The one thing to note is wet inks will be picked up on the brush tip, yellow has been most affected but I personally do not believe I've seen any actual color deviation in practice! As long as you are mindful these are wonderful color brush pens for zentangles!