DRAWING CREATIVE MANDALA ART

Designing mandala art is not only about drawing and coloring tasks but more about opening up to your inner creative flow. You do not have to be an artist. There is no need to know how to draw and color the stuff. All you need to make a beautiful mandala art are some simple stationary tools and a little bit of creativeness.

While drawing creative mandala art, one need not be stressed or under any kind of pressure, doing mandala is just like having fun.

A Beautiful mandala is formed when we just go with the flow of our thoughts and peace and so let the mandala patterns design take place on our workspace.

What is mandala art?

Mandala word derives its name from the ancient Sanskrit language of Hinduism and Buddhism, and it's means “CIRCLE” or “DISCOID OBJECT”. Circles appear everywhere in manmade architecture, in nature like flowers, fruits, sun, moon, etc. It is believed that the circle helps us to focus inward. Traditionally, a mandala is a complex geometric design and organic form that is represented usually in circular form. The story-circle process returns us again and again to the creative, expressive soul inside we so often forget about. Through a stunning blend of geometry, art-making, and visual storytelling, the circles lead us back to the center .i.e to our very own selves. A square with four gates having a circle with a center point is the most basic form of most mandala art. Each gate is in the general shape of a “T”. Traditional mandala design patterns may also contain a “yantra,” which is a geometric diagram or object. The Sri Yantra is a geometric symbol that is recognizable and thought to be the mother of all yantras. It is also a visible representation of the vibrational sound of “OM.”

 

They can also contain recognizable images that carry meaning for the person who is creating them. Mandala art usually contains 5 or 10 sections, which are symmetrical in design. A  Circular mandala represents the universe, and it is used as a spiritual guidance tool that helps in the induction of meditation and trance. It reflects eternity and the center of all creation.

HOW ARE MANDALAS USED?

Mandalas have traditionally been used by Buddhists, Hindus, Tibetans, and Native Americans in prayer, for meditation, and also as a healing therapy. For example, Tibetan monks use mandala art as a form of meditation— the observer focuses and meditates on the special symbolic meaning within the mandala, considering the entire world through it. Tibetan monks also create intricate colored sand mandalas, in which the focus is on the act of carefully creating the mandala; once completed, a ceremony is performed in which the sand is poured away.

 Mandalas represent the connection between our inner worlds and outer reality.  Mandala artwork is a healer or inner peace to your body when you make mandala design patterns. Drawing creative mandala artworks is an effective therapy when people are stressed or struggling with their health or peace or mental health issues. More importantly, they will guide you to find the beauty and sacred within yourself. In the Buddhist tradition, the amazing task of creating a mandala art represents the transformation of our inner self from a reality of suffering to one of enlightenment. The center of a  beautiful mandala art represents the beginning of a journey toward knowledge and wisdom, and that is why it is often used to help focus the mind during meditation. We can see many mandala forms in nature: shells, flowers, the core of fruits and vegetables, snowflakes, spiderwebs, and so on.  Drawing creative mandala artwork is one of the best ways to reconnect to your inner self.

CREATING YOUR OWN MANDALA ARTWORK

Creating your very own beautiful mandala art is all about connecting with a deeper disturbed part of yourself and dealing with fuller self-expression. It is concerning our experiences and journey in our life, not just the outcome we have got so far. It is just about reconnecting to our voice, exploring our own distinctive kinds of creative expression, and relaxing our spirit.

The most amazing thing about mandalas is that you are free to choose any shapes, patterns, design, or colour of your making-colored mandala. Creative  Mandala drawing work as a healing tool as your choice of pattern, color, and geometric design symbolizes the current state of mind you are dealing with.

Materials needed:--

In addition to a peaceful mindset, all we tend to even have to be compelled to create a story.  the circle is something to make a mark with and something to make a mark on. You don't need many materials to learn how to draw your very own mandala. All you need is just a few general materials like:-

acrylic matte medium

compass

markers

paintbrushes: 1" (25mm) hake, foam brush, round watercolor

brushes ranging in size from 06–10

pens, pencils, paint pens

scissors

straightedge

 paper,

  an eraser.

substrates: watercolor paper, wood panel, canvas water-based paints  (acrylics, inks, watercolors) water-soluble crayons

 

 Markers are a very popular choice for bringing color to a colorful mandala art. Many get confused after surfing the internet, don’t think you really need lots of materials or a particular type of kinds of stuff, never make the material a barrier to your art, and always bear in mind, that there is no wrong way in drawing creative mandala art!

You can use fancy paper, the kids’ construction paper, backs of old documents, or plain copy paper. A regular using pencil or a ballpoint pen makes a gorgeous pattern or design. Markers and watercolor paints, crayons from my kiddos’ coloring box, or highlighters from the junk drawer area unit are great sources for color.

If you make a buying deal via the links below, I receive a little commission, that helps support this site. 

pencil color:  https://amzn.to/3xrLGrB

  

 

mandala pen: https://amzn.to/3jzY5kO

 

 SYMBOLS

Symbols play a crucial part in any visual expression and are essential to the mandala art-making method. Symbols all boil all the way down to marks that tell a story about what’s going on with the art designer. Symbols are limitless as your creativeness. Symbols can be personal, universal, or cultural. working with symbols generally feels as if your faucet into a collective

unconscious and inadvertently access the language of the universe.

Mandala simply means “center and surroundings”. That is what we see in a mandala – a circle that contains a square…The practice of a mandala is simply to place ourselves in the middle of it and learn to relate with the social structure and atmosphere around us as a sacred environment.”

                                                                                                Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

You will learn the fundamental steps to create a mandala art and how to make your mandala pattern uniquely you telling your own story. When you start designing your very own mandalas, you slowly start building confidence and your own beautiful and unique artistic voice. I hope you fall in love with mandalas as I have, but most of all, I just want you to have fun and enjoy the process of making these personal little works of art.

 

To start your own mandala, you need some geometric or organic design or patterns. if you are having some creative ideas or designs or patterns in your mind, then simply begin your work. For more ideas or inspiration I’m sharing some pattern designs. you can download them and use them in your mandala art. one can just begin with a rough idea, choose any shape of paper i.e circular, square, or rectangular.

 Mandala is about making symmetrical along the circular path. we need to make grids to have proper pattern design. Mandalas are created from the center out, whether it is with a dot or circle. The substrate you draw your mandala on is usually white paper, drawn with black ink or pen. However, that being said, as you become more familiar with creating mandalas, you can start to explore and go beyond the usual. With a little bit of imagination and practice, you can take your mandala art to any level that is comfortable for you. They can be as simple as a couple of lines, circles, and patterns, or complex, with fine lines, a series of concentric circles, and detailed patterns. Your mandalas are an expression of you, so remember, whatever you choose to do, enjoy the process.

You can visit my youtube channel to watch how to make a mandala in adobe photoshop

                              

HOW TO CREATE A MANDALA

Here are some fundamental guidelines and suggestions to help you begin creating your first mandala art. This is the simplest way I know to start a mandala. The basic lines give you a starting point, but please feel free to start your mandala any way you are comfortable.

 Choose the type of paper you want to work on and the size. I usually work with a square of about 5 ⁄ " × 5 ⁄ " (15cm × 15cm), but you can work on any size that is comfortable for you as you have to design mandala art on that piece of paper. if you are a beginner, then I will suggest you go with a small piece of paper.

 

Draw linear guides and establish your center. I start a mandala by drawing straight lines on the paper diagonally from the corners and then across (vertically and horizontally), lightly in pencil. This gives you a center point. With a pen, place either a dot or a small circle in the center. This is the beginning point for your mandala artwork.

 

Draw a circle. From the center point, using a compass, draw a circle (I do not usually measure; I just put something down to get me started). If you already have an idea for your center design, you can make your circle larger or smaller to accommodate your design.

 Start drawing lines, patterns, and more concentric circles until you have a design you like. Always concentrate on the center of your mandala. This gives you an anchor point to focus on as your mind wanders. That being said, I do not always start in the center. Sometimes I work from the outside in because I can visualize the outside of the design before anything comes to mind for the center. Does that make a difference? For me, it does not.

Other Ways to Make a Mandala

There are many ways to make your mandala, and no one way is better than another. It is up to you to decide which way works best for you, depending on what (and how) you want to create. I told you how I like to start, but here are a few other options that I sometimes use and that are very helpful when creating mandalas. In all of these, the lines are drawn lightly in pencil. You can then erase the lines or go over them with a pen depending on whether you want them to show in your final work.

 

CONCENTRIC CIRCLES

Instead of drawing guidelines diagonally and across, find your center point and then, with a compass, draw a series of concentric circles. You can draw in as many or as few circles as you want to work with, and they can be as close or far apart as you like. This is great if you want to draw patterns with no particular design in mind.

 

GRIDS

Grids are great if you want your design to be more geometric. The grid also helps in placement and ensures your patterns and designs are evenly spaced.

 

LINES

A series of lines drawn from the center outward is a great way to begin. You can create many fun patterns that will be evenly spaced, such as flower petals, stars, intersecting boxes, and so on. You might end up with a design that looks like a mariner’s compass. If you drew an eye in the center, then the lines would be removed.

The flower was one of the simplest mandala art, everyone loved to create while trying mandala art for the very first time. As you can see, it is a very simple design using mostly lines.

SUPPLIES

 White paper, 5 ⁄ " (15cm) square

Compass No. 2

pencil

pens (black): .25mm (01) and .5mm (08)

Ruler

1. Draw a circle with your compass and pencil. Then line up a protractor to mark the number of points you would like to create around the circle. For an sixteen -point mandala, the points will be separated by 22.5degrees around the protractor (360/16=22.5). Use a ruler to join the points, creating eight equal sections. Then use the compass to draw a series of concentric circles, varying the gap size , having  a 3"(8cm) diameter circle and a 5" (13cm) diameter circle. I added two circles.

 

 

2  Now you’re ready to start drawing your mandala. Starting with the center, using the black .25mm pen, draw flower petals from the center point to the first drawn circle.

Use every other line for the center of each flower petal, and bring each tip to a point. Draw a line down the center of the petal and on either side of the center line.

 

 

 

3.  Draw leaves between the petals with each point touching the outer circle. Using the .5mm pen, draw a dark wavy line from the top of each leaf down the center. Repeat to make a second wavy line. Draw a flame shape (with 3 curved lines inside each) on every petal tip

 

 

4 Using the .5mm pen, connect the leaves and flames with a dark, slightly curved line.

Then switch to a .25mm Micron pen and outline the entire mandala with a second line. Erase all pencil lines.