How To Draw A Mandala Without A Compass

*A guest post by Kathryn Costa.

Mandalas are a design within a circle often using a repeating pattern. In this tutorial, you'll meet just how like shooting fish in a barrel it is to create beautiful mandalas that take a sense of symmetry and balance.

What Yous'll Need:
Paper – Select your paper based on the medium you want to utilise. My favorite is Bristol board as it works with a variety of medium. I've created mandalas on just about everything including plain copy paper, cardboard, watercolor paper, and sail.
Compass
Protractor
Pencil and Eraser
Black Fine Bespeak Pen – Micron, Pitt, Sharpie are all good options.
Stencils (optional)
Colors – For today'southward instance I used Derwent Inktense pencils. Raid your stash and explore the possibilities including colored pencils, markers, and paints.

Step ane: Draw a Circumvolve
Using your compass, draw a circumvolve. I suggest working larger for your starting time mandala. Create a circle about 7-eight inches in bore.

Step ii: Observe Your Center
At the center of your mandala line upward the protractor.

Step three: Determine How Many Sections
In this case, the terminal mandala design is divided into 12 equal sections.
Separate 360° by the number of sections to determine how big to draw each section.
For case: 360°/12=xxx°
Using your protractor and pencil, marker your circle in thirty° increments: xxx°, 60°, xc°, 120°, etc.
Another Example:
For an eight-sectioned mandala, 360°/8=45°: 45°, ninety°, 135°, 180°, 225°
Tip: I like to double the number of sections then I have "mid-indicate" guidelines.
For today'due south example I measured out 24 equal sections. 360°/24=15°

Footstep 4: Draw the Guidelines
Apply a ruler to connect the marks you made in step 3. Be sure to draw your lines lightly as they are guides only and you lot'll want to erase them in a afterwards footstep.

Step 5: Draw Several Circles
Using a compass, draw several more circles. Vary the size of each circle to create an interesting pattern.

Step 6: Brainstorm Your Design
In this example, notice how the flower petal design takes shape connecting the bottom of ane grid indicate to the elevation of the side by side guideline so back down to the next filigree point. Repeat the blueprint around the unabridged circle. I used a black pen at this point. You may want to draw with a pencil and and then trace over with a black pen.

Step 7: Build Your Design Outward
Move to the adjacent row and draw a shape, repeating information technology around the entire circle. Here I have used the aforementioned bloom petal shape. Feel free to mix and match the shapes that you use. Detect how I alternated the placement of the flower petals in this row with the previous row.

Step eight: Vary the Shapes
In this example, I changed the shape for the 3rd row. You may want to draw the geometric shapes using a ruler, but I like the look of a hand-drawn design within a carefully measured grid. The little imperfections add together character and charm. Y'all'll find that your own style volition develop with each mandala that you draw.

Step 9: Attempt Stencils
In this example I added circles using a stencil.

Step x: Follow Your Instincts
I didn't plan out the design for this mandala. I started in the center and worked my way around until I filled the mandala with various shapes. It is fun to piece of work this way as the mandala emerges before your very own eyes. Experiment with different shapes and patterns.

Step xi: Finishing Details
For this example, I returned to the heart and drew a couple more circles and followed the grid lines to create a wheel – like pattern.

Pace 12: Erase the Pencil Marks
Before adding any color, be certain to erase all of the pencil marks.

Pace 13: Bring Your Mandala to Life With Colour
This is my favorite step. I like watching the character of my mandala emerge when I add color.

This mandala was colored using Derwent Inktense pencils. Other favorite mediums include markers, watercolors, acrylics, and colored pencils.

Step 14: Finding Significant in Our Mandalas
As y'all work on your mandalas, notice your thoughts and feelings. Consider the unlike shapes, symbols, and colors. What exercise they remind y'all of?
For this blueprint, I saw a dominicus and information technology wasn't until I was coloring the dominicus's rays that I made the connection that the circles could be the moon in different phases. After I finish a mandala, I relish spending fourth dimension looking at information technology and reflecting on the "message of the mandala."
I like to title my mandalas. The championship doesn't e'er come to me right away. I may prop up the mandala and wait at information technology over the course of a few days earlier the proper name emerges. I'yard still because the championship for this mandala. Any suggestions? I'd love to hear your ideas.

Kathryn Costa hosts the 100 Mandalas Challenge and shares her dear for mandalas at 100mandalas.org.

For more than fun doodles and mandalas, bank check out our Zen Putter series:

Source: https://www.createmixedmedia.com/uncategorized/how-to-draw-a-mandala-using-grids

Posted by: olsongrins1936.blogspot.com

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