We have some exciting things in store for you! First, I want to tell you about the first-ever Cloth Paper Scissors Holiday Sweepstakes! Starting today, you can enter here daily through November 25 for a chance to win fabulous prizes from Tombow, Sakura, Momenta, and more. The Grand Prize is a gift certificate from Cheap Joe’s, featured on the final day. Cool, right?
And it wouldn’t be a CPS newsletter if I didn’t let you in on the latest art techniques from talented artists. Today’s feature is about how to draw mandalas with Deborah Pacé, author of Creating Mandalas: How to Draw & Design Zendala Art.
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| “As you can see, this mandala is a very simple design using mostly lines,” Deborah says. “The name River Flower came about because of the squiggly lines; each one looks like a river going through the flower.” |
How to Draw Mandalas for Beginners by Deborah Pacé
“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 upon with black ink or pen. However, as you become more familiar with creating mandalas, you can start to explore and go beyond the usual. Mandalas are easy to draw. With a little bit of imagination and practice, you can take your mandalas 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.”
So What is a Mandala? A mandala is an artwork of intricately drawn patterns contained within a circular or square shape. The word mandala is a Sanskrit term that means “circle” or “discoid object.” Circles appear in nature (flowers, snakes, sun, moon, etc.) and in man-made architecture, and circles are believed to help individuals focus inward.
The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point. Mandalas can contain both geometric and organic forms. They can also contain recognizable images that carry meaning for the person who is creating them. ~Deborah
Scroll down to see a four-step demonstration on how to draw a mandala in this excerpt from Creating Mandalas (order your copy of the book here, where it’s part of an exclusive kit that includes a compass and protractor).
And remember to enter the Cloth Paper Scissors Holiday Sweepstakes! Make sure to bookmark this page and visit daily so you don’t miss a single opportunity to win! Good luck, friends!
With warm regards,
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How to Draw a Mandala: River Flower Pattern by Deborah Pacé
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| Step 1: Draw the mandala circles and lines. |
1. With a pencil, lightly draw lines diagonally and across as shown. Using a compass, add a 3″ (8cm) diameter circle and a 5″ (13cm) diameter circle.
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| Step 2: Draw the beginning petals of the flower mandala. |
2. 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.
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| Step 3: Continue adding repeating shapes to the mandala. |
3. Draw leaves between the petals with each point touching the outer circle. Using the .5mm Micron 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.
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| Step 4: Connect the leaves and flames of the flower mandala. |
4. Using the .5mm Micron 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.