I'm hooked on mandalas again.

 

I had a wonderful day  yesterday.

I spent most of the day making a new mandala and I enjoyed it so much. This time I remembered to take photos as I went along, because I so much like to see how it changes from start to finish. 

First I used the compass to make the circle(s), I need them, otherwise it would never become a circle. Then I start to draw the design using a pencil. Normally I have no plans on how the end result is going to be even though I have some really good ones inside me. It's just that I don't know exactly how to draw them. Perhaps that should be my next project, to figure out how to make them.

 

Well, after I'm finished drawing with my pencil, I draw over with a micron pen and use the eraser to remove the pencil lines. Then it's time to paint.

 

 

Here I have used water soluble crayons only. At this stage, while painting, I make most of the decisions on how it will become at the end. Preparing for shadowing and all the lines. When the painting is done my mandala looks quite good, and it could be considered  finished, but it's not. The most fun part still remains, all the penwork. And the transformation is amazing, often it's hard to believe it's the same piece.

 



 

 

Most times when I'm done, I discover things I should/could have done in a different way, but that might be a common "problem". I'm pleased on how this one turned out, and especially pleased that I could leave the triangles without any lines. Stop in time, so to speak.

 

When it comes to which colors to use, I have no conscious plans. I most often start in the center and work my way out, choosing colors as I work. If I'm in doubt, I jump to the next row and then go back. All the shadowing is done using a light grey marker pen.

 

 

That was how I spent my Sunday, did you make some art too?