Have you ever made a mandala?

I often make mandalas,

but this one isn't new. Do you have a certain way of doing them? From where do you get the inspiration to do one?
Most times I just sit down and make them. Sometimes I've made some for friends and that is always a challenge, I'll try to make them personal and fit the situation given. The one I show you today were inspired from the morning radio news. They were talking about how to get the youths, that are finished school, an apprenticeship. Too few companies are willing to hire an apprentice, and that's too bad. How on earth can the youths start working if no one are willing to give them a chance?
This was what inspired me, and I called my piece: Learning before flying.

I always start to draw my mandala, I don't use a compass any more, but I like to draw help lines. Top to bottom, side to side and both ways diagonal. That gives me the center and I have eight lines to work from. Any pointed star or flower have their points measured from the center, the rest is free handed. The above photo shows a finished drawing.

Next step is to get some paint down, and while painting I might prepare for later steps by adding some darker spots (shadows). In this particular one I used Neocolors 2 for painting. It is at this point all the fun starts, for me.

The pen work is what gives the final form to all  the elements used. I always try to be as accurate as possible to achieve the best result. Often there will be contradictions, and I'll have to think over again. But that's part of the fun.

Last step is the shading, and the shading is what lifts my subjects from the paper. It always thrills me to see a successful work rising from the paper and people always, without exception, want to touch it to assure themselves that it really is flat.

Thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoyed it and happy PPF everyone!