Excerpt from the class: Express Yourself Creative well being

This is an excerpt from the new online class created by Art therapist Sophie Babeanu and me, more exactly the first unit of the class. There are 12 modules with units that are pictures, text and videos based.

Read more about this online art class here

Welcome to your first session!

Amazing and complex designs can sometime start with a few simple steps. That is why we love mandalas because they allow you to have a very relaxing and rewarding experience. Did you know that in Sanskrit, the word Mandala means Sacred Circle.

You can think about mandalas as a representation of growth and new self understanding.  So let’s get started on Mandalas!

Everybody can do it and we are going to guide through the basics of mandala drawing.

To draw mandalas, you will need:

• Your Canson mixed media sketchbook or any thick paper
• Sakura pigma micron 05 in black or other fine liner
• Optional:
• Colored pencils
• Markers
• Watercolor

You can also try the Sakura Gelly white pen on black paper.

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

Sakura Pigma Micron Pen Pigma Micron pens are acid-free and archival, making them ideal for any application requiring precision and permanance. Pigma ink is derived from a single pigment to ensure color consistency, and is fadeproof against sunlight or UV light. – Set of 6, Black

Whether on white or black paper, drawing mandalas usually involves colors and the drawing of spontaneous designs within a circle.

To help you create mandalas, we encourage you to find a quiet space, put a nice relaxing music on and let yourself enjoy the process of mandala drawing. Please don’t try it while cooking and helping your kids with homework!

You can also keep a mandala journal going on and see the different patterns that emerge all along the class series and beyond. A mandala is a representation of your present state of mind, two spontaneous mandalas will never be the same.

Instructions

It is easier to start drawing a small circle on the middle of the page without tracing a circle, your mandala doesn’t have to be perfectly circular. When you find the middle start filling up the area with patterns in a symmetrical fashion, or not 😉 If you feel like drawing outside of the lines it is ok too.

Here is a short video that shows the creation of a mandala from start to finish, some parts are fast forwarded so you don’t have to wait too long:)

Here are a few examples.

Gelly pen white on black paper:

Sakura white gelly pen is working great on black paper.

Start with a simple design horizontally centered on your paper, and maybe on the 1/3-2/3 vertical line.

Here I started with a circle and 6 lines.

Then I drew a circle in between each of the lines.

I kept on adding simple designs like circle, triangles, lines, squares, hearts…

If your design start to become asymmetric you can always draw a circle line and fill it with many circular shapes.

The finished mandala. You could also color it with colored pencils. It works well on black paper.

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

Strathmore Artagain Pads Strathmore Artagain Pads have black fiber-enhanced paper, made with recycled materials. They are ideally suited for soft pastels and charcoal. Use gel roller pens for dramatic effects. Artagain paper is acid-free, medium weight, and lightly textured. – Black Pads.

Here is another example where I am starting with 6 triangles.

I keep on adding simple designs in circular shapes.

The finished mandala.