Flash Project: Mandalas & Complex Geometric Design
Background
What is a mandala?
A mandala is a complex abstract design that is usually circular in form. In fact, "mandala" is a Sanskrit word that means "circle". Mandalas generally have one identifiable center point, from which emanates an array of symbols, shapes and forms.
Mandalas can contain both geometric and organic forms. They can also contain recognizable images that carry meaning for the person who is creating it.
In essence, mandalas represent the connection between our inner worlds and outer reality. Designing your own mandalas can be both inspirational and therapeutic.
Mandalas in History
Artist and math professor Fernanda Bonafini began making mandalas just for the joy of it. “In the process of drawing mandala artwork, you feel much calmer and more peaceful, and your breathing and heartbeat slow down. The sensation in your mind and body, and their connection, is very good,” Bonafini says.
People in different cultures all over the world have created mandalas, suggesting that the form speaks to something deep within every human being. The brilliant psychoanalyst Carl Jung believed that the mandala represents the Self and that drawing a mandala gives a person a sacred space to meet that Self. He considered making mandalas an effective form of art therapy, helping to calm and comfort people struggling with mental health issues.
Mayans, Aztecs, Australian aborigines, and European Catholics all created mandalas in one form or another, but mandalas are most common in Buddhist and Hindu art of the Indian subcontinent.
The digital drawing advantage.
You don’t have to draw in sand or gel pen to create a beautiful mandala. Bonafini loves drawing on her tablet. “I can create, and if I don’t like it, I can erase. I can do the same pattern multiple times. With paper, if I imagine something and then it doesn’t work, I lose the whole thing.” Plus, a tablet allows you to bring all of your art supplies with you wherever you go. You can add to your mandala whenever the mood strikes you.
Save time with symmetry.
Tutorial for Lace Patterns: