Long Time No See: New Mandala Tutorial

Well, it's been a while since my last post, some of you follow me on Facebook or Instagram where I have been posting these months, but I think is about time for a post on my blog.

I have been busy with my Botanical Art course with the SBA, which is great but takes a lot of time and effort and I've been neglecting a little bit my other art, specially art journaling.

This week  I've been participating in a fabulous online 5 Day Mandala Workshop by Julie Gibbons, which has sparked my inner magic again, I'm very thankful to her for that. From one of her excersises I was inspired to create this mandala.

I never use a template or grid for my mandalas and I don't usually use ruler or a drawing compass, but I did for this one.

First, I drew a grid in graphite so I could easily erase it,  I used it to built my mandala in with graphite as well. For the grid I used a ruler and a compass.

When I was happy with my mandala skeleton I went on top of the lines with Staedtler Triplus Fineliners, using the same colors I was going to use to color in later, I also added some details to the shapes.

Then, I colored my mandala with Dr. PH. Martin's Hydrus Fine Art Watercolor. These watercolors are liquid, lightfast, archival, artist pigment watercolor, I chose them because they are very intense. 

 

When the watercolors had dried completely I added a gold outer border using Gold Winsor and Newton Designers Gouache 

 

Once again I let it dry and I completed my mandala with my usual white ink details, using a dip pen and Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Ink.

I hope you are inspired to create your own mandala!

Remember,
Drawing, painting, embroidering, making individual mandalas is a very personal activity. This excludes the ones used in established rituals or collective mandalas.
Each mandala show who you are at that very moment, they are always unique as you are.
I encourage you to get inspired but make your own, do not just copy, it does not make any sense that way!