Saturday 5 May 2007

Mandalas Revisited

I did some mandalas the other day on the computer for the first chapter of The Artist's Muse but I got to thinking last night that perhaps I need to sit down with pencil and paper and draw some mandalas. I knew this would take me out of my comfort zone but to get the most out of The Artist's Muse perhaps I needed to do that. So after I got everything done in the house that I needed to do this morning, with no more excuses!, I went out to the studio, opened the doors, cleared my desk and took out a pad and pencils ..... oh! and a compass and ruler!!! I like things to be precise, not that I am saying I am perfect, I'm not, but I do like things to be just right hence the compass and ruler - well I would be drawing circles wouldn't I?

I didn't put on any music, which is most unlike me as I always have music on I hate silence and usually have something playing in the background. Anyway this was my first attempt at a hand drawn mandela. A bit like a colour wheel don't you think?
I thought I would try another one and set to with the compass and ruler but I then thought I should perhaps just draw freely, I can't draw but I thought I would try. I have always been a risk taker and this was a big risk for me - even bigger risk showing them on my blog. I coloured it in with aquarelle crayons using a triadic colour scheme.
Here it is once I had used a wet paint brush on it. The colours are a bit richer with the water added. I think I may try a few more of these and maybe, just maybe it will free me up a little, if you know what I mean. When I was drawing the little triangles - no measuring just freehand - the first row one matched perfectly, the second row didn't and as I was about to erase a few lines I decided to leave it as it was - however I couldn't help making the other two sides the same as the first two - so the opposite sides match!!

I joined Sue's group yesterday so I need to catch up a little.

4 comments:

Dianne said...

Big risk has turned out just great, I think you doing it free hand was great and look how good it came out. I can relate wanting everything straight, I'm the same way... I must try this myself no rulers maybe a compass:):)

Barbara said...

beautiful mandalas !!I think its very difficult to draw circles round!

Sandy said...

Your Mandalas are great, especially the free one. Welcome to that group. Sandy in La Center

Tonniece said...

Well Carol, I think I'd like to draw a circle that straight free hand. Looks super.