Mandala has always been synonymous to patterns and grids only, but in the present era different artists have taken this art form to a higher level using reference images. The image is used to convey an internal meaning while the patterns still stand out. As a beginner it is challenging enough to make a neat and clean mandala leave alone using an image in the artwork but trust me it is easier than you think.
Let me take you through all the steps you will need to make an impressive mandala using a reference image.
Step 1: Finding the topic of the artwork:
Going blank while thinking about what to draw next is a very common scenario. Everyone goes through this phase but we are lucky enough to live in this generation where google and Pinterest make searching through different ideas very simple. But google can only give us the search bar and not tell us what to search, so just follow these simple steps to find out what you will draw next.
a) The most organic form of searching for an idea is go outside (or surf through the internet) and observe different objects and images. If you are a good sketch artist just make a rough sketch and fair it out once back. If you are a beginner just note out what you see and then search for the better version from the ways I will tell you further in the article.
b) Go on Instagram and search #mandalachallenge or in case you know the name of the challenge then go ahead and search that for eg. one of the most famous challenges in mandalas are #7mandalaschallenge and #mandalatober. Just scroll through these hashtags and you will get plenty of ideas to incorporate in your next artwork.
c) Scroll through the feed of a well versed mandala artist and pick different themes. It is important to note here that here I am asking you to pick only the topic or the theme of the mandala eg. Disney or peacock or birds in general and not asking you to copy their creations in any way. Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited.
Step 2: How to search the reference image on internet:
Now we are ready with an idea. What next? How are we going to search the image to be drawn. For eg. we have decided on the topic peacock. These are the correct ways to search it:
a) With google:
Go on the google search bar. Enter peacock drawing or peacock sketch etc. Then select tools and from their select Label for reuse.
Never use any image with any type of copyright. Be cautious be safe.
b) Search peacock sketch in websites like
pixabay:
https://pixabay.com/
freepik:
https://www.freepik.com/
unsplash:
https://unsplash.com/
canva:
https://www.canva.com/
These websites have royalty free images and have no copyright issues.
c) Websites like freepik and freesvg has free to use silhouettes that are easy to sketch and again royalty free
Step 3: Draw the reference image and grid:
Now that you have the image with you the last step remains is to draw it. Many artists will suggest you to trace the image till you are able to draw it in a perfect way, but I would never suggest that. Once you start trying to draw the images you will ace your game with every image. Each sketch will be better than the next one. Draw the sketch very lightly so that it can be easily erased as many times as you want. There are many YouTube videos where they teach you “how to draw animals” or “how to draw human figures”. Use these free resources to improve your sketching part.
Step 4: Making a grid with the reference image in the artwork:
There are two ways you can use the reference image in mandala:
The reference image is separate and the mandala grid is separate:
Example:
In these type of mandalas it is very easy to make grid as it has to be made in the same way as we have learnt.
The patterns are done inside the reference image.
In these type of artworks the mandalas are mostly free hand and no grids are required.
The reference image is inline with the mandala patterns:
Making grids in these type of mandala artworks may look like a daunting task but it is not as difficult as it looks. Just follow these simple steps:
Step1: Make a general grid in any shape eg. circle using very light pencil marks.
Step 2: Now draw the reference image over the grid as follows with a darker pencil.
Step 3: Now outline the image so that it does not get lost inside the grid.
Step 4: Your outline is now ready to be inked with a small nib pen eg. 0.05 or 0.1.
Step 5: Now the last part. Erase the pencil marks inside the reference image to give it a clean look.
Your sketch with the grid is now ready to be filled with mandala.
Once you practice different layouts and mandalas you will get pro and would not need so many steps but as a beginner this is the easiest process.
Using an image with mandala gives you an edge as an artist. It is more expressive and a better way to deliver your message to the audience. Please give the ideas a try in your artworks and use the hashtag #mandalawithayu on Instagram or just email me at ayushiatwork@gmail.com. For any further queries feel free to comment or DM me on my Instagram page ayu_artwork or join my fb group funwithmandalas to not miss any updates.