It is fun to concentrate on one art form for a certain length of time to see how it sparks your creativity and brings differences to each one. This is a 30 Day Creative Journey centering on Mandalas, The Circle of Life. Using the Mandala framework, create your own interpretations and experience your inner art flowing outward.

1. Mandalas – The Circle of Life
A 30 Day Creative Journey
ART – DAY BY DAY
BY ROSEMARY SCHRAM

2. “A MANDALA IS A CIRCULAR DESIGN THAT GROWS OUT OF THE URGE TO
KNOW ONESELF AND ONE’S PLACE IN THE COSMOS.”
COLORING MANDALAS 2 BY SUSANNE F FINCHER
THE REASON WE ARE DRAWN TO MANDALAS IS BECAUSE THEY EXPRESS OUR
COMPLETENESS AND INVITE US TO EXPERIENCE OURSELVES AS A WHOLE BEING.
Whereas the CONSCIOUS MIND uses words to categorize and define objects
and experiences, the UNCONSCIOUS MIND deals in images and symbols
that generate various kinds of sensations and perceptions.
Take a circle pattern or draw around a plate to make one. Use
that pattern to create a different mandala every day for a
month. Use different shapes, sizes, colors, combinations, all
within the confines of a circle. Don’t plan what to make. Let
it flow organically from the inside out. See what inspiration
and creativity emerges.
That is a 30-Day Mandala Challenge.

3. A MANDALA LIKE THIS CAN TELL A STORY WITH PERSONAL
SYMBOLS THAT HAVE BEEN EMBEDDED IN IT. CAREFULLY
CHOSEN COLORS ALSO ADD TO THE EFFECT OF THE STORY.

4. VIEW YOUR MANDALA AS IF IT HAS SECTIONS WHEN
YOU ARE DESIGNING IT. THINK OF ADDING A BORDER
JUST INSIDE THE CIRCLE TO CREATE A BOUNDARY.

5. USE IMAGES IN YOUR MANDALA THAT HAVE A
SPECIAL MEANING TO YOU.

6. REPEATING SHAPES CAN ADD MOVEMENT
WHEN THEY ARE DELIBERATELY PLACED.

7. TRY VARYING THE INTENSITY OF YOUR
COLORS AND INCLUDE SOME SHADED AREAS.

8. IN A MANDALA, IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO
ESTABLISH A CENTER POINT. SYMMETRICAL
SHAPES BRING BALANCE TO YOUR CIRCLE.

9. ADDING A SQUARE WITHIN YOUR CIRCLE
DENOTES STABILITY AND A FIRM FOUNDATION.

10. NATURE MANDALAS SHOW US THAT WE ARE
INTERCONNECTED WITH ALL LIVING THINGS.

11. COULD THIS BE A LADDER YOU RAISE TO
HELP YOU REACH YOUR HOPES & DREAMS?

12. DOES YOUR IMAGE CONJURE UP A TITLE OR
EXPLANATION? MAYBE IT HAS A MESSAGE FOR YOU.

13. USE YOUR SURROUNDINGS FOR INSPIRATION.
LOOK OUTSIDE. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

14. GEOMETRIC SHAPES TAKE ON A COMPLETELY NEW LOOK
WHEN YOU CREATE THEM AS 3-D IMAGES.

15. THIS MANDALA WAS DONE BY JUST CHOOSING
COLORS AND RANDOMLY COLORING SPACES.
WHEN FINISHED, I SAW ANGELS. DO YOU?

16. TRY A LINE DRAWING INSIDE A SPACE OUTLINED BY DIFFERENT
COLORS. TURN YOUR DRAWING AROUND AND YOU MAY FIND
SOMETHING UNEXPECTED IN IT LIKE I DID.

17. USING EVEN #’S OF SHAPES SUGGESTS
BALANCE, HARMONY AND COMPLETION.

18. NATURE MANDALAS HELP US TO RECONNECT
WITH THE ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE OF
SELF-AWARENESS, SIMPLICITY AND PEACE.

19. TRIANGLES SYMBOLIZE GOALS,
DREAMS, VISIONS AND SELF-DISCOVERY.
TRY INCLUDING SOME OF THEM IN YOUR MANDALA.

20. THIS SHOWS A COMBINATION OF SHAPES WITH EVEN #’S (10) AND ODD
#’S (5). EVEN #’S SUGGEST BALANCE, HARMONY, AND COMPLETION.
ODD #’S INDICATE ENERGY, MOVEMENT, AND CHANGE.

21. CIRCLES REPRESENTS THE ENDLESS CYCLE OF LIFE,
WITH NO BEGINNING AND NO ENDING. HERE ARE CIRCLES
WITHIN A CIRCLE. NOTICE THE PATTERNS WITHIN THAT
COULD BE CONTINUED OUTSIDE OF EACH SMALL CIRCLE.

22. A SPIRAL IS A SIGN OF GROWTH & CHANGE. IT’S A VARIATION OF A
CIRCLE THAT CONTINUES BY COMING TO THE SAME POINT AGAIN &
AGAIN BUT AT A NEW LEVEL AND WITH A NEW PERSPECTIVE.

23. THE SYMMETRY OF THESE GEOMETRIC SHAPES SUGGESTS
ORDER. THE 8 REPEATING SHAPES INDICATES BALANCE,
WHICH IS ALSO ACHIEVED WITH COLOR.

24. DOORS ARE UNIVERSAL SYMBOLS OF PASSAGE AND CAN BE EXITS OR
ENTRANCES. THE SHAPES ARE IN GROUPS OF 7. THAT IS A SPIRITUAL
NUMBER SO THE DOOR MAY BE VIEWED WITHIN THAT CONTEXT.

25. JAGGED LINES CAN ADD MOVEMENT AND INTENSITY.
ALSO, TRY USING A COMBINATION OF
LIGHTER AND DARKER COLOR TONES.

26. ADD DIMENSION TO YOUR MANDALA
WITH 3-D GEOMETRIC SHAPES AND
BY VARYING THE COLOR SATURATION.

27. NOTICE THE COLOR AND SHAPE PATTERNS IN THIS MANDALA. PATTERNS ARE
IMPORTANT. WE REMEMBER THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE ORDERLY AND AN
IMPORTANT ASPECT OF ORDER IS THAT IT’S PREDICTABLE.

28. THIS IMAGE JUST SEEMED TO APPEAR
OUT OF AN IMAGE OF A ROAD TRIP.

29. YOU CAN NEST SHAPES TO MAKES
ONE DOMINATE LAYERED IMAGE.

30. SPIRALS SHOW GROWTH, CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION.
LOOK WHAT IT “BIRTHED.”
A DRAGONFLY IS ALSO A SYMBOL OF TRANSFORMATION.

31. NATURE IS THE CREATIVE LIFE FORCE
FOUND ALL AROUND US. IT HELPS US
EXPERIENCE A HARMONIOUS SENSE OF BEING.

32. IF TRIANGLES REPRESENT OUR HOPES AND DREAMS, THIS
SHOWS THEM AS A SEA OF POSSIBILITIES
THAT ARE ALL WITHIN OUR REACH.