Zentangle and Mandalas

It's been over a month since I last posted any mandalas. I believe I'm up to 45 out od 100 now. I know that I will continue with creating these mandalas and zentangles long after I reach 100. I have certainly slowed down, but I still find it rewarding to create them. My goal of wanting to learn more about mandalas and zentanling and how I can do something professionally with them, continues. I can't wait to get back to having a little more time to create once the holidays are over. I am so looking forward to Christmas this year, but will be happy to get back to normal. Here are just a few of my recent mandalas/zendalas.

Amy

5 Day Mandala Workshop

I signed up for this free online 5 day mandala workshop. Today was the first day and it was great. It confirmed one thing for me, I don't care for straight lines. They are ok in a zentangle pattern, but I still prefer curves and circles. I attempted to make a hexagon mandala and hated every second that I was drawing it. I found that really interesting, since in quilts, I love hexagons. I love English paper piecing hexagons and other straight shapes, not so much the curved shapes for quilts, but when it comes to drawing, I find the idea of circles and curves much more satisfying and relaxing. I am having a hard time with things not being perfect in my mandala practice, but I am making sure that I continue to share and hashtag pictures of my mandalas, even when I'm not thrilled with the outcome. The funny thing is, people will comment sometimes how much they like ones that I'm not theta fond of. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder is very true when it comes t art and design. Tonight, I am sharing my drawing of playing with circles. I believe it is my 35th mandala. I am really enjoying learning about this and have wanted to learn for a long time now. I have also, finally, learned what zentangles are, due to this challenge. I have seen the books and never knew what they were. This challenge forced me to look at things that are outside my comfort zone. I can't wait to do more and learn more.

circle exercises

circle trinity

Day 33 and 34 of the 100 mandala challenge Looking forward to sharing day 2 of my mandala workshop, Amy

#14 and 15 mandalas

At this point I'm at #15 out out 100 mandalas. I'm thinking this is going to be a practice I continue even after the 100 mandalas are complete. I added a rock mandala to my album. I want to do more once I get better rocks. I wish I had a desk to keep it on.

I really want to get zentangle certified.

Amy

Zendala

I'm on number 6 of my 100 mandala challenge.  This week the theme is zendala or a zentangle in a circle. I've always wondered about zentangles and what they were. Now I am learning and I'm loving it. I just bought a couple of books to at to my craft book collection and can't wait to add more zentangle and mandala books. They will hopefully become part of my professional library too. I love creating these mandalas. I feel like and artist, like I can draw. I'm try not to allow my perfectionist issues to make an apperarence as I create my mandalas and my zentangles. I hope you look forward my creations and you check out the links to other mandalas at http:// collagediva@typepad.com.

Enjoy,
Amy

Mandalas

My friend Kathryn Costa at http://www.collagediva.typepad.com is doing a 100 mandala challenge and I'm joining in. I have to say that I am having a blast creating these mandalas. I'm hoping to learn more about them and at some point use them in my social work career. I plan to post them often. As I learn more, I plan to write more about mandalas and their meaning. I am hoping to use my drawings in quilts as time goes on. I am even thinking that I can use crayons on fabric to help create the colors that I drew instead of trying to find the right colors and shading.

Amy