Mandala Art

Mandalas are circles within a square boundary arranged into different sections. These sections are organized around a focal point and produced on surfaces such as paper and cloth. Besides, the mandala art has also been built into stone structures and fashioned on bronze plates.

The mandala designs confined to the circular boundary represent different aspects of the world and universe.

           I have started mandala when i was very small. The textures and the colourful elements used to make me feel calm. It

       Drawn by : Ishani Misra 

                                                                    

                                                                          Drawn by : Ishani Misra 

Drawn by. Ishani Mirsa 

felt like a therapy to me. Whenever i felt down i started drawing and unknowingly it cheerd  me up.

History of Mandala Painting:

The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, was born in the country known as Nepal today. Although his exact birth date is disputed, most historians believe he was born about 560 B.C.

Gautama left his kingdom soon after he gained awareness of human suffering. He did so to gain enlightenment via thoughtful action and meditation. 

Gautama soon began preaching his philosophy across different parts of the country. Eventually, the first community of Buddhist monks was established. The monks traveled along the Silk Road, a network of routes connecting the East and the West. As a result, it allowed them to bring Buddhism to other lands. 

These monks carried mandalas as they traveled, spreading the art form to other parts of Asia. While the earliest evidence of simple mandala art dates to the first century B. C., they appeared in regions such as Japan, China, and Tibet by the fourth century. 

How Mandala Art is created:

1. Preparation of surface

First, the artists stretch the cloth on a wooden frame and size it with an application of gelatin. Then, they polish a layer of gesso to create a perfect and smooth surface.

2. Design establishment

The patron is often a decider of what he needs to depict in the creative mandala art. The painter may receive a diagram to get an idea of the same. But, in most cases, the compositions are fixed based on artistic tradition and Buddhist iconography. The painters create the preliminary sketch of the mandala art with a charcoal crayon. On the other hand, the final drawing is reinforced with sketches in black ink.

3. Initial layers of paint

There are two kinds of paints that artists use in mandala art. These are organic dyes and mineral pigments. The brushes are primarily made of fine animal hair attached to a wooden handle. The artists mix the mineral pigments with a binder such as a hide glue before applying it to the paints. 

4. Shading and outlining

The shading is a significant part of the painting process and highlights the details that make mandala art so exquisite. Adding to the intricacy and detail of the art, the artists use organic dyes to shade and outline the shapes within the circular boundary.

5. Dusting 

Once the painting is complete, most painters finish the work by scraping the surface with a knife edge. This creates an even-textured canvas. Then, the artist dusts the final art with a rag and rubbed it with a tiny ball of grain flour dough. The grain flour dough adds a matte finish to the painting and collects any residual paint dust left behind.

Utilizing the Concept of Mandalas in Art Therapy

The very nature of creating a mandala is therapeutic and symbolic. The shapes and colors you create in your mandala art therapy will reflect your inner self at the time of creation. Your instinct and feeling should inspire and guide you through the process of creation. Ultimately, you will be creating a portrait of yourself as you are when creating the mandala. So, whatever you are feeling at that time, whatever emotions are coming through, will be represented in your mandala art therapy.