2021 TOPIC 6 Mandala Mix JOFY with {Jo Firth-Young}

  2021 Topic 6: Mandala Mix

Jo has given us a window into exactly how to create your own step by step mandalas . She's created some mesmerising ones with the smallest of stamped images and some easy geometry. With 3 projects including some kraft based ones, you'll be amazed at how much dimension she's created with pencil and pens. 
~ Keren

 

Hi everyone, it's Jo with you today, to share with you some mandalas I've created using JOFY stamps. I enjoyed creating these projects so much!! 
I looked through my back catalogue of designs and picked out a few of the smaller designs. I wanted my mandalas to be one layer of stamping (not dimensional), detailed (almost dainty), with bits and pieces that could be coloured in.
Its nice to use these little stamps as 'features' rather than incidentals - bringing them to centre stage.

What I learned from making these mandalas is that they really are very relaxing and slightly addictive!  Once I'd made one I wanted to make another, and another... and maybe... oh, go on then... just one more... (for now).

Project 1

When I started this mandala I just started...with no plan; I was just seeing what happened with the stamps I'd selected.
Oh my goodness! Creating mandalas like this is a little bit addictive! 

It was a bit of a 'lightbulb' moment.
So many designs and variations can be created using a limited amount of stamps. The possibilities seem endless! This mandala and the one in the following project (created on kraft cardstock) were created using the same stamps (with a couple of substitutions). It was interesting to see how different they were.

The stamps sets I used were JOFY14 (3 spots), JOFY15 (leaves, and fuzzbuds cluster) and 3 minis: JM58, JM63 and JM64.

I really like having the open space in this mandala - I think it makes the pattern pop and allows you to see the pattern design.  I toyed with the idea of having more colour in the background but decided against it - I'll save that idea for another mandala.

The first and second mandalas in the blog post were created on 12x12 substrates and coloured with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. It really is very calming and almost meditative to work on these.  It really appeals to me; you get into a rhythm when stamping the images: ink-up stamp, stamp image, rotate page, ink-up stamp, stamp image, rotate page and repeat until 360 degrees of the design is completed. Seeing all the different stamps start working with each other and building to the finished design...its like magic, the pattern just appears and grows!

 

And if the stamping and pattern building was wasn't relaxing enough - then there was colouring! Sooooo relaxing!!  I used coloured pencils but other options would work too such as Fresco Finish paints (of course), water colours or any type of coloured pens.

Project 2 

 

There is something striking about black and white patterns on kraft cardstock that really appeals to me.  Its one of my favourite substrates to create with.
I used the same stamps on this design as on the first mandala - with the addition of 1 stamp from JOFY71 (flower centre) & JOFY98 (shown in next project) but instead of the designs flowing around the circle they flow from the centre outwards.

 

I really like the initial laying out of the mandala - the geometry element - even as a child I liked drawing with a compass.

I drew out the basic lines I planned to work on and use as guides, and added colour to one of the rings - planning on keeping to quite a simple, but striking colour scheme - black, white and grey.

Here are the steps, adding one stamp at a time starting with the biggest design...

Once the main stamping was complete it was fun to start adding bits of doodling and colour around the mandala.

Using coloured pencils..

and a gel pen..

Shading grey around the outside edge of the mandala lifts it off the page.

I added gems and stickles for final details. I thought about adding more doodled details to the stamped designs but decided against - but tucked the idea away to use on future mandalas.

Project 3 

This mandala was created using more geometric stamp designs - the 'squashed diamonds' from JOFY98 and to soften the design and echo the circle of the mandala I selected a flower centre from JOFY71.

The way patterns in mandalas build up is so interesting - a shape turned by 90degrees could shift the pattern in a whole new direction/focus or spark a completely different design for next mandala.... but it also takes concentration and focus - one wrong move and you might need to start again!

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post creating stamped mandalas is slightly addictive - consider yourselves warned, lol.
Hopefully I've inspired you to give mandalas a try yourselves!

Why not challenge yourself to see how many mandala designs you can build from one group of stamps!

I hope my mandalas have inspired you - I'd love to see what you create!

Take care,

Jo.

Blog: www.jofy.co.uk
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