I saw a beautiful mandala by kkkataish, and I figured I’d have to try.
I asked how she did it but then realized that I sort-of knew: compass, and straight edge. What I hadn’t expected is how much patience it took. This one isn’t finished yet, but it represents several hours of work already.
The weakest part in many ways is the center. I originally intended a 6way symmetry, but various things kept leading me astray.
One of the things that did surprise me was the need for more than 6 basic divisions. In the final design there are 6 spokes radiating out all the way from the center, but I should have started with 24 or more slices at the center to start: that way I’d have more symmetries and elements to play with.
It turns out that making mandalas requires a great deal of patience, concentration, attention to detail, and careful pen-work. None of this is particularly easy for me to do, but I do find that doing the work focuses my attention and interest admirably. It must be why making mandalas has been a meditative work for centuries.
