Are you drawn to the symmetrical beauty of geometric patterns but unsure how to create them for yourself? Are you a little nervous about using geometric construction tools such as compasses to create your art? Or perhaps you are a beginner artist intimidated by the thought of decorating and adding colour to your geometric patterns?

Then this might just be the class for you! In this class, I will be guiding you, step-by-step, through the basics of how to use a ruler and compass to construct the iconic ‘flower of life’ mandala - a fundamental pattern that underlies many geometric designs.

And I’ll also be demonstrating two simple watercolour techniques for adding an ‘ombré’ or gradient colour scheme to help finish your artwork off beautifully.

Hi, I’m Clarissa, a geometric artist and experienced teacher, based in the UK. In my own creative practice I enjoy experimenting with different techniques to embellish and enhance the underlying geometry of my mixed media artworks.

In this engaging short course I will share my tips and experience as I guide you through the steps of constructing, outlining and painting this elegant mandala.

In this class you'll learn:

how to construct a geometric mandala - the flower of life - with a compass and ruler;
tips on achieving accuracy in your geometric designs;
ideas for decorating your finished mandala, including step-by-step instructions for painting a watercolour gradient in two ways:
- a monochrome ‘ombré’ gradient from dark to light;
- a duochrome two-colour gradient;
and how to use a colour wheel to choose suitable colours for your project.

You’ll be creating:

a stunning geometric mandala decorated with your preferred media.

Is this class for me?

Absolutely! No prior experience is necessary. Whether you’re a complete beginner, a hobby artist or an experienced practitioner looking to add a new technique to your skillset, the wonderful thing about geometric art is that it is accessible to everyone – you don’t need to be ‘good at art’ (whatever that even means!).

Even if you’re completely new to constructing geometry, you’ll be able to follow these step-by-step techniques to create your own artwork. And what’s more, you’ll gain skills that you can apply to more ambitious projects in the future. The possibilities really are endless!

Materials needed

A drawing compass, ideally with a pen holder attachment
A 30cm / 12in ruler, a pencil and an eraser
A surface to press on, such as a cutting mat
A couple of sheets of cartridge or sketch pad paper, at least A4 / Letter size or bigger
A colouring medium of your choice (e.g. paints, watercolour pencils, coloured pencils, marker pens, paint pens)
An oil-based metallic pen to outline your pattern (optional, but fun to use!)

And if you would like to paint your artwork, then you’ll also need:

a sheet of watercolour or mixed media paper (ideally A3 size or about 12 x 16 inches)
watercolour paints;
a couple of paintbrushes of different sizes;
a palette or saucer;
a container or two for water;
a pipette or teaspoon;
some scrap paper for testing your paint hues;
and a few sheets of paper towel.

Downloadable resource pack

Find this in the Projects & Resources section.

Time to get started - I can’t wait to see what you create!

Julie Marshall

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