28 May 2014

New Style Mandala Painted Pebbles


Yesterday while having my morning shower I had this idea of making colored mandalas on pebbles.
 Completely out of my comfort zone, well a little bit, I pulled out some supplies and some pebbles. 

Hours later this is what I got.



The techniques and inspiration came from two of my projects published in MAKE YOUR MARK: Creative ideas using markers, paint pens, bleach pens & more.

20 May 2014

Mehndi Inspired Mandala Tutorial


MANDALA: Sanskrit, means circle. In religion and philosophy represents the whole, the universe. In Analytical Psychology represents the Self (C.G. Jung)
 MEHNDI: Hindi, the art of temporary henna tattoos, from the Sanskrit Menhika or henna plant.


For this tutorial I'm using:



This little page with the basic shapes I like using

Copyright © 2014 Maria Mercedes Trujillo A. All rights reserved.

The Process:
1. First I choose the colors I'm going to use (Lavender and Delft Blue don't come in the set pictured above, can be replaced by Dark Mauve Pink and Silver Gray)


2. I start always in the center, that way I can keep my mandala even, I don't use a compass or any template. Using my basic shapes page I choose to start with a spiral.


3. Now I add one of the borders.


4. Then I add petal shapes around the border.


5. I add some filling to the petal shapes. I start adding leaves.



6. Fill the leaves.


7. Add an outer adornment to the leaves and some circles on the spaces between them.


8. Add a border again.



 9. More leaves or petals, add fillings.



10. Outer adornment and little circles in the spaces between petals/leaves.



You can keep repeating from step 3, adding more elements from the basic shapes page or your own, making your mandala as big and complex as you want.

When you feel you have finished your mandala write the date.
It is perfectly fine if it doesn't turn up completely round and symmetrical, you will get there with practice.
It is a process to relax and have fun regardless of the end result.
Look at your mandala with love, you just made it and it is precious!
Keep all your mandalas even if you don't like them much, you can follow how they change with time.

If you have any question you can ask on the comments , send me an e-mail or through the contact form on the left of this blog.

Have fun!!!

Note: If you want to see how I draw a very similar mandala on a pebble, have a look at this video.

Please if you share about this tutorial link back to my site!!!


Some examples done following the steps on this tutorial.





08 May 2014

From The Beach To My Desk

On Easter, instead of egg hunting I went pebble hunting with my husband and my daughter.

New Zealand is a paradise full of beautiful landscapes. and since we are a bunch of islands, North Island, South Island and some other smaller ones, we have endless beaches. 
We are lucky enough in the South Island (or I am!) to have what they call "shingle beaches". Shingle beaches occur in places where braided rivers end in the ocean, and basically they are beaches full of pebbles and cobbles instead of sand.

In some of these beaches I've collected most of the pebbles I've painted, some other ones I've collected over the years from different places.

Me and my daughter's shadow
Pebbles and Cobbles Close UP







The Treasure
Some Painted Pebbles and Tools
Bottoms Up - Signature
Mandala of Mandala painted Pebbles

This is what I've done so far, still plenty to have more fun.

Have you seen my video?