DOMESTIKA COURSE – THE ART OF MANDALA DRAWING – CREATE GEOMETRIC PATTERNS
Having completed the online drawing course just in time for the end of the year, I am now ready to start a series of new courses from Domestika. Last year I subscribed for a year and was able to get twelve courses for the subscription. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been preparing to start, and it’s been quite hard choosing which one to do first!
I decided on a relatively simple drawing course which I could do with minimum materials, from the comfort of the sitting room. My studio is still in a state of chaos although I have started to tidy up. More on that subject in another post.
Mandala Drawing
This course is run by Lizzie Snow. She has a YouTube channel as well as running this Domestika course. She draws small scale mandalas as well as large murals and her work is very impressive.
As a Christian, I am not at all into the spiritual aspect of mandalas, but appreciate them for their artistic beauty and symmetry. I love patterns and see them everywhere. Drawing repetitive patterns, like Zentangle drawing, is very absorbing and relaxing, and highly creative, and I just look on mandalas as another expression of this
Domestika courses consist of several units. Each unit has several lessons in it. This structure makes them quite easy to follow, and you can work at your own pace.
The first module is usually where the teacher introduces himself or herself, and gives some background. The video showing what inspires them is always fascinating, and there are lots of extra influences and resources to explore. Looking through the various courses, I’ve discovered some gorgeous books and videos, and I’m feeling really inspired!
New year, new beginnings!
The first module
In two videos, Lizzie introduces herself, and shows us what influences her art. I was drawn to this course because like me, she is fascinated by fractals, especially those in nature.
Introducing ourselves
After watching her two introductory videos, Lizzie instructed us to do a few exercises. Firstly we were encouraged to introduce ourselves in our profile on the site, and to join the forum. If we wanted we could show some examples of our previous work.
Here are the photos I chose for my introduction.
Mandalas drawn on the iPad with Procreate in April 2020.
Mandala outlines drawn on the iPad, printed and hand coloured with Distress Inks.
3-D Mandala drawn last year.
Black and gold mandalas drawn in my small Rhodia drawing book last year.
Our inspiration
Then Lizzie asked us to show what inspires us. I’ve uploaded several photos to the forum. I love pattern and texture, and photograph many interesting objects when we are out and about. Over the years I’ve collected quite an archive of these pictures, and it was hard to narrow it down! I also included photos of some of my work.
My Celtic art sampler drawing in the small Rhodia drawing book.
A couple of photos taken during our visit to Romania in 2003.
A woven fence at the Sibiu Village Museum.
A wooden roof being constructed on the cathedral in Baia Mare. The wooden shingles are all shaped by hand and installed one by one. The pattern they make is beautiful.
Lobster pots in Dawlish. I love the texture and faded colours, and the evidence of decay.
Rust in Dawlish. I love rust! So many fabulous colours and all that gorgeous texture.
Bricks, flints and shadows in Arundel. Arundel is full of amazing walls constructed from a combination of brick and flint. Shadows are always interesting, and these ones in particular form lovely shapes on the curved wall.
Tiny wall pennyworts. Most people don’t even notice this humble little plant but I’ve always loved them. Very insignificant, but they are tenacious, growing out of dry walls! Tiny things in nature always fascinate me.
I also included some of my times table drawings. These circular images are as fascinating to me as mandalas.
These were just crying out for added art work!
and here:
My final inspiration was Zentangle inspired art. “La Bella,” drawn back in 2018.
I think this gives a fairly comprehensive idea of the sort of things that inspire my art. Pattern, texture, detail. I also mentioned my love of making books and albums with interactive elements and plenty of texture, and how I recently completed a year-long drawing course.
Draft Drawing, Playful Experimenting
This was the final exercise of the module, and the first when we put pen to paper. Lizzie told us just to draw – really a loosening up exercise, and one she does each day. This isn’t something necessarily to show other people, but just to go in your sketchbook. I thought I’d show my efforts, though!
I recently bought some Elegant Writer pens by Speedball, on the recommendation of my friend Caroline on the ArtKula forum.
You can use these water-based ink pens as-is, but if you add a water wash, you get brilliant results as the black ink splits into its component colours. In my sketchbook the paper didn’t do this full justice but I am pleased with the results. Here is a bit of lettering just to try them out. The wash is added to the second example.
Lizzie suggested we just drew any fruits that came into our minds – I had no reference, but just sketched away!
Watch this space for what I begin to learn as the course gets underway. It should be fun!
