Monday, June 21, 2010

Dragonfly Wheel


Dragonflies are wonderful creatures and they are an excellent design feature to incorporate in my botanical mandalas. Like butterflies, their symmetry is easily recognized when viewed from the top and are also an attractive and pleasing form.
The intricate,lacy wings were a fun challenge to draw.

Detail.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Rex Begonia Zodiac



One of my favorite subjects for my botanical mandalas is the begonia. The variety of colors, the variegation, and the detail in the veins, all combine to give fascinating and intricate symmetries.
This begonia mandala inspired me to include the symbols of the zodiac and frame the mandala with a variety of astrological symbols.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Crow Wheel Mandala


I always enjoy watching crows when they come to forage at the bottom of my bird feeder. Their interactions are fascinating and suggest an intelligence and social structure that is complex. The form of the mandala also allowed me to draw a circle of crows in flight to surround the pair.