Hi everyone, I'm here to share with you 'Square Mandala' project that for our current topic 'Minimalism' using Ellen Vargo's fine art stamps.
What I came up with in our Topic'Minimalism' that we can see around us a culture of limited situations, spaces, colors and shapes, such as haiku, waka poetry, ink painting, stone gardens, and tea rooms. So this time I made to create mandala using Ellen's geometric patterns and I hoped it works out to integrate colours and shapes.
At first, I wanted to use Ellen's geometric pattern as is without cutting or adding anything, so I made a square drawing paper and I put the stamped patterns on it and tried to see if them fits well. Happily, they fitted well!!
Since the size of each square in the background was determined, the color scheme was reduced to a few shades of blue and the opposite color of the focal point, yellow, and painted using masking tape. I used PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic paints Southern Skies, Summer Sky, Peppermint, Pea Coat, Pool and Snowflake.
First of all I made the spiral circles and paste outside the background frame, Peppermint() on the base, then stamp EEV02 on top of it with Ranger Industries - Archival Ink (cobalt), and finally stamp EEV01 with mixed Southern Skies and Summer Sky.
I halved those spirals, and four per side just fit it!!
Ellen Vargo stamp set01 (EEV01) triangles in the middle of the background were stamped with Pea Coat based on the same mix of Southern Skies, Summer Sky, and four sheets were made, cut, and pasted.
Almost the entire mandala is composed of geometric patterns, but I also wanted a little decorative element in the mandala, so I added flower petals. However, I kept the colors similar so that they would not be too showy. And I think those things softened the overall hardness.
The slightly bulging triangles of EEV01 are a good shape for a mandala, and I painted with Lemon Meringue (FF142) as base on a paper, but the colour little bit bright, so I used Peppermint for the rectangle of EEV02 stamped it controlled bright color. Then I stamped EEV01 triangles on top of it with Ranger Industries-Archival Ink (Jet Black). The small circle EEV09 that comes in the center was also created here.
EEV03 diamond shape was stamped on the base of Pool() with Ranger Industries - Archival Ink (Jet Black) and applied between the yellow triangles.
The spiral circle made earlier was placed in the center and the small circle was attached last.
Finally, each frame of the background was slightly changed with stamps and stencils.
I stenciled PaperArtsy Stencil by Scrapcosy (PS108) with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Lake Wanaka.
In this project, the mandala itself is minimalist, so my goal was to create a sense of unity throughout the mandala by reducing its ornamentation and colors. I have tried various forms of mandalas and finally settled on this one. Next time, I will try to make a minimalism piece Ellen's stamps in the abstract method.
Thank you so much for visiting.
Etsuko xxx
