Floral Mandalas- the Paint and Fold Method

Spring is coming, I promise. I live in Ohio so this time of year I have to keep saying that out loud to convince myself as the cold wind whips outside. These floral mandalas don’t require any help from Mother Nature but will totally brighten your mood just like the real thing.

The goods….

What you need to make these mandalas is pretty basic. You’ll need some plain white paper, cut into circles. (We buy it by the ream because it’s so much cheaper than picking it up at the store!) You can use a compass to draw your circles. If you want to begin with a larger circle grab a dinner plate or mixing bowl and trace that!

Next you’ll need some inexpensive brushes and paint. Either tempera or craft acrylic will work for this project. Both are inexpensive. Craft acrylics come in awesome colors but are not washable so know your kids!

You’ll also need a Sharpie or other black marker for finishing touches!

Get started….

Start with folding your circle in half, and then into quarters. This is a great place to talk about symmetry. Here you’ll be creating a form of radial symmetry in which all elements radiate from a central point. Check out this more complete description of symmetry along with a free printable for your kiddo. The center of this circle is where the fold meet.

A mandala has it’s roots in Buddhist and Hindu relgion. Here we’re making a mandala in a more generic sense, a floral mandala or radially symmetrical floral design.

The idea here is that you will paint a shape on one half of the circle and then quickly fold it in half. Keep painting on that same half and folding the same direction. Work too slowly and carefully and your paint will be too dry to transfer to the other side.

If this happens, don’t worry. Just add a little more paint, and fold again!

I love making this a botanical theme- and not just because I’m desperate for spring. But because flowers and leaves are such free flowing, organic shapes they lend themselves perfectly to this kind of painting. Nothing has to be perfect. Splotches, and squishes work perfectly here.