Mandalas are drawn with the help of a grid. The grid helps in maintaining symmetry in designs and patterns. Also, consistent practice is required in achieving symmetrical designs.
1. Tell us your background and journey. How did you get started making mandalas?
I am Chetna Singla, 21 years old mandala and doodle artist. I was born and brought up in Delhi. Art has been a part of my life since childhood. I used to create all my school projects and artworks on my own and also helped my siblings, cousins, and even neighborhood kids in their projects. My summer holidays were spent doing art and craft.
But, as I grew up, I got busy with studies, and art got lost somewhere. It was during my college days, in 2017, when I discovered mandalas on Instagram and I tried making some of the designs. That's when art entered my life again. By the time I completed my graduation, in 2020, I was passionate to take up art full-time. I, now, have an art studio/store where I create, teach and sell art.
I've conducted numerous offline workshops(my friend Anupama has helped me immensely in managing these workshops) before the pandemic and during this lockdown situation, I'm taking online workshops, personal classes, and Instagram live sessions. By now, I've taught mandalas to 500+ people and have worked on art commissions.
2. Can you elaborate on your definition of a mandala?
I've been practicing mandala art for 4 years now. This is what I've concluded about the art form. Mandalas are usually made of concentric circles that have shapes and patterns filled in them. Mandalas are not just plain drawings, they are healing tools. They calm your mind and relax your soul.
The real meaning lies in the process of mandala drawing, not in the end result. There are numerous benefits of mandalas.
Some of the benefits are:
Increase in focus and concentration power, improvement in mind-hand coordination, a boost in creativity, mind relaxation, stress relief. These are the reasons why mandalas are widely used in art therapy.
3. Where do you draw inspiration to create mandalas?
Sources of inspiration: nature, patterns, and designs I observe around myself, my art store, my old artworks, urge to create something new and original, fellow artists' work and so much more.
4. How do you get your designs so symmetrical?
Mandalas are drawn with the help of a grid. The grid helps in maintaining symmetry in designs and patterns. Also, consistent practice is required in achieving symmetrical designs.
5. Can anyone create a mandala and if so are there any steps or processes involved.
Yes, anyone who can understand the grid and pattern-making part can draw a mandala. All one needs to have is the eagerness to learn. Whoever wishes to learn this meditative art form can reach out to me on my Instagram account. I do teach mandala workshops and classes.
6. Would you say that creating a mandala is therapeutic and if so why?
Absolutely yes! Mandalas are actually very therapeutic and relaxing. I often get to hear the same from my workshop participants. The main reason is while drawing a mandala, you have to repeat a single pattern a lot of times.
That needs focus. In that process, you tend to live in the present moment and forget all your problems. This helps the mind relax and you can find better solutions to your problems with a relaxed mind.
Interviewed By - Khushi Garg
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