Joy Cornish-Bowden
April 2008
Relevant Subject: Art
Grade Level 9-12
Lesson Topic: Mandala Art
Standard: 1.4 Analyze and describe how the composition of a work of art is affected by
the use of a particular principle of design.
Key Concept(s): Characteristics of Mandalas:
 They are one of the oldest forms of design and are found in all cultures.
 Creating a pattern using repetition of symbols and radial symmetry.
 Focal point in the center.
Assessment:
 Teacher Observation: Each student will come up with seven symbols that pertain to
their culture heritage or interests and be able to explain what they symbolize to
them. They will have drawn them in their sketchbooks. I will assess their
understanding and progress by checking each student's drawings as I walk around
the room. Students will orally tell me what their symbols are and why they chose
them.
 Learner Self-Assessment: I will have a class discussion to determine that everyone
understands the terms focal point and so on.
 Layout of students' Mandalas: Students' rough drafts of their Mandalas will visually
illustrate to me their understanding of using repetition and balance to create a
pattern which has radial balance.
 Students will share their rough drafts with the class using a document camera.
Contextual Clues:
 Realia: I cut an orange in half and share with the class using a document camera
to illustrate how radial design is found I nature. I also hold up a bicycle wheel to
illustrate radial symmetry and balance.
 Visuals: Using a document camera I will share other visuals of radial design found
in nature. E.g. snowflakes, crop circles etc. I will also have multiple examples of
Mandalas made by former students on display; each student receives a handout that
has examples of completed Mandalas (See my handout on the following pages).
Strategies:
 Teacher directed review of some of the characteristics of Mandalas.
 Students work in pairs or small groups and share with each other their drawing and
orally explain what their symbols and which symbol they will use for the focal
point. They also share with the class using a document camera.
 I monitor students' progress through observation as I walk around the classroom.
Key Vocabulary: Mandala, repetition, symmetry, radial design and focal point.
Graphic Organizer(s): Outline: Students' layouts.
INTO:
 Cut an orange in half and ask students if they can tell me what they see. What
Principles of Design do they see? How are these designs similar those found in
Mandalas?
 Ask students if they can think of other examples of radial balance and symmetry in
nature.
 Using a document camera I sketch out some possible different ways of dividing a
mandala into balanced sections.
 Ask class for some definitions of Mandalas. Write their responses paper and display
using a document camera. Clarify if necessary.
 Show students example of completed Mandalas made by students that are displayed
on the classroom wall and other student samples on power-point.
THROUGH:
 Ask a student to volunteer sharing their chosen symbols with the class. I quickly
sketch out the seven symbols on paper and display using a document camera.
 As a class, we decide where to arrange the symbols on the Mandala that I sketch out
on the white board. We decide which symbol will be the focal point and go in the
middle of the Mandala.
 Students will draw images of their symbols in their sketchbooks and sketch out
possible layouts for the structure of their Mandala.
 Students share their layouts with class using a document camera.
BEYOND:
 Prior to clean up using a document camera I will share with the class some of the
Mandala layouts on which students have been working.
 Have students work in pairs to find examples of radial symmetry and balance in
magazines provided by me. Students will cut out appropriate pictures and glue them
in their sketchbooks.
 Have students look for examples of Radial Balance and Symmetry in their home
and at school. (Use the clock in the classroom as an example.)
Here is a copy of the handout student receives on the Mandala Art Assignment:
Ms. Cornish-Bowden
Mandalas
Mandalas are one of the oldest forms of design and are found in all cultures. A Mandala
is a universal symbol of integration and harmony. Mandala patterns are usually based on
concentrically arranged elements. In Tibetan Buddhism, a mandala is an imaginary palace that is
contemplated during meditation. Each object in the palace has significance, representing some
aspect of wisdom or reminding the meditator of some guiding principle. Tradition dictates the
shapes, sizes and colors of these objects.
There are many different mandalas, each with different lessons to teach. Mandalas are
usually displayed in two dimension, and are commonly made from paper, textiles, and colored
sand. In a sand painting, the sand is dyed then carefully placed on a large, flat table. Millions of
grains of sand are painstakingly laid into place on a flat platform over a period of days or weeks.
When finished, to symbolize the impermanence of all that exists, the colored sands are swept up
and poured into a nearby river or stream where the waters carry the healing energies throughout
the world.
In general, all mandalas have outer, inner and secret meanings. On the outer level, they
represent the world in its divine form; on the inner level, they represent a map by which the
ordinary human mind is transformed into enlightened mind; on the secret level, they depict the
fundamental perfect balance or the subtle energies of the mind. The creation of a sand painting is
said to effect purification and healing on these three levels.
PART 1:
Objective: to design a symbolic self-portrait Mandala.
1. Make a list of symbols that relate to your:
 Cultural background and heritage
 Your hobbies
 Your pets
 Your favorite possession
 Your family
2.
3.
Make a pencil sketch of your Mandala in your sketchbook. You need a minimum of
seven symbols. Remember: mandala patterns are usually based on concentrically
arranged elements. Your mandala will have radial symmetry and the arrangement of
your symbols will create a unique visual pattern. Your mandala can be based purely of
cultural images, purely of personal images or a combination of both.
Start your final Mandala. Draw it lightly in pencil. You may use paint, colored pens or
pencils to color it.
PART 2:
1. List and describe the symbols you used to create the motifs for your personal design.
2. Did you use radial balance to organize the motifs? Did you use radial lines to help organize the
motifs?
3. What is the expressive quality of your personal Mandala? Does it represent your family
heritage?
4. If you were going to do this one more time, what, if anything, would you change?