Mandalas and Radial Balance

Mandala

• The Term mandala comes from the ancient Sanskrit language and loosely translates to mean “circle”.

• Mandalas are used as a symbol in many religions and examples of mandalas

• abound in nature.

Radial Symmetry

• Radial balance is any type of balance based on a circle with its design extending from or focused upon its center.

Radial is the adverb form of the verb To Radiate..like you can have radial tires.

Balance

• Radial is the 3rd type of balance. We’v already discussed the other two kinds of balance…

• Which are…?

Balance

• Symmetrical Balance- meaning the artwork is roughly the same on both sides. (remember artistic symmetry can be approximate while mathematical symmetry must be exact

Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Cow Skull in Red White and Blue” is an example of Symmetrical Balance.

Balance

• Asymmetrical Balance refers to an artwork where one side of the work does not reflect the other.

James McNeill Whistler’s painting of his mother, commonly referred to as “Whistler’s Mother” is asymmetrically balanced.

Mandalas

• Mandala’s occur commonly in nature…

Mandalas in Nature

Mandalas in Nature

Mandalas in Nature

• So many things in the natural world have a radial shape that many religions began to use the mandala as a symbol for the universe

Mandalas in Religion

• Because the circle is also an unbroken and infinite shape it has taken on symbolism in many religions.

Circles in Christianity

• The circle is seen repeatedly throughout Christianity in the halo, the crown of thorns, and rosary beads.

Buddhism

• Buddhist monks make amazing and detailed sand mandalas as a form of meditation

• Monks making a sand mandala

Sand Mandalas

Other mandalas

Can you think of any others I forgot?