Brightlight Mandalas

Bucking Bronco Mandala 1

2012-01-20T21:51:00.001-08:00

I have added another rodeo mandala. This one is made with all bucking bronco images. This one will be great for t shirts.

Rodeo Mandala 2

2012-01-20T08:28:00.001-08:00

I have created a second rodeo mandala. It is expanded with 25 silhouettes. This one could be banner size.

2012-01-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

Rocking R Rodeo T Shirt for Rusty by robert_coyne
See more Rodeo T-Shirts

You can see other rodeo t shirts and products posted on my Zazzle store. This t shirt is an example of how I can customize shirts and designs. If you or a loved one are in rodeos, you can send me photos; and I can turn them into designs of your choosing complete with name. Just click on the t shirt image to see it as it appears on Zazzle with completed description and details.

Rodeo Mandala 1

2012-01-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

I have combined 19 silhouettes of rodeo performers into a rodeo mandala. I will add other images and new mandala designs in time. This goes along with my Western themes used on other designs.

Poinsettia Mandala and Array

2011-10-22T06:11:00.000-07:00

Here are my Christmas designs for 2011. They are made with photos of poinsettia flowers. I am showing the mandala and its expansion into an array.

Pomegranate Mandala Array

2011-09-23T23:02:00.000-07:00

I have created this pomegranate mandala array with the idea that it will make a good Thanksgiving card design. I will post it on Zazzle as both an all purpose customizable card with a blank inside, and as a Thanksgiving card, with appropriate message.

Golden Poppy Array

2011-09-18T20:55:00.000-07:00

This mandala array is made with photos of golden poppies. It completes my series for the 2012 Desert Rat Calendar.

Ocitillo Mandala Array 2

2011-09-16T22:59:00.000-07:00

I'm still working toward my 2012 Desert Rat Calendar. This ocitillo array will be featured on it.

2011 Yucca Designs

2011-09-13T05:51:00.000-07:00

I have started new designs for a 2012 Desert Rat Calendar. It will feature
mostly images from my Cactus Hugger Calendar, but will include some other desert plants. I am starting with this reworked mandala which I used to create the array. Next up is a reworking of my ocitillo array and then Mexican poppies. That will probably be it for this year. Who knows what I will add next year?

2012 Cactus Hugger Calendar

2011-08-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

2012 Cactus Hugger Calendar by robert_coyne
Browse other Mandalas Calendars

I have completed my 2012 Cactus Hugger Calendar. It is available from my Zazzle store at this link.

Barrel Cactus 1 Mandala Array 2

2011-08-22T05:50:00.000-07:00

I have reworked this barrel cactus array. The background uses a different technique. I took a radial star made with the cactus thorns, and turned it into an orb which fills the page. I will do more of this.

Red & Yellow Prickly Pear Cactus Array

2011-08-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

This array is made with photos of the red & yellow Prickly pear cactus. The radial background behind the mandalas has been kept a natural color so that the flowers appear as they would against the cactus pads. Usually, I darken the background and sometimes change the color or desaturate it so that the flowers stand out against the background. I could use your feedback as to which you prefer.
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One more array to go to complete my 2012 Cactus Hugger calendar.

Hedgehog Cactus Mandala 2

2011-08-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

I have already created designs using the magenta flowers of a hedgehog cactus which is popular here in Tucson. I have found out, however, that it is not native to this country; so I wanted to create something with a local species.
This is a mandala created with the second cactus type.

Pincushion Cactus Array

2011-07-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

At the top is the mandala which is the centerpiece of the array shown below. This array is made with the flowers of a pincuchion cactus. I have two more arrays to go for my 2012 Cactus Hugger Calendar which will feature 12 arrays, all made with cactus flowers.

Magenta Hedgehog Mandala & Array

2011-06-20T05:37:00.000-07:00

I have a new magenta hedgehog cactus mandala and an array to add to my collection.

Teddy Bear Cholla Array 1

2011-05-24T05:13:00.000-07:00

This array completes my series of teddy bear cholla creations.

Teddy Bear Cholla Mandala 1

2011-05-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

This is a mandala made with photos of the teddy bear cholla cactus. A lot of people also call it the jumping cholla. I reserve that label for another cholla that I have in my front yard. Some people call all chollas the jumping cactus.

I am not a botonist and don't mind taking a little artistic license to tell a good story. I hope to spark your appreciation of and interes in cacti, and if I inspire you to get into classification and botanical investigation; I will be pleased. If anyone wants to correct me on my designations, please do so.
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For more on the teddy bear cholla, we my post on May 21 on my Nightblooming Cards blog.

Saguaro Cactus Hugger T Shirt

2011-03-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

I have started creating some simpler designs for use on fabrics as in t shirts. My photographic images work great on products which allow for good detail, but digitally painted graphics work better for this kind of application. Here is a link to one shirt as posted on my Zazzle site.

Saguaro Cactus Hugger T Shirt by robert_coyne
make your own custom t-shirt at zazzle

YELLOW PRICKLY PEAR ARRAY WITH ELEMENTS

2011-01-20T21:08:00.001-08:00

I have completed a new mandala array made with photos of yellow prickly pear cactus flowers. This post includes some of the elements which went into creating the array.

Barrel Cactus Array 2

2011-01-04T21:12:00.001-08:00

I have completed mandala array number 11. One more, and I will have a complete set for making a calendar. Then, I want to create an animated version. The stars are elements in the array. All is made with photos of barrel cacti and flowers.

ILLUSTRATED THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

2010-12-30T19:30:00.001-08:00

I have completed the nightblooming cactus mandala array. I develop new elements with each of these, so they are still evolving. With this one, I also improved my technique of aligning everything precisely. On a "canvas" of 52"x70", I have a tolerance of one pixel in order to get everything to fit just so.

Nightblooming Cactus Elements

2010-12-27T20:28:00.000-08:00

I have started on a new mandala array using the nightblooming cactus. These are elements which will be used for it.

Cholla Cactus Array 1

2010-11-23T20:55:00.000-08:00

I have created a new array with Cholla Cactus flowers. Each one of these I create shows me some new technique. With this one, I made the connecting lines splay out to enhance the radiating effect rather than using straight lines. More importantly, I added an "outer glow" to the array in Photoshop. This gives the whole complex a halo effect which I really like. I hope you do too.

Pomegranate Mandala Array 1

2010-11-19T21:37:00.001-08:00

I have a new mandala array made with pomegranate flowers. I am posting it on Zazzle as a Thanksgiving card, but have an eye to it being my November image for this year's calendars.

Pomegranate Mandalas

2010-11-18T07:10:00.000-08:00

I show you a pomegrante flower mandala I did over a year ago, followed by one I just completed with Thanksgiving designs in mind.

2010 Christmas Cactus Mandala & Array

2010-11-10T04:44:00.000-08:00

I have revisted my Christmas Cactus creations from 2009, and come up with a new mandala and array. The mandala is actually simpler than last year's, but I like it.

Ice Plant Array

2010-10-30T05:41:00.001-07:00

I have identified the succulent plant as an ice plant. Here is an array. To see the Christmas card designs, go to Nightblooming Cards, my parent blog.

2010 Christmas Mandala

2010-10-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

I made this star with a triangular cutout from a photo of a succulent plant we have in the yard. The interesting thing is that I used the same cutout to create the second star. In one, I pointed the light end of the diamond outward. In the other, I placed it in the center. One little change results in two very different designs.
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I went on to create a mandala from the same plant. I show it first on a solid, dark green square; then on a rectangular page with added stars.
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I will be using this for my 2010 Christmas cards. I will also create an array and other designs coming up next.

Black & White Cosmos Star 1

2010-10-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

There is a soc/rec program here that makes their own Christmas cards every year to send to its members. Last year, I offered to let them use my Christmas Cactus design, but they declined because it was full color and would have used too much ink. So this year, I wanted to offer them something more cost efficient, and created this black & white star using outlines of cosmos flowers.
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I don't know if they will use it, but in the process; I developed a technique which will have wide applications. There are endless possibilities here for beautiful and interesting designs. The top image shows that these can be colorized. This could be useful for t shirts, where the detail in some of my complex photographic designs doesn't work so well. I like making t shirts because it is fun to combine the images with sayings, but some of my designs don't translate well to fabric, so this may be a solution.

Emerging Sunflower Video

2010-10-12T05:11:00.000-07:00

I eventually want to animate my mandalas. My first you tube video is a step in that direction.

Bicycle Mandala 2

2010-10-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

I have created a new bicycle mandala. While it is actually simpler than the one I made a year ago, it is improved in technique, and includes a ring of whole mountain bikes. I could use road bikes or BMX if you prefer. On Zazzle, I can make these into stickers, cards, magnets and more as well as posters.
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I show you a black and white on gray version and a rainbow alternate. I have set this up so that I could easliy create whatever color scheme you like.

Sunflower Array Expanded Pattern

2010-09-21T05:34:00.001-07:00

Sunflower Mandala Array 1

2010-09-19T04:49:00.001-07:00

More Sunflower Elements

2010-09-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

I have added some more sunflower elements before starting on the array. I blurred the blue image so that it can serve as a background.

Sunflower Mandala 2

2010-09-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

Pink Tree Bell Mandala and Array 2 with Backgrounds

2010-09-05T08:16:00.001-07:00

The bottom image is the tree bell array reworked over a new radial background seen above. I then created another radial background as shown on top. This image is too busy and sharp to work well as a background, so I blurred it for use with the array.
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I have been having a good time making the repeating pattern backgrounds, and they will continue to have their uses; but this radial technique is a jump forward and works much better with the mandalas.
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I keep adding new techniques to my designs, that make me want to go back and rework everyhting I have done to date; but I forge ahead with new creations. I am selling a few pieces every month, but sometimes I ask myself why sales are not progressing faster. The answer I get is that I am still perfecting my craft. It has only been two and one half years that I have been doing this, and I am constantly learning.

Sunflower Mandala 1

2010-08-31T21:58:00.000-07:00

This is a sunflower mandala which I think is cheerful. I will be doing another with foliage, but think this is a good start.

Pink Tree Bell Mandala and Array

2010-08-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

I give you the pink tree bell mandala array on a plain background. The black always shows up the colors well, but the textured backgrounds make the mandala float on top.
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I then expanded the array out to the pattern you see on black. Next, I put it over a blue petal background.
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Making the arrays elements fit right is tricky and I am still developing my technique around it.

Pink Tree Bell Mandala 3

2010-08-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

I have created a third mandala with the pink tree bells. This one is simpler with an eye toward using it in a mandala array.

Ocitillo Array Expanded

2010-07-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

I have expanded the ocitllo array to a larger pattern. This would make good wallpaper, and could be expanded indefinately.

Ocitillo Array 1A

2010-07-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

Ocitillo Backgrounds

2010-07-26T05:20:00.000-07:00

I made a background pattern from the ocitillo leaves. I started with the natural green. In Photoshop, I can desaturate the image; and then colorize it any way I like. For these first mandalas, I turned them red. To actually use for a background, I blur and darken them so as to not compete with the foreground.

Ocitillo Mandalas

2010-07-26T05:04:00.000-07:00

I discovered a new approach to using triangular cutouts from the photos of foliage and flowers. I replicate and rotate the triangular sections to create a dodecagon(12 sided polygon) as you see here.

This second one is made with triangles cut out of a photo of bright red ocitillo flowers.

This one combines the first two. There is a lot I can do with this technique.

To me, this one made with orange flowers, is the most amazing. The fun of this approach, is that I never know how they are going to turn out. It is always a surprise.

Some of you have been asking for a different color scheme and this presents a new palette.

I offer two variations of this mandala. Others are possible.

Mandala Complex Continued

2010-06-06T05:57:00.001-07:00

The top image shows the nightblooming mandala with butterflies extended by adding rays. I will do more of this.
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This reminds me of the old rose windows of medieval cathedrals. While Tibetan mandalas are a big part of my inspiration, I have alwasy been in awe of stained glass windows. That lead to my working with stained glass for ten years.
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I then used that two create these alternate mandala complex designs. Do you have a preference? This is an approach I will be using a lot as it makes full use of the rectangular page.

Mandala Complex 1 with Nightblooms & Butterflies

2010-06-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

We take tobacco and incendiary devices at night from our residents for fire safety. That means we take matches and lighters. As I collected them Thursday night, I noticed that one of the guys had a new bic lighter. It had an interesting design on it that was sort of a mandala design. It was beautifully done, but what caught my eye was the layout. It had a complex arrangement of multiple rings that radiated into each other and created interesting shapes where they met.

One of the problems I keep working with is that a mandala fits nicely on a square page, but most prints, posters, cards and so on are rectangular. I have used a variety of techniques to fill up the extra space, but this makes the best use of the rectangle yet. I took my nightblooming mandala with butterflies and expanded it with radiaiting lines and arranged it on the page as you see here. I think the design is rather striking, but I have still not acheived what the artist did in the lighter. It is a rough first draft, but I think it is enough to show the potential.

This is so intricate that it would take a mural sized presentation to show any detail in the flowers or butterflies. I will start creating new ones that will fit better on a poster. I share this partly to show that there is no telling where the next inspiration will come from. I think it is my job to try and remain open to where I am lead.

Rainbow Thousand Petal Lotus

2010-06-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

Starting from the bottom, I colorized the Thousand Petal Lotus Mandala as a rainbow. I used pastel colors as they seem most appropriate, but brighter colors are possible. Once I completed this version, I can create other color variations quickly and easily. I offer blue and pink versions, but any color or combination of colors can be done.
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I finish up with a fiveplex of mandalas which is probably not sellable, but which is an interesting exercise.

Nightblooming Flower Mandala with Butterfllies

2010-05-29T05:33:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt to combine flowers and butterflies in a mandala. I use a new technique on the background elements in this one and you can view details on my Emerging Patterns site.
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I have started experimenting with new software from Reveal Muvee which allows me to create slideshows set to music. It is a first step to animatinng my mandalas. Here is the link on Shwup to one on butterflies. I should add this mandala to the end.

http://www.shwup.com/openalbum/butterfly1/_5YEAC55xug

Thousand Petal Lotus

2010-05-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

In the Hindu tradition, they talk about the crown chakra being a thousand petaled lotus. I have wondered what that would look like and decided to find out, by creating this mandala. There are, of course, many ways to conceive of this, but I rather like this one. I offer a black on white and a white on black version.
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This was perhaps the most difficult mandala I have done. It has some imperfections; but I leave them in the tradition of Navajo artists who deliberately leave a flaw in every creation because perfection is of God, not man.

Full Color Butterfly Mandala 2

2010-05-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

It is time to revisit the butterflies. I can create variations of this in different color schemes and layouts. On the Emerging Patterns site, I show how I created the background flower for this piece. Other backgrounds are possible.

Duotone Silhouettes

2010-04-28T21:48:00.001-07:00

The 18 silhouettes I used in the mural were all solid black. My dancing friends asked about putting more detail into the silhouettes, so I came up with the idea of making the man all black and the woman 65% gray. I think it is a good idea, so I will go back and rework the other 17 silhouettes. I will keep you posted, but don't wait up.

Dance Mural 1: Over Rainbow

2010-04-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

This is the same mandala over a rainbow background.

Dance Mural 1: Black & White

2010-04-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

Most of my mandalas could be expanded to mural size, but this is the first one that I have designed as a mural. It uses 18 silhouttes of dancing couples and is 8'X8'. It would fit on two 4'X8' panels of sheetrock. It can be turned into wall paper for do-it-yourself application by Murals Your Way.

Dancing Couples Mandalas

2010-04-21T05:21:00.000-07:00

I have friends who are big into ballroom dancing who have asked me to design some apparel with a dance theme. I did a series of mandalas made with silhouettes of dancing couples. I take photos of dancers, and turn them into silhouettes. The first images are suitable for t shirts, jackets, cards and more. The last one is poster size, and I am working on a mural size mandala.

Butterflies

2010-04-21T05:14:00.000-07:00

I have started a new series of butterfly mandalas. I posted more on Nightblooming Cards. I have not yet posted any of these for sale, as they are a work in progress, but I think there is a lot of potential here and expect to have a significant line of creations around this idea.
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I have also added elements of this to my flower mandala tutorial blog showing how to make the individual butterflies.

Barrel Cactus Mandala on Blue Thorn Pattern

2010-03-08T20:30:00.000-08:00

We have used this mandala before, but it is nice to be able to put it on this new background.

Blue Barrel Cactus Pattern as Background

2010-03-08T20:27:00.000-08:00

This is the same pattern turned blue which will work better for our mandala.

Natural Barrel Cactus Patttern for Background

2010-03-08T20:15:00.000-08:00

This pattern is made from a segment of a photo of a barrel cactus showing the thorns.
I use this pattern as well as its blue version on Emerging Pattern Ties and Keds Shoes on Zazzle.

Yucca Mandala 1 on Green

2010-03-07T23:51:00.001-08:00

Or would you rather see it on the green background?

Yucca Mandala 1 on Blue

2010-03-07T23:49:00.001-08:00

How about superimposing a mandala on our blue background?

Yucca Background Pattern in Blue

2010-03-07T23:47:00.001-08:00

I can change any of these patterns to any color you like, and darken or lighten them as needed.

Yucca Background Pattern 2

2010-03-07T23:44:00.000-08:00

Here is a variation on the previous pattern. Many variations are possible.

Yucca Background Pattern 1

2010-03-07T23:37:00.001-08:00

I made this pattern from a photo of yucca fronds to act as a background for my mandala. People have liked it so much that I have looked for another way to use it, so I have used it as a pattern for a necktie. That in turn, inspired me to use other patterns for ties. Then I started using these patterns on Keds Shoes on Zazzle.

Yucca Mandala stage 1

2010-02-25T20:34:00.001-08:00

This is the most complex extraction I have done to date. It is of a yucca plant which I photographed at Old Main on the UofA campus. I have used it as the centerpiece for our mandala. Note the intricate patterns that emerged along the seams where the images come together. I thought I was going to have to overlay flowers along the seams and was surprised to see these patterns develop. I don't want to cover them up.

Jumping Cholla/Yellow Prickly Pear Circle

2010-02-18T04:28:00.000-08:00

I have revisited the previous design and come up with this new version. I started with a background made from a jumping cholla flower and worked from the outside in to come up with this surprisingly simple, but beautiful design.

I show how I made the background on my Nightblooming Process Tutorial. The background in itself is beautifully elegant.

YELLOW PRICKLY PEAR & CHOLLA MANDALAS

2010-01-20T20:55:00.000-08:00

I took the first background and superimposed the mandala you see here. I then shrunk it down to create the second version. Again, I offer this by way of demonstrating the wide range of possibilites this approach to digital art gives us.

YELLOW PRICKLY PEAR BACKGROUNDS

2010-01-20T20:49:00.000-08:00

I took a yellow prickly pear flower and cut out the rectangular section outlined in blue. I then made it into the first background you see above. From there, I formed the other patterns to demonstrate the versatility this technique offers.

PINCUSHION CACTUS FLOWER MANDALA 1

2010-01-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

I darkened the thorn pattern to make it work as a backgorund and pasted this pincushion cactus mandala on top.

PINCUSHION CACTUS FLOWER BACKGROUND

2010-01-01T20:13:00.000-08:00

I took the photo of a pincushion cactus and cutout the little square outlined in blue. I then duplicated, rotated, and repeated until I came up with the pattern you see here.

Isn't that amazing? It is very simple to do, however.

YELLOW PRICKLY PEAR MANDALA 2

2009-12-24T04:38:00.000-08:00

I have reworkded this mandala and put it on a background with the rays of color to add a new dimension to the image.

CHRISTMAS CARD BOX SET

2009-11-06T20:44:00.000-08:00

This is the page I use for printing the front and inside faceplates for box sets of Christmas cards. I can give you a set of 12 cards for $10.00 plus shipping. That breaks down to 3 cards each of 4 designs. The Peace Mandala comes in two versions. One has Merry Christmas and Happy New Year on the inside. The other has Season's Greetings on the inside. The Christmas Cactus mandala also comes in two versions with the same distinctions on the front. I think these are two of the most unique holiday cards I have ever seen.

PEACE MANDALA 1 WITH RAYS

2009-11-06T20:40:00.001-08:00

This was one of the first mandalas I created, and was my Christmas card design for family and friends last year. I have revisted it, by adding the rays to the background and including a radial gradient. You can have it for your Christmas card this year.

NIGHTBLOOMING MANDALA 5 WITH TEXT AND RAYS

2009-11-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

This is another example of the application of rays and radial gradient to an existing image. This nightblooming mandala is my signature piece, so I want to update it for you.

BLUE COSMOS MANDALA 1 ON RAYS WITH RADIAL GRADIENT

2009-11-03T20:03:00.001-08:00

Allow me to explain that technical title. I have added a radial gradient to the rays in the background. The center of the rays is darker and they get lighter at the edges. The effect is subtle, but the eye picks it up subconscioulsy for an enhanced sense of depth. I have made the rays into a template which can be superimposed on any backgorund and colorized as needed to fit any image. If you want this effect added to any previous image you have seen; just let me know, and I can make the change.

BLUE COSMOS MANDALA 1 ON RAYS

2009-11-02T22:00:00.001-08:00

It took some doing, but I now have the rays designed as a template that can be colorized and blended to fit over any background. I think it adds another dimension to the mandala.

BLUE COSMOS MANDALA 2

2009-10-31T21:30:00.001-07:00

This is a variation on the previous mandala. I use the orange background with white flowers for quite a different look.

BLUE COSMOS MANDALA 1

2009-10-30T22:46:00.000-07:00

A friend has asked for a mandala with blue flowers. There is no such thing as a blue cosmos to my knowledge, but I had a collection of pink cosmos. Through Photoshop, I was able to change them to blues and lavander.

The background is made from photos of cantalope sections. It was made into a 4x6 repeating pattern to an interesting effect.

NIGHTBLOOOMING CACTUS FLOWER MANDALA 3

2009-09-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

This is a remake of my nightblooming mandala with the poem. This arrangement is one I use on my 2010 calendars.

NIGHTBLOOMING CACTUS MANDALA 3

2009-09-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

I have redone the Nightblooming Mandala again to reflect a further refinement in my technique. Since this is my signature piece, I want it to be right. Begining with the Rainbow Mandala, I have started inserting larger flowers at cardinal points in the design. I think it adds another dimension to the mandala. Your feedback is welcome. This can be turned into cards, and can be done as prints or posters with texts including the poem. I am posting it on Zazzle as t shirts, and mugs as well as posters and cards. I will add it to my calendar images as well.

RAINBOW MANDALA 1

2009-09-09T18:43:00.001-07:00

This one takes me back to my hippie days. There are several approaches that can be used to create rainbow mandalas, so I will be experimenting with some others and you will get to see the results. For those of you interested in how this is done, I took the photos of nightblooming cactus flowers and desaturated them in Photoshop under layer adjustments. I then went to hue/saturation, checked the colorize box and used the slider in hue/saturation to change the hue. By increasing saturation and darkening a bit, I was able to come up with these vivid colors.
Bob Coyne

BARREL CACTUS MANDALA 3

2009-08-04T05:04:00.000-07:00

This is the last in this series. I managed to use all 18 elements in its design. This may be the best yet. What do you think?

BARREL CACTUS MANDALA 2

2009-08-02T12:53:00.001-07:00

Comes the second mandala in our barrel cactus series. The light flowers tucked in behind the mandala at top and bottom are an experiment. Feedback is always welcome.

This one uses primarily the red and orange blossoms.

BARREL CACTUS MANDALA 1

2009-07-31T05:40:00.001-07:00

This is the first mandala made with the barrel cactus flowers. I use only the yellow blooms in this one. The next one will be made with the orange and red blooms, and then I will do one with a combination of all.
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The background for this one is made from a photo of a slice of bread, and is quite beautiful in its own right.

BARREL CACTUS

2009-07-31T05:01:00.001-07:00

Perhaps you have been wondering where I have been. I have been up to my ears in barrel cacti. They are the last to bloom during the year, so I have been taking photos and extracting them in Photoshop.
Usually when I create a mandala, I will have 7 or 8 elements that go into its design. I have 18 elements for barrel cactus designs. I may not use them all in one design, but it has taken some time to assemble them all.
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We have two barrel cacti in our yard. They come in quite a variety. This first one as viewed from the top is the centerpiece of my first mandala. Extracting this took awhile.

These are flowers of the first barrel cactus. They are small and relatively simple, but their vivid yellow is quite striking.
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We have two above as they usually bloom in clusters, but I want you to see the closeup of this individual one as well. Isn't nature amazing?

The other barrel cactus is this large one which I would guess is 40 years old. It is over 3' tall and more than 4' around.

It has these large, beautiful blooms. There are 5 flowers blooming at once in this photo. Sometimes, various barrel cactus will get a complete circle of flowers all the way around creating an awesome crown. Ours have yet to do that.

These two blooms give you an idea of the gift nature bestows with these flowers.

This individual bloom is my latest photo and I haven't even extacted it yet.

These flowers close up overnight and gradually open in the morning. They last for 3 or 4 days.
The mandalas I am creating, use the flowers of 7 types of barrel cacti, but there are more here in the Sonoran Desert.

SPINNING OLEANDER MANDALA

2009-06-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is another experiment in trying to give the mandala a spinning effect. Not entirley successful, but it is an idea I will revisit.

OLEANDER MANDALA 2A

2009-06-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

Here is another version of the oleander mandala. I am still experimenting with filling the space on the page and with the horizontally oriented page.

SAGUARO MANDALA 1A

2009-06-29T17:40:00.001-07:00

Let's revisit the saguaro mandala. It occurred to me that the cacti in the center were not showing up well against the dark background, so I added the blue circle. I think this is a big improvement, but I am most impressed by how easy it is to make these kinds of changes in Photoshop.

SAGUARO MANDALA 1

2009-06-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

This one is a little different. The saguaro is iconic to Arizona, and I couldn't create a mandala of the flowers without the whole cactus. Actually, I could an probably will, but I start with this one. I photographed this nice old specimen in early bloom at the cathedral here in Tucson. It was not easy getting these pictures of the saguaro blossoms. The cactus are so tall that it is hard to get a close up of the flowers which sprout on top of the central trunk and the branches. Kevin let me use his ladder so I could knock a few down from a cactus he has in his yard, so that I could get my close ups.
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I have always been partial to white flowers, so I am doubly pleased with this picture. I hope you enjoy it as well.

OLEANDER MANDALA 3

2009-06-22T21:41:00.001-07:00

This is a radical departure from what I have been doing. It is another way of filling the page, and gives the image a horizontal orientation. I took the round mandala and distorted it into the elliptical shape you see here.

I am ambivalent about the distortion, so would appreciate any feedback you can give.

OLEANDER MANDALA 2

2009-06-20T21:35:00.001-07:00

I took the simple X background and overlay the simple circle background over it to create this effect. It seems that there is a lot of potential here. There are 4 permutations possible just from the last two backgrounds. I then put this remake of the oleander mandala over it.

This is the last of my redo mandalas. Now, I can go on to new pieces.

PINK TREE BELLS MANDALA 3

2009-06-18T19:21:00.001-07:00

I continue to experiment with making my own background patterns. Here I took circles and radiated them around a center, which makes a simple but nice design. I was not satidfied with that, however. Again, I duplicated the pattern and shifted it to form this more complex pattern. Now, that's more like it.

Finally, I added another remake of the pink tree bell mandala and superimposed it over the background.

Because these are large, beautiful blooms; I made this design simpler than what I do with the smaller flowers because I want emphasize the beauty of the individula blooms as opposed to the beauty of the overall design.

Enjoy.

JUMPING CHOLLA MANDALA 2

2009-06-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

For this mandala, I created a background using this pattern of radiating lines. I had no idea what it was going to come out like, but I took a square and created an X. Through the magic of Photoshop, I then duplicated it and created radiating lines. I then duplicated that and repeated until I got this pattern.

But that was only the start. When I got finished with that, I accidentally duplicted another layer and liked the effect; so I duplicate the whole pattern and shifted it until I came up with this. I could probably make the lines thinner and repeat it all over again to create an even more intricate design. Maybe next time.

The mandala is a remake of an earlier design. I think it is a major improvement. Every one I make, shows me something new.

CALENDULA MANDALA 3

2009-06-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

I have redone the calendula mandala. I offer it on two backgrounds. The first is over a celtic knot design, the second is over a blue circle pattern.Because the blossoms are small, but don't grow in clusters like the bouganvillia, I had to create my own curved combos to create the wave effects.

The other new feature on this mandala is that while I expanded the central mandala off the page, when I created the reduced mandalas for the corners; I a included the whole mandala. I am impressed by the capability of the software.

BOUGANVILLIA MANDALA 2

2009-06-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

This is another remake. It is made with bouganvillia flowers. Obviously, I use reduced mandalas in the 4 corners. The other inovation with this one is that I use concentric "waves". All my mandalas use concentric circles, but I have also used polygons, spokes, points and stars. I had the inspiration that I ought to use some waves and the clusters of bougaanvillias are well suited to this.

HEDGEHOG MANDALA 2 ON CYAN

2009-06-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have redone the hedgehog mandala. As a demonstration, I am showing it against various backgrounds. I like to create them against the cyan background because I like to absorb that color while working.

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This creates a bright, cheerful image. I like its bright colors. By putting it against a dark blue background, the flowers stand out more enhancing the color in the blooms.

Next, I created a grid with dark blue lines on a lighter blue background.

With a couple of clicks of a button, I was able to invert the background to light lines on dark. Wait, we are not done yet.

I then took that inverted background and changed the hue to green. I could choose any color I wanted. Perhaps, this gives you more of an idea of the possibilities when it comes to designing backgrounds.

GOLDEN POPPY MANDALA 3

2009-06-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

This is an other version of the golden poppy mandala. So many variations are possible.

PINK COSMOS MANDALA 2A

2009-06-02T07:28:00.000-07:00

This is an alternatove version of the Cosmos mandala. If you will let me know which you like best, it is helpful feedback.

PINK COSMOS MANDALA 2

2009-06-01T22:22:00.000-07:00

I offer you another mandala remake made with pink cosmos flowers.

DAISY MANDALA 2

2009-05-31T21:52:00.001-07:00

I have redone the daisy mandala using the new technique of utilizing the mirror image elements. This mandala has a star with open spaces which I like. On the other hand, those spaces almost beg to be filled in; so I offer a second version with added flowers

I would appreciate getting feedback as to which you prefer as the star is something I can use in a lot of mandalas. I'm thinking of this as participatory art in which you influence which direction I go with some of this.

I am always trying to strike a balance between making things too busy and adding enough elements of interest.

YELLOW PRICKLY PEAR MANDALA 2

2009-05-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

This is another redo. I think this version is more interesting.

NIGHTBLOOMING MANDALA 4

2009-05-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

This is a remake of my first flower mandala. I think I am starting to get the hang of it.