I grabbed a book at the library called Paint Lab: 52 Exercises inspired by Artists, Materials, Time, Place, and Method by Deborah Forman:.  One of the exercises showed how to draw the nautilus shape based on the golden ratio The page also included a design that intrigued me.  It was a cross between a mandala and a spiral made of dots.   There were no instructions on how to create it.

My curiosity led me to our modern font of knowledge, You Tube.  I searched on the word “mandala”  and quickly got sucked into the vortex of Dearing Draws and My New Compass just to name a few.

I was fascinated so I started playing with the ideas in a sketchbook and then moved onto greeting cards.

I tried various media including pencils, Sharpies and pens.  The card stock I was using wouldn’t handle much liquid so watercolors are out.

I liked them even more after jazzing them up with Krylon glitter spray.  Since I need to fidget when I watch tv, I’ve been playing with these in the evenings while I waste an hour or so on Net Flix.

I even learned a little bit about how to use a French curve in the process.  I never did figure out the design I saw in the book, but I’m sure it’s based on the same principles.

It just goes to show that when you’re curious you become creative!