How do you digitally design a mandala?

Using my 25 years of experience as a graphic designer and my proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and PhotoShop, I began creating mandalas on the computer in 2003. The basic geometry and colors are laid out first in Illustrator, which is a vector based drawing software. Since the information I am being channeled usually happens in the language of numbers, this program is perfect for translating the numbers into a visual form. Once complete with the geometry, I export my digital file into PhotoShop, a painting software. It is here where I embellish the form with textures and add another layer of dimension using shadows and light. Many of the textures I use in the backgrounds are natural mandalas such as snowflakes, flowers and the cross sections of fruits. I also create my own textures using pastel chalks and then scanning the drawings.

How long does a design take to create?

The time it involved depends on the complexity of the geometry. Average time is 40 hours from start to first proof.

What is a Giclée?

Giclée simply means a "spray of ink" in the French language. However, in the world of printing, giclée has a more specific meaning. A giclée is an archival, fine art reproduction printed on either canvas or watercolor paper. Using a high quality aqueous inkjet printer that has been calibrated in a closed-loop color management system assures the highest quality of print reproduction. To ensure the archival qualities of a giclée, the print media is 100% acid free and specifically formulated pigmented inks are used to resist fading over time.

How do I care for my print?

Canvas prints come with a protective coating that is sprayed onto the print after it has dried. I recommend carefully stretching the canvas print and then framing it without glass. It is best to keep your print out of direct sunlight and high UV exposure. You can keep your print clean by using canned air to blow off the dust. All prints include several inches of "bleed" for stretching and framing. Canvas prints are meant to be streteched on 26" stretcher bars. The actual image size, not including the background, is 24" x 24".