In the next day of the 5 Days of Mandala Magic workshop we learned about the symbolism of the Hand and the meaning of Five. Very interesting! The hamsa (hand) form is a protection  symbol which has significance across many cultures. The hamsa symbol features five digits (thus the symbolism of the 5). To create a hamsa you can either trace your hand (the simplest way), or do a more stylized form (as I chose for my mandala).

The exercise was to create a mandala featuring the hamsa symbol. For my design I wanted to go with a henna style. Use of a Renaissance zendala tile seemed appropriate. I also  thought use of a sienna Sakura Pigma Micron 01 pen was perfect. Shading was done using a white pencil. Continue reading →