Project Statement
I created a mandala out of patterns and abstractions to emphasize the principle of movement, focusing on making each layer look as if it is spinning in the same direction. My goal was to show as much movement and energy as I could using some illusion, while trying to connect the layers together to be more unified. I believe the outcome was successful in showing movement, unifying the different layers through careful positioning, especially when it came to the larger spokes decreasing in brightness to match the outer layer of the ring, and the inner abstraction of the combined flame and leaf pattern which provides a continuation of spinning spokes in the negative space. The outcome of the value mandala was altered a substantial amount because I had to adjust all of the values to work for the colored mandalas.
Process
View detailed project process at Pattern and Abstraction: Process
Reflection
I learned how to create abstractions from patterns and even combine abstractions to make a new shape I then used the shapes to create a pattern to make a mandala. I learned how to show movement and use illusion to express more energy. I also learned about color theories and how the red tones are meant to show energy and when using cool tones, the range is much larger when adjusting the brightness. I overcame the desire to add more, realizing that I like to create overly busy pieces. I overcame the challenge of making the pieces flow together and unify them, as well as choosing contrast and brightness levels for each piece. I discovered the difficulty of color theory and how applying colors to match values is not an easy task.