My Background
My Inspiration
My Background
I have always loved art and from a young age could be found drawing and painting. I did GCSE art and from there I got a job designing the flyers for a nightclub, I also used my skills for many artistic hobbies such as facepainting, body painting and Henna art. I think my background in Henna art has helped me with my dot mandala painting, the patterns are similar in my mind and both have a varied history in many cultures.
My Medium
My Inspiration
My Background
PAINTS
I use acrylic paints for my dot mandala work, Multi surface acrylic and enamel acrylic paints are my favourite to use as some of things I paint require the paints to air cure or be varnished. The brands I use are Folkart, DecoArt and Arteza
TOOLS
I use dotting tools and rods for all of my work, they can be found easily online, for more information see the tools of the trade section.
My Inspiration
My Inspiration
My Inspiration
I am inspired everyday by nature and the colour palettes it produces, other dot mandala artists also inspire me. For me, painting is a way of expression and a way to relax, I can feel the difference in myself if I haven't had the time to paint for a few days. I hope my joy in painting shows in my work and that it passes a little on to the person that takes a little something home.
WORKSHOPS 2025
Heart Stone Workshop
Sunday 6th April
Let your creativity bloom this April! Come and paint a beautiful mandala pot in your choice of colours ready for planting. Take the pot home to plant with your favourite spring blooms or give as a gift to someone special. What a lovely Easter gift for someone, a hand painted unique Spring plant pot.
**NEW tutorial** #1 trinket dish pattern
You can now download this Step by Step guide to creating your own trinket dish. In this guide I will show you tools sizes, paint colours and go over some basic patterns of this design for you to practice before you start your piece.
MANDALA CRAFT KITS
Dot Mandala Canvas Kit
I have lovingly chosen for you, all you will need to paint not one, but two mandala canvases.
I have also included some pattern ideas that you can follow or mix & match the designs to create your own stunning dot mandala painting.
The kits will include:
1 x 6"x6" Canvas
1 x 8"x8" Canvas Black
1 x 6" Stencil
1x 8" Stencil
1 x paintbrush
1 Set of Stylus Tools
1 Set of Acrylic Rod Tools
10 Pointed Cotton Buds
1 x 6 pots of Decoart paint
1 x White chalk pencil
2 x Practice Sheets
2 x Black stock card
2 x sheet of pattern ideas
See Videos below to accompany your practice sheets from the kit
Choose from 5 different colour palettes, Tulips, Rainbow, Cherry blossom, Succulents & Ocean
KIDS CRAFT KITS
Rock Bugs Painting Kit
Perfect for the Summer holidays, for kids crafting sessions and great as a gift.
The kit includes:
3 x Hand cast pebbles
1 x Base painting brush
1 x Detail brush
1 x Wooden Dowl
6 x pots of acrylic paint (Red, Blue, Yellow, Turquoise, Black, White)
1 x Set of instructions
Mandalas
What is a mandala?
A mandala is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid to meditation and trance induction.
In the ancient Sanskrit language of Hinduism and Buddhism, mandala means “circle.” Traditionally, a mandala is a geometric design or pattern that represents the cosmos or deities in various heavenly worlds. “It’s all about finding peace in the symmetry of the design and of the universe,” says artist Saudamini Madra.
Artist and math professor Fernanda Bonafini began making mandalas just for the joy of it. “In the process of drawing mandala artwork, you feel much calmer and more peaceful and your breathing and heartbeat slow down. The sensation in your mind and body and their connection, is very good,” Bonafini says.
People in different cultures all over the world have created mandalas, suggesting that the form speaks to something deep within every human being. The brilliant psychoanalyst Carl Jung believed that the mandala represents the Self and that drawing a mandala gives a person a sacred space to meet that Self. He considered making mandalas an effective form of art therapy, helping to calm and comfort people struggling with mental health issues.
Mayans, Aztecs, Australian aborigines and European Catholics all created mandalas in one form or another but mandala's are most common in Buddhist and Hindu art of the Indian subcontinent.
tools of the trade
Dotting Tool Sets
You can get a set which will include rods, stylus, paint brushes, a paint pallet and stencils on amazon for about £14.99. These are great for when you first start as it has everything you need. (even though you probably won't use the large ball tools)
Rods
You can buy a set of rods on their own on amazon for about £7. There are lots of different colours but all are usually plastic and work well.
Stylus Tools
Watercolour Pencils
I use this Green Stuff World set of stylus tools, they are not cheap (£15 a set) but they come with a 0.5mm stylus for detailed work and most sets only come with a 1mm being the smallest. (available in the UK & USA)
Watercolour Pencils
Folkart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Watercolour Pencils
I went through a lot of different things before I settled on watercolour pencils to mark and draw on my items. I tried chalk pencils, chalk markers ( I still use these for clear glass) but you can't get better than a watercolour pencil for most things as it just washes away so easily after you are done painting.
Math Sets
Folkart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Folkart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Never underestimate the power of your ruler, compass and protractor! These are essential for most things especially on flat objects like canvas', books & mirrors.
Folkart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Folkart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Folkart Multi-surface acrylic paints
These are my favourite paints to use though they do have to be thinned down with a pouring medium. They are high pigment and make for puffy large shiny dots.
Decoart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Decoart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Decoart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Decoart paints are one of the best choices of paints for a beginner as they can be used straight from the bottle with no need to use a pouring medium.
Arteza acrylic paint
Decoart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Decoart Multi-surface acrylic paints
A lovely heavy body high pigment paint. Heavy body means it's very thick and you need to use a lot of pouring medium to thin the paint down to use for dotting, it's also multi surface but drys matte so best to use with a varnish.
Pouring Medium
Decoart Multi-surface acrylic paints
Pouring Medium
I always use Liquitex Gloss Pouring medium, you can find this on amazon, it's not the cheapest but it's a great quality product.
Varnish
Varnish
Pouring Medium
I always use Liquitex High Gloss Varnish, you can find this on amazon, it's not the cheapest but it's a great quality product and very easy to use. ... I failed at resin.
Moulds
Varnish
Plaster
Moulds are great fun and allow you to make your own things to paint. I buy all of my moulds from Devon Dotting as I'm in the UK ... if you don't feel ready to go for a mould yet, you can always buy blanks from my online shop.
Plaster
Varnish
Plaster
To make all of my moulds i use
Herculite 2. Hard Setting Plaster of Paris. Its sets rock hard and after 3 days of drying out it is perfect to paint on.