Activity
Design a Calligraphic Plate
Design a calligraphic plate using Arabic script and images inspired by a meaningful word.
GRADE LEVEL: Elementary School (4-5), Middle School (6-8), High School (9-12), College and Beyond
Activity
Create a Floating Mandala
Consisting of nested geometric shapes, a mandala is a symbolic map of the universe that serves as a meditation tool for Buddhists. The meditator focuses on the mandala and then visualizes entering it, taking a mental journey to the center. The act of creating a mandala can be a meditative experience, as well. Making repeating patterns can be a calming practice that keeps the artist focused and centered.
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Create a floating mandala.
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Directions:
- Collect flowers, leaves, and grasses of different sizes and colors.
- Fill a large bowl or plant pot with water, stopping right before the rim.
- Begin to arrange the mandala, start by placing the largest flower in the middle.
- Use the other flowers, leaves, and grasses to create concentric circles around that central flower.
- Keep adding materials until the water’s surface is covered.
- Look closely at your resulting mandala – what new details do you discover? Try meditating with your mandala – how does focusing on its shapes, colors, and patterns make you feel?
