Category: DIY

Complex Mandala Drawing Template

~ Julie ~ 5 Comments
mandalas template sketchbook drawing

Hey guys! Considering the success of my Mandala Drawing Templates, I decided to create this new, more detailed version of the template so now you can draw even more complex mandala designs!

Just click on the template image below to open it up a new tab and then you can right click and choose “save image as” to download it to your computer.

complex mandala drawing template

Print the template off on an 8.5 x 11″ piece of paper and then use it as a guide underneath copy paper or even sketchbook paper to draw your mandala!

I find it works best to paperclip it on at least 2 sides to prevent it from moving around under the page while you draw.

You could also use this template as a layer in your digital painting program to help you draw digital mandalas.

Here is a mandala I drew using this template:

mandalas template diy art drawing

I hope you will find this mandala template useful!

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below, and feel free to share your mandalas with me on Instagram by tagging me @julieerindesigns, or post a link to your drawing below!

If you’re new to drawing mandalas, or want something a little less complex, you might want to check out my other Mandala Drawing Templates here!

Have a great day everyone and have fun drawing those mandalas.
 
Cheers!
 
Julie

Mandala Drawing Templates

~ Julie ~ 21 Comments
mandala worksheet templates

My friends, I have created some templates to help you draw mandalas more easily!  

Using these, you will no longer need to use a compass or random household objects to draw circles for your mandalas.

To download the templates: Click on the image of the template to open in full size, then right click and download or print straight from your browser.

Then, you can either draw straight on the print-out or place it underneath another sheet of paper to trace.

In person the lines underneath are more apparent, so it is very easy to see and trace them. I simply used a few paperclips to keep the 2 pieces of paper together, but you could use a bit of tape or something else you have handy.

mandala drawing templates

Note: The image above shows the template under printer paper so it may show through sketchbook paper slightly less, but should still be well enough to trace.

This second template with no cross lines works better if you are going for a more free-style of mandala design.

mandala templates work sheet

Here are a couple of mandalas I made with these templates:

mandala drawing template purple blue
black and white mandala

I used the first template to draw the coloured mandala by tracing it, and for the black and white mandala I drew it straight on the printed out template without the cross lines.

I hope you guys will find these templates useful, I know I will be using them!

No more drawing circles with cups and plates for me.

If you wind up using these templates feel free to link a photo your artwork in the comments section below!  Or tag me on Instagram @julierindesigns. I’d love to see your creations.

Ready to draw even more complex mandala designs? Check out my Complex Mandala Drawing Template here!
 
Cheers,
 
Julie
 

Easy DIY Flesh Wound for Halloween

~ Julie ~ 2 Comments
diy fake flesh wound zombie halloween costume

Check out this super simple diy flesh wound tutorial!

This is the perfect thing to add to your Hallowe’en costume this year, especially if you are going for a zombie, dead or wounded look.

All it takes to create this realistic looking flesh wound are 3 products, and 4 easy steps.

You will need:

  • Eyelash glue
  • Fake blood
  • Some sort of cream makeup in a dark red, brown or black colour.
zombie halloween dead costume

I found the fake blood and cream make up together in a pack at the dollar store (Dollarama) for $1.50.  The eyelash glue cost about $7 from Shoppers Drug Mart.  You should be able to find it at any drug store or any place that sells make up, if you don’t already have some in your make up kit.

If you are going for a zombie look or any other costume you will want to put all of your base makeup on first.  Ex, whitening out your skin and contouring the shadows to create a dead look.  Once your base makeup is finished, proceed with the sores/wounds.

Step by step DIY Flesh Wound Tutorial

Step 1: Draw on the various wound shapes using the eyelash glue. If you’re doing multiple wounds, make them all different shapes and sizes.

eyelash glue halloween zombie costume

Step 2:  Let it dry.  Try to leave it for about 10 minutes if possible, letting the outside part dry but leaving the inside still a bit wet.
Dab at it using your finger, letting the inside part hollow out.  It should look something like this:

zombie costume halloween flesh

Step 3 – Take some of the cream make up (scooping a bit out using a fingernail works best) and start dabbing it around on top of the eyelash glue. Dab it inside the little ring you have created and outside, spreading it on to your skin and blending it in a little bit with your skin.  The result should look something like this:

zombie halloween costume diy

Step 4: Apply the fake blood. Make sure to get it on the inside of the circle and then dab at this with your finger and rub it in to your skin around the outside. Make sure to leave some alone so it stays like a bubble on your skin.
Leave this to dry which may take about 20-30 minutes. You can go out and do other things just watch that you don’t get it on anything if you don’t want it there.

zombie halloween costume dead

It will start to look even more realistic as it dries because the eyelash glue will become clear and the blood will look like gross, crusty, dried blood.

And that’s all there is to it! 

Taking the fake wounds off can be slightly painful if you put it somewhere hairy, when you peel off the eyelash glue it might take some hair with it so beware! Otherwise it should come off easily in the shower with a bit of rubbing using a washcloth.

I used this technique to create a Zombie Cowgirl costume for Hallowe’en this year!

easy diy halloween costume zombie cowgirl

What will you guys use this fake DIY flesh wound for? Let me know in the comments section below!

Have a great week everyone and stay safe at those Hallowe’en parties!

Check out some of my other DIY Halloween costume ideas:

Cheers,
 
Julie
 

Cleaning up Line Art using Photoshop and Illustrator

~ Julie ~ 4 Comments
cleaning up line art in photoshop illustrator

Hello friends! Today I would like to share with you my design process, specifically how I clean up my line art drawings using Photoshop and Illustrator.

Smoothing out your line art is especially important if you are selling artwork through Print on Demand stores like Redbubble, Zazzle, Society6, etc.

This is just one of many ways I create designs, and a technique you can use to turn black and white drawings into digital line art — which you can then use any way you choose.

How to Clean up Line Art using Photoshop and Illustrator

  •  Start out with some ideas in your sketchbook, and make a short list of designs to try drawing.  I often look online for inspiration and have a few things in mind before I get started.
sketchbook
  • Once you have a design you like, re-draw it lightly on a clean page in pencil.
  • Go over the pencil drawing with a black Sharpie or another fine black ink pen, to get something like this:
sketches black and white
  • Make sure you erase all pencil lines.
  • Scan each design separately into Photoshop.
line drawing in photoshop
  • Clean up the image as much as possible using tools such as desaturate, Brightness/Contrast, Curves, and erase to clean up any little black dots or dust bits that are showing.  
  • You can also use the colour selection tool to select the black line only, then create a new layer and fill it in with black. Once I am finished with this step, I save the file as a .PSD.
  • Next open the .PSD file in Illustrator, and use the Live Trace or Image Trace tool to turn your design into a nice smooth vector image. This is a great tutorial on using Live Trace in Illustrator that I often follow.
live trace in illustrator
  • The result of this process is that you get much smoother lines. This is important if you are having the designs printed, especially in large sizes.
  • Save the image as a .AI file.
  • Open up the file in Photoshop and set the pixel size to something large, like 10,000 x 10,000 pixels.
  • Fill or colour your line drawing however you like.  I like to use layers, fill with gradients and use layer settings (ex. Screen) or just paint on another layer using a drawing tablet.  There is basically an endless variety of ways you can use your line art.
  • Save your finished design as the correct file type and size(s) for the POD site you are creating for.  I always save a .PSD file as well (with all my layers in tact) so I can open it again later and use the same design multiple times.

Here are some examples of work that I have used this technique for:

tangled black and white yin yang mandala live trace illustrator
pot head teapot live trace illustrator tutorial

And there you have it!  Hopefully you now have a little bit of insight into how I create my designs for sale, and maybe even learned a new technique to try out for yourself.

Feel free to leave any questions or comments about this process in the comments section below.

Have a great week everyone!

Cheers,

Julie

Ojo De Dios (aka God’s Eye) DIY Yarn Mandala Craft

~ Julie ~ 2 Comments
ojo de dios gods eye diy yarn mandalas

I got a little bit crafty this weekend and made these super fun and pretty Ojos De Dios (aka God’s Eyes), which are basically 3D yarn mandala weavings!

They are really easy, making them a great DIY project which can even involve your kids!  Making them can be a nice relaxing activity to do while watching TV, sitting on your patio, enjoying a hot cup of tea, etc.  You get the picture 🙂

All you need to make these lovely God’s Eye decorations are the following supplies:

  • 2 – 4 Sticks of any length (I used kabob skewers from the dollar store, and cut off the pointy ends)
  • Ruler
  • Pen
  • Glue Gun
  • Various colours of yarn (scraps can be used)
  • Scissors

Simply measure your sticks with a ruler and mark them in the centre, then use your glue gun to glue the 2 sticks together in a cross shape.  Let the glue dry completely before starting your weaving.

The easiest style of Ojo is a 4 sided, diamond shape design using only the 2 sticks, like this one:

pink god's eye mandala diamond square shape

Here is a simple step-by-step tutorial for the diamond style God’s Eye.
For a more complicated design, use 2 sets of sticks, creating an octagonal shape. Don’t glue the 2 sets together, as you will attach them together using yarn.

Here is a detailed step by step tutorial for making an 8 sided God’s Eye yarn mandala.

These 8 sided yarn mandalas are still pretty easy to make, and once you get the hang of them you can easily create your own patterns!
I love how this one turned out.

yarn mandala diy craft project kids
close up ojo de dios diy yarn mandala craft

These things are really versatile.  You can make them from something as small as toothpicks, or even sticks you find outside and you can make them as big or as small as you want!

You can use them to decorate your walls, give as gifts, use as Christmas tree ornaments and more!  

Feel free to post other ways you can think of to use these in the comments section below!

Make sure you follow my blog to get more creative inspiration, and see more of my art and design projects in the future.

Find more DIY projects here!

I hope you have a great week.
 
Cheers,
 
Julie
 

Easy Winter and Holiday DIY Projects

~ Julie ~ 10 Comments
christmas holiday diy wreath made of ornaments

Hey guys, I’ve been feeling crafty lately, so I’ve been creating some fun holiday DIY projects!

Above is a photograph of a Christmas Ball Ornament Wreath I created by following this easy tutorial by Gina’s Craft Corner.

All you need to make this wreath are some ball ornaments, a glue gun with glue sticks, ribbon, a wire hanger, and some pliers!

I thought it turned out looking really nice and added some much needed Holiday sparkle to my apartment door.

Next, I thought I would share some crochet crafts I have been working on recently. These could also make great last minute Christmas gifts!

I’ve only just started crocheting this year so I’ve scoured the web for simple and thorough tutorials that look complicated but are suitable for beginners.

crochet socks diy project

The first one is for these cozy winter socks, a very easy crochet craft even for beginners.  Check out the amazingly simple, step-by-step YouTube tutorial by Glama here.  (She also has a ton of other great crochet tutorials for beginners and beyond. Check them out of if you want more project ideas or are just learning to crochet).

And finally, I am in love with these scarves by Love4Nails on Youtube!  I am making about 5 of them as gifts for my friends and family this Holiday.

Check out this very easy and beautiful step-by-step crochet scarf tutorial in the video below:

I hope you’ve enjoyed checking out these winter and Holiday crafts. Maybe you will take away some inspiration to make your own!

Be sure to follow my blog if you would like to see more of my art and other projects!

Find more DIY project ideas here!

Cheers!
 
Julie