Dot mandalas are so soothing to create. The technique is right up there with knitting, crochet and other crafts as an excellent anti- stress activity.

I thought the technique could help jewelry makers design some unique cabochons.  We could use a flat stone - perhaps even a piece of gemstone that's not quite pretty enough on its own.  Or flawed and could do with a makeover? 

This inspiring tutorial is by Lydia May who is a dot mandala expert.  I chose this one - there are many others on Youtube - because she demonstrates how to make the dot using only Q-tips and a pencil as the dotting tools. There are also other alternatives - crochet hooks, knitting needles, nail stylus dotting tools. Look around the house and see if you can spot more!

Lydia May herself has many video tutorials. And yes, the dotted technique for pendants idea has already occurred to Lydia.  Just check out her Instagram to see them. 





Dot paintings are not new.  One example is pointillism, which branched out from the Impressionist movement in France in 1886.

George Seurat is one of the founders of pointillism. His most famous painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" is now at the Art Institute of Chicago. 


More recently - from the 1970's onwards, contemporary Australian aboriginal artists developed their own style of dot painting.  These were originally done for spiritual purposes. The artwork is now highly collectible. 

Shown below is an image taken by PatM2007 - "Designs associated with the rockhole site of Kurlkurta, 2002 (detail) by Kumantjayi Tjapaltjarri National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Australia."



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Disclosure 

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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM