Vector Mandalas (Affinity Designer)

Discover a couple of methods for making non-destructive vector mandala patterns using Symbols and vector brush tools.
Credits: Designs by Katy McCabe.

[@quezster]

More tutorials from Ms. Katy McCabe please! Her contribution here is an excellent example of a clear, concise presentation. She breaks down complex topics, step by step, while demonstrating good practices. Great pace. No wasted words.

[@NickName_9536]

I was settling in for an Uber complex session that I had zero chance of completing. You made it look so simple that even someone like myself has a chance of doing this. Thank you!

[@SKMRify]

These geometric forms are very captivating.

[@SunwingsStudios]

I have been using the triangle method and it is awesome! Once I had a mandala set to the page size etc that I want I save it as a template and it works beautifully! I am also building a library of different assets like leaves hearts drops and what else inspires me. they can easily be dropped into the mandala as long as something with in the symbol is selected and each mandala comes out different and I can also save each mandala as an asset as well and then use the history slider to wipe my page clean and start a new one Edit one thing to note that saving a mandala as an asset seems to break the symbols so I would save a affinity design file as well

[@SarAraion210]

It would be great to have more videos like this. Thanks!

[@sooiv3572]

This tutorial was very useful. I didn't know there was such a good feature.

[@andrewfrost8866]

Clever, very clever!

[@TheAjayTyler]

Thanks for this--I was having fun with the symmetry tool in Photo and wondered how to achieve the same in Designer. Using symbols would never have occurred to me, but I like the flexibility that it affords. Thanks!

[@DamianSwarlik]

Instead of figuring out how to create something creative using several methods, it is worth creating a vector symmetry tool

[@AudioJunkie79]

This exactly!

[@wesel140]

So nice!! Thank you , as a beginner this is very useful

[@onjofilms]

Thanks Katy, so clear and concise. I was able to do like you said straight away. 👍

[@gurumonkey]

Spectacular tutorial!

[@khaar1898]

Woho! Got it working. Amazing video!

[@lichardryth]

Thank you, what an amazing tutorial!

[@kromkaew]

Thank you.

[@JanSandahl]

Superb! Gotta play around with this.

[@tonyharion9816]

Quite awesome!❤

[@pascalcreativedesign8790]

Stunning

[@Meiliful]

am I the only one having problem with drawing the line in the second version with the triangle? i didn't see the line after enabled the stabilliser

[@paazpad7522]

Really nice 👌😊 Thanks 👏🙏

[@jefwizz8932]

Thanks !👍👍👍

[@rovivodesign9387]

Insane. Thank you.

[@katherinebusse8010]

Amazing! somehow I cannot work with the transform tool on the iPad. Does anyone know this?

[@PaulaCartas]

Ctrl+J is not working on windows, what is the shortcut for copying with transformation info?

[@martiusbrasil4447]

Thanks! Very, very mutch. It's great tutorial. Very helpfull.

[@1935Charm]

Mind. Blown. 🤯

[@ronaldsantos5372]

Amazing!

[@eneacreativedesign]

Brilliant, thanks!

[@yugalsehgal]

Wow!

[@zoltanbodo8266]

love it, thx

[@sherikanamunni7508]

Wish this worked for me. I do not get centring lines coming up and how does she change to a thicker pen tool line without upsetting the controls? I tried a wonky one bit by bit, at the end, they would not work in sync at all.

[@EluneAdore]

Unfortunately, there is nothing more convenient than the Mirror Me extension for Adobe Illustrator. It would be great if similar features appeared in Affinity Designer

[@TheCrimsonPope]

This helped me so much! But I have a question: I created two rectangles for symmetry, I drew just half of the shape and the other is perfectly symmetrical, yay; and when I tried to fill it with color... a tiny slit between the two halves. Why don't the fills meet? I thought I's just create a shape like this and fill it ;(

[@TheNordicHunter]

Why did the last triangles not have to touch each other? I thought the lines were being drawn within the triangle shape?

[@katymccabe4386]

Hi! Because the curves are above the triangles they are not confined to the triangle. The curve can travel over the whole workspace, selecting the triangle just ensures that the curves are created inside the symbol group. If the curve was clipped inside the triangle, then you'd only be able to draw on that one triangle. I hope this makes sense! :D

[@TheNordicHunter]

@@katymccabe4386 Hi. Unfortunately I don’t understand. If the triangle isn’t used as a boundary, then 1. Why does it have to be a triangle, and 2. If you draw from left to right and meet the mirrored (joining) line like you were showing, do you stop once touching or could you just keep drawing around the full 360 degrees?

[@Affinity_Katy]

@@TheNordicHunter It doesn't need to be a triangle, I chose to show this method using a triangle because it shows the idea of slices of the mandala better than a circle or square. When drawing inside your symbol group, you can draw anywhere - the curve you draw is also created in the other symbol group slices. So if you draw a simple spiral on a 12 slice mandala, 11 other spirals will be created (one in each symbol group). I'd definitely encourage you to have a go, it might make more sense if you can try it out for yourself. 😊

[@TheNordicHunter]

@@Affinity_KatyThank you. I just worked on the tutorial and understand. I can just use 2 lines in a group as well, like a pie slice without the crust. What I would like to know is how to know is 1. How to get the points to snap together when or after using the pencil tool. I’ve tried multiple snap settings and nothing is working. Everything but node to node seems to work. 2. Once the end points are snapped in place, is there a way to join them and color the mandala without having to expand it and spending forever connecting points and grouping, etc?

[@thomasowens3297]

Excellent work, thank you! Is it possible to group the symbols & save in the asset panel for use in other projects?

[@Affinity_Katy]

Yes! That's a great idea 😁

[@SunwingsStudios]

@@Affinity_Katy I made a template using the invisible triangle method but I also use the asset panel to save bits and pieces and completed mandalas. completed mandalas though should also be saved as an affinity design file as adding them to the assets panel seems to break the symbols

[@bettyvanwhite6745]

I would really love this tutorial specific for AD2 on an ipad.

[@dakshina7124]

WOOW!

[@MohammedAlmabsali-b9t]

How do you make the coloring as you did?

[@cuatxe]

Double like !!

[@FastEasyGameArt]

Nice!

[@jul8803]

Can't find the symbol window :'(( Found it! Display -> Studio -> Symbols

[@monster8362]

Affinity designer version?

[@matthewsmith1547]

How do you join the sections to fill them without having to do each point individually

[@Affinity_Katy]

I would use one these methods; use the pen or pencil tool with Use Fill enabled and fill sections as you go or select all the symbols and apply fills with the Vector Flood Fill or the Shape Builder.

[@charlesxix]

Thanks, but my mind is blown. 💣💣

[@ntutorialyt]

The last one didn't work for me :(

[@jossc9639]

this doesn't work. from the beginning, the first rotation only rotates the first line .every duplication after that is in the same spot, not rotating. a step is missing.

[@Muthukaviyarasan]

😃👍🙋🏻‍♂️

[@TheOverlordOfProcrastination]

‘Drawring’ :L

[@daffaasyraf4935]

Just make the mandala tools for vector

[@onjofilms]

How do you do that?

[@adrienevd]

amazing!