I made this layered rose mandala wall art with the contour tool. It was really easy and I will show you how and then you will know how to use contour like an expert.
The project is 4 layers, filling in each layer a little more with each level. It creates a wonderful effect and is really a lot easier to design than it looks. But if you prefer, just download my file and cut away. Assembly instructions are later in this tutorial.
You will need:
- cardstock in various shades
- Glue or Foam tape
- Download File
Paper Selection for Rose Mandala Made Using the Contour Tool
This project can be made with any paper. The color for the rose part should be red or white (or whatever color roses you prefer). The leaves are various shades of green. Patterns work for any layer but look best on the top layer.
Designing With the Contour Tool
If you have never used it, the contour tool is in the lower right corner of Design Space and is a very useful tool! First you need the basic Access image. Search roses and it should be in the first row. It is called Roses Background and is image number M4570A. When loaded it looks like this:
First, delete the background and make the remaining part of the image 7 inches wide. Then make four copies. The first copy is the top so nothing is changed on it. You can hide it if you need the space on the mat for now.
The second copy is the roses layer. Make it red (or whatever color you want your roses). Then with that layer selected, hit the contour button. An image will appear of the whole image. It may take a minute or two. Next, select by clicking or choosing off the list all the parts that are roses. When does it will look like image 1 below. Close the contour window. That layer is now done. You can hide it.
Select the next copy and make that copy light green. Then repeat the above process with the leaves. The leaves are the sections that are sorta oval shapes with the vein (line) in them. When it is done it will look like image 2 below. You can hide that layer now.
Select the last copy and make it dark green. With it selected hit the contour button and then at the bottom hit the hide all contours button. Then close the contour window. This will fill in the whole image. It will look like image 3 below. Unhide all the layers and you are ready to cut. If you want you can center them all and put the layers in order (from top to bottom: top, red, lt. green and dark green)
Assembling the Rose Mandala Made Using the Contour Tool
You can glue the layers together with foam tape or liquid glue. Foam tape adds more dimension to the project but you end up using a lot of it.
Once the layers are all together, use a piece of cardstock that goes with your color scheme for a base. Frame the piece with a frame. If you used foam tape you should put foam tape between the mat and the glass along the edges to make a regular frame stick up far enough to give the project room or you can use a shadowbox frame.
And your Rose Mandala made Using the Contour Tool is done. And you designed it yourself!
Do this technique with lots of other images similar to this one. There are quite a few in the image set this one came from. Find them by selecting this image and then clicking the little circled i. Then click on view image set. Enjoy!
I used to have a popup when I’d upload an image that was simple, moderate & complex. Did it get removed from DS?
As far as I know it is still there.