Trace a round dinner plate to form a circle. Fold the circle in half. Do it again. Open the circle. Make a design in the center.

For symmetry, make the same design in each of the four folded areas.

For something personal, create a picture in the circle in any way you like.

Besides color and paint, you can add words, photos, magazine pictures.

Make a mandala about you or about someone you love. Include the things you like, to eat, to wear, to go, to do, to say, to feel, to play. Or make one about a special holiday.

Hint: Outlining some designs in gold or dark marker to make them stand out.

Balance designs: cover the paper in color or make white spaces the same size.

Materials: protractor, ruler, compass, sharp pencil, fine-tip marker, tracing paper, plain paper, tape, light box or window, eraser

Draw a circle with compass on two sheets of paper (one can be a specialty paper for watercolor if you like). Draw a diameter with your ruler. Align protractor on center point.

Divide your circle with light pencil lines into fourths (90 degrees), hexagons (60 degrees), eighths (45 degrees), or twelfths (30 degrees). Repeat on other paper.

Cut out one wedge from your plain paper. Tape tracing paper over it. This is a template.

Create your own design in the template, with squiggles, lines, shapes, faces, symbols, whatever. Trace with fine-tipped dark marker. Or trace patterned fabric, wallpaper, wrapping paper. Position your template to trace an interesting segment.

Place template on light table or tape to window. Place your art paper on top, lining up a segment. Trace design firmly. Then rotate and trace EVERY OTHER segment on your art paper. There should be a blank wedge between each traced one.

Flip the template on light table or window and trace remaining segments. Erase any extra guide lines. Add color in any way you dream. Remember, outlining with gold or dark marker can add definition to your design.