HOW-TO draw Mandala using illustrator

[manal shanableh]

Open 1000x1000 px Artboard.

1 Draw vertical line, make sure it is align to artboard center

2 Select the line, go to object: Transform: rotate, angle 15°, hit copy, cmd/ctrl D 10 time to have more 10 copies

3 Copy the 2 lines (vertical and horizontal lines), past in place on new layer.

4 Draw with brush tool a line, select all layer (click on the circle right on the layer name to target all layer)

5 Go to Effect: distort and transform: Transform, choose reflect X and 1 Copy, hit ok 6 Again o to Effect: distort and transform: Transform, apply new effect, define the angle 30°, copies to be 11, hit ok.

Every thing you draw on this layer will be reflected on X for 1 copy, then will be rotated for 30° and will be repeated 11 times around the center on the artboard.

enjoy the mandala drawing 🙂

Watch the video

https://youtu.be/o1IBRw_7HBI

[EveLucille]

I am trying to draw a mandala. But I cannot make the effect to be applied to the circle when I choose 30 degree and make 11 copies. It only applies to the motif and makes it 12 sided. What I am doing wrong? Please help. Thank you

[Monika Gause]

Please show your AI file. Upload it to Dropbox or the like and post a link here.

[EveLucille]

Can you see my screenshot. I have the guides in one layer, and the circle in another. Both locked. I go to Effect>distort & Transform> enter 30% in the rotation box and 11 copies and OK. Then I make a new layer which I targeted>draw a square without fill>click on color and you can see that the 11 afects the square which changes the shape. This is not what I want. I am enclosing a few screen shots from a site I followed to the letter, step by step. But it does not respond the same way. Here is also the link from that site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHQi0I6dwmg  

I appreciate any help on step to make it. I know that I am making a mistake someplace, but cannot figured it out. Eve

[Monika Gause]

Please upload your file.

[Met1]

I'm guessing you are not selecting the correct item to rotate.

You can place different elements on different layers or you can select objects that lie underneath other objects using Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command+click (macOS) (from https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/selecting-objects.html)