Black line drawing of a radial mandala with a central flower, dotted borders and floral motifs on a white background, shown as a tattoo design.

Enlarged with AI from a smaller original

Black ink mandala design

Geometric · Black and grey · Flash

The image shows a symmetrical mandala design drawn in black ink on a plain white background. A central rosette of petals sits inside concentric rings of dots, scrolls and small leaf shapes, with larger floral motifs radiating outward. The linework is fine and even, with stippled dots used for texture, and the design is entirely black with no shading or colour.

Geometric Dotwork Mandala Flower Rosette Floral Dot Scroll Leaves Medallion

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A story inspired by this tattoo · fiction

Dear Tom,

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The frost came down in the night and the kitchen window has grown a rosette the size of a dinner plate. Mam would have called it a good sign, though she called most things good signs when she wanted the kettle on. I have been sitting with my tea watching the light come through the middle of it, the ring of dots, then the petals, then the scrolled edges that look like someone started to draw a hem and changed their mind. I have not wiped it off. The cows can wait ten minutes for their hay.

I went through the press in the back bedroom on Sunday, the one with the pins still in the drawer from her sewing. Under the good tablecloth I found the paper pattern she used for the medallion she worked every winter, cut from old sugar bags and marked in pencil with the number of stitches per petal. She never finished the one for the hall. Eleven years it sat in a bag. I thought you might want it, or I might want to be the one who finishes it. I have not decided.

The bull calf is up and walking now, and Ned from the road says the lane will be shut by Thursday if the snow keeps on. I told him we have enough tins to see us through a month. He laughed. I did not tell him I have started drawing the pattern again on the back of the feed receipts, dot by dot, the way she taught me, because it is the only thing that keeps my hands steady when I pour the milk.

Come at Christmas if the road allows. Bring the good scissors. I will show you where she stopped, and we can start from there.

Love, Jean