Draw your own labyrinth.

A labyrinth is not a maze. Mazes are puzzles, designed to vex the mind, but labyrinths are contemplative designs, designed to focus the mind.

It is an ancient design, found carved into churches, temples and tombs around the world.

They are also easy and fun to draw, once you have the key.

Step 1: The Key

The key is the simple pattern around which the labyrinth is constructed. Most are based on crosses, and it is the order in which the points are connected that creates the form of the paths.

Comments

[TimmyMiller]

which are are you?
hoggle, ludo, or jereth (the goblin king played by David Bowie)?

[bowmaster]

I drew a 7-layer 'rinth on time. It was epic.

[freakinslop]

this is pure sweetness

[threecheersfornick]

Thank you very much, Kiteman! I'm going to use this in an upcoming English project.

[schimmi]

sweet, mine turned out weird but cool

[geek27]

Very Cool! I'll totally give this a try!

[Kiteman]

:-)

[da fox144112]

this instructable is great i do it in school everyday i get in trouble but oh well : - )

[stienman]

You may want to add a link to The Labyrinth Society so people have somewhere else to turn if this instructable piques their interest, as it did mine.

For instance, the centralized design fungus amongus requested can be found on this page about classical concentric labyrinths .

I'm hoping to build my own labyrinths and gardens, and this is a great starting instructable, thanks!

-Adam

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[Kiteman]

Thanks, Adam. I've added it as the final step.

[fungus amungus]

The ones I was thinking of are the Medieval ones. Specifically, Chartres. Thanks for the link. The animated GIFs are great.

[fungus amungus]

What about a technique for having the destination at the center? This seems to push it towards the bottom.

[Kiteman]

There are labyrinths with much more centralised designs, but that's what they are; designs. They take careful planning and laying out. This is by far the oldest form of the labyrinth, the one most likely to turn up on a stone-age tomb wall, because all you have to learn is the central key. After that, all it takes is a few strokes of the pen or scratches of the flint to produce a completed pattern.

[fungus amungus]

Interesting. I've walked a few of the more designed ones. They're nice to meditate on and then have a good sit in the middle. Haven't researched the labyrinths though and I like geeking out on geometry so I'll check some of this out.