The whole thing started innocently enough. I was using ChatGPT to help me rename Pinterest board titles and descriptions—just some housekeeping for my account. But then, I had this thought: “What if I asked ChatGPT to create an image combining Om and Mandala?” When the AI-generated designs started appearing, I was hooked.
These intricate and spiritually meaningful patterns drew me in. I decided to create not just one or two designs, but a full collection. My ambitious goal? Generate 100 Om + Mandala images in various themes, colors, and styles for my Pinterest board.
Initially, I played with basic colors, but soon the designs felt a little repetitive. That’s when I turned to Canva for inspiration. Canva’s color palette tools helped me experiment with creative combinations that breathed life into my designs. From earthy tones inspired by the five elements to bold, modern hues, I was thrilled by the endless possibilities.
Hitting Creative Speed Bumps: Challenges with ChatGPT and Beyond
As I dove deeper into this project, I realized the journey wasn’t going to be entirely smooth. One of the first hurdles? ChatGPT’s image generation limits.
I had been generating design after design, but suddenly, I encountered a restriction. ChatGPT informed me that I had reached the image generation limit and would need to wait anywhere from 1 to 8 minutes before creating more. This was frustrating at first—I was in a creative groove, and the forced pauses felt like interruptions.
But instead of letting the delays derail me, I used the downtime to refine my process and a thought popped out suddenly – why not I should try to monetize the designs as well ? I asked ChatGPT for recommendations, and it suggested print-on-demand platforms like Printful, Teespring, and RedBubble.
Discovering RedBubble: Turning Art Into Products
After researching the platforms, I settled on RedBubble for its beginner-friendly interface and built-in audience. This platform allowed me to transform my designs into products like stickers, wall art, and phone cases with just a few clicks.
Setting up my RedBubble store was straightforward, but I quickly realized that success required more than just uploading designs. Another challenge I faced was ChatGPT’s image output format. While I loved the designs it generated, they were only available in WEBP format, which isn’t ideal for RedBubble.
Initially, I converted the files into png format on my Mac, but even then, the resolution wasn’t high enough for RedBubble’s product requirements. So, I turned to Canva, which is my lifesaver in this project. Besides just changing the file type, I can also up scale the image to a whopping 3.125 time to make the image extremely clear and large enough to upload onto RedBubble.
Using Canva, I was able to bridge the gap between ChatGPT’s limitations and RedBubble’s requirements, turning my designs into polished, professional-looking products. So now the process has become slighltly tedious, I have to generate the images using ChatGPT and upsize them in Canva.
The next step is to upload the images to RedBubble. Another challenge I faced was RedBubble’s limited integration with Pinterest. While the platform lets you share directly to Pinterest, the shared posts don’t carry over optimized titles or descriptions—essential for SEO. To solve this, I manually uploaded each design to Pinterest with detailed titles, descriptions, and hashtags. It was extra work, but this step made my designs more discoverable.
So this process took a few days while trying to finish my work and coming back at night to generate the images. Not every images generate by ChatGPT in the correct format so I had to keep trying.
The Good, the Bad, and the Honest Truth About ChatGPT’s Image Generation
As much as I enjoyed creating images with ChatGPT, I quickly realized its limitations. Compared to tools like Stable Diffusion or MidJourney, ChatGPT’s image generation felt a little underwhelming.
The mandalas it produced lacked the intricate detail, precision, and visual impact I had hoped for, often falling short of what other AI tools could achieve. Additionally, ChatGPT struggled with complex prompts. Even when I provided detailed instructions—such as incorporating intricate mandala patterns or blending specific artistic styles—the results were often misaligned with my vision. This highlighted a significant gap in its ability to handle more advanced creative ideas.
Since ChatGPT’s image generation capabilities stem from OpenAI’s DALL·E, I believe this is an area where more development is needed. Enhancing detail, accuracy, and command interpretation would make a world of difference for creative users like me.
While these limitations were disappointing at times, they didn’t completely derail my project. Instead, I found ways to work around them, relying on tools like Canva and RedBubble to bring my ideas to life.
Let’s see some of the Mandala I have created below !
My Mandala Designs
Chakra-themed mandala
This is a collection of chakra-themed mandala designs, each featuring the sacred Om symbol at its center. Every piece represents a specific chakra, with unique colors and intricate patterns that embody its spiritual energy—ranging from the grounding hues of the Root Chakra to the serene tones of the Crown Chakra. Perfect for meditation, mindfulness, or spiritual inspiration!
Crystals-themed Mandala
This is a collection of crystal-inspired mandala designs, each featuring the sacred Om symbol surrounded by intricate patterns that reflect the energy and beauty of specific gemstones. From the lush greens of Emerald and Malachite to the shimmering hues of Moonstone and Amethyst, each design captures the essence of these powerful crystals, making it perfect for spiritual or decorative use.
Country-themed Mandala
This is a country-inspired mandala collection, blending the sacred Om symbol with intricate designs and colors that represent the essence of various nations. Each mandala draws inspiration from cultural motifs, patterns, and palettes—whether it’s the vibrant hues of Mexico, the elegant geometry of Japan, or the traditional richness of India and Bhutan. This series beautifully merges spirituality with global diversity, celebrating the unique identity of each country.
Chinese Zodiac Mandalas
This collection of Chinese Zodiac Mandalas features the sacred Om symbol combined with intricate patterns and imagery inspired by the 12 zodiac animals. Each design reflects the unique energy of the zodiac signs, such as the Mouse’s resourcefulness, the Tiger’s courage, or the Dragon’s strength, using vibrant colors and symbolic details. These mandalas beautifully merge spiritual symbolism with the cultural significance of the Chinese Zodiac
Planet-themed mandala
This planet-themed mandala collection combines the sacred Om symbol with celestial artistry inspired by the planets of our solar system. Each design reflects the essence of a specific planet—like the lush greenery of Earth, the fiery tones of Mars, or the ethereal elegance of Venus. With intricate details and cosmic patterns, these mandalas beautifully capture the spiritual and astronomical wonder of the planets, making them perfect for meditation or celestial-inspired décor.
Five Elements Mandala
This Five Elements Mandala collection beautifully represents the natural elements—Fire, Earth, Water, Wood, and Gold—through intricate patterns and symbolic designs. Each mandala features the sacred Om symbol at the center, surrounded by details that reflect the essence of each element. From the fiery reds of the Fire Element to the calming blues of Water and the opulent gold tones of the Gold Element, this series captures the harmony and balance of nature’s fundamental forces.
Flowers
This flower-inspired mandala collection combines the beauty of nature with the sacred Om symbol. Each design features intricate patterns that reflect the unique essence of a specific flower, such as the delicate elegance of the Orchid, the vibrant energy of the Sunflower, or the timeless grace of the Lotus. With their soft colors and detailed artistry, these mandalas are perfect for adding a touch of serenity and floral charm to any space.
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