Have not been here for a while and this one came from boredom ( )- created two paths then used Path Blend filter; moved the outcome, duplicated it and flipped horizontally and trimmed slightly from the centre. Ran GMIC filters Local Orientation and then Deformation Sphere and made a brush from the result. Used the brush with Tin Trans Mura Meister Copies filter a couple of times with differing input locations and iterations. Then added a final Zoom Blur and voila!

Looks great !
even thought i only followed bits and pieces of the explanation.
some of those steps used on brush and some after the mandala was done?
i have so much to learn
thank you for stoking my continued interest in GIMP

Unusual and intriguing OMG
Is the Path Blend filter the one by RobA mentioned here:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=19437&p=265051&hilit=path+blend#p265047
If so the link to his scripts isn't working

Teapot - Thanks, I love this Path Blend script. Now you can too; here it is below zipped.

Another one.

Nice one OMG it looks like fine crochet.

Thank you very much for posting the path blend script It's going to take me practise but what a cool script. First try:

Teapot - excellent start with that script.

Now, mandala or tunnel?

Teapot, your mandala reminds me of a baking or pudding mould

OMG, a mandunnel then ?

Ella, Agreed, I thought it looks like a jelly mould

OMG, That's cool I'm saying tunnel, with the centre a door that rotates to open.

OMG - Looks like a tunnel ! [207]

Teapot's [206] came out great too

Now i have to experiment with that script

Ella - nice one or perhaps a Tundala

Teapot and LeftyLeo - thanks for your comments too.

Still using the RMA_path_blend script to create a brush, then augmenting with other scripts/filters.

Wow OMG, clever use of your brush. I like the patterns you've created, makes me think of butterflies

WOW! Everyone has made such beautiful designs and mandalas! I need to get going again.

Pat - good to see you back here; I look forward to you posting some work soon.

Another one from Path Blend using a gradient I made from a photo of geothermal flow in New Zealand.

Wow thats Incredible !
i am still not sure about how to use path blend.
On this last one you used only a gradient or intermediate path steps first?

[thank you]
James

Leftyleo - thanks; I appreciate your comments. As for Path Blend, just keep experimenting with those paths shapes, they can be very simple.

The steps for creation of this mandala were -

1. Draw a path; duplicate that path and rotate it using the path bottom as a fixed axis.
2. Run Path Blend against those paths, using my custom built gradient.
3. Using the Path Blend output as the basic 'brush', run it against GMIC>Contours>Local Orientation>YIQ Luma (create new layer, do not overwrite).
4. Place the output GMIC layer below the Path Blend layer and set that Path Blend layer to Overlay/Grain Merge mode and merge it down.
5. Select new shape and edit >copy to turn it into a brush, available as required.
6. Selected an appropriate brush size, painted one layer and then used Mura Meister Copies script set to 8 copies.
7. Then created a circular selection, ran the gradient in Radial mode against the selection.
8. Ran the YIQ luma filter against the circular gradient layer and repeated step 4 for these two layers.
9. Placed that merged radial layer below those created in step 6.

And that's basically it.

Another one created similarly to that in post #214, with anther custom gradient.

OMG, Your last two path blend mandalas are fantastic. Thanks for explaining how you made them. I gave it a try but found predicting what paths and gradients would make nice results tricky so have kept it simple.

Teapot - thanks a lot; appreciate your kind comments.