How to color a mandala

Posted on December 8, 2021December 17, 2021 by Neoserenity

Table of contents

How to color a mandala? You can not do much wrong! This is because not the perfect result, but the joy of simply doing is most important. Nevertheless, our tips and tricks listed here can help you to get a more impressive result. Alltogether, both process and result will guide you to get a good feeling in the end.

In the following article you will learn where you can color mandalas, which pens are suitable and which tools you need. In addition, we explain how you can proceed best coloring and which painting techniques you can apply.

Where do I color a mandala?

You can color your mandala wherever you feel comfortable. This can be indoors or in nature. A table or a solid painting surface (book, drawing board,…) are important. Make sure that there are no bumps under your painting template, so it lies smooth and flat, so you can paint cleanly.

What do I use to color a mandala?

Coloring mandalas is possible with colored pencils as well as with felt-tip pens or watercolor pencils.

Soft colored pencils allow you shading for color transitions and do not push through much. With harder color pencils, it is advisable to place additional sheets of paper or a thin notebook underneath so that the background (table or next page of the coloring book) is not dented.

Felt-tip pens are famous for their strong, bright colors, but they have the disadvantage that they can soak through thin paper and thus stain the painting surface or the next page in a coloring book. When using felt-tip pens it makes sense to place additional paper (e.g. blotting paper) underneath.

A nice alternative for felt-tip pens are watercolor pencils, as they can develop a similar luminosity. A watercolor pencil can be used like a crayon, but it is water-soluble and can therefore be painted with the help of a brush and water after the color has been applied.

How do I color a mandala?

You don’t know where to start and stop painting? There are several ways to color a mandala.

You can paint your mandala from the outside in towards the center of the circle. You can also start at the center and work your way out. Maybe you want to color the mandala without a rule and system, sometimes here, sometimes there and possibly leave some fields free. This is also possible.

It’s best not to think about it too long! Just follow your intuition.

As soon as you have chosen a partial area, start to color it from the edge. To get an even application of color, paint in one direction if possible and press down firmly and evenly.

Profi-Tipp:

If you hold the pencil at a slight angle, i.e. at a flat angle, you will find it easier to paint homogeneous areas.

To be able to color especially small areas cleanly, you need a well-sharpened color-pencil. So always have a sharpener ready.

For larger areas, the pencil does not need to be sharpened as much, as this makes shading easier.

It is possible to paint a partial area with only one color or to use several colors. You can overlay or mix them, or you can let them blend into each other. The latter gives your shapes plasticity.

If you paint with a fairly soft crayon, it can happen that you wipe away some color from areas that have already been colored as you move your hand. To prevent this, it helps to place a small sheet of paper, e.g. the size of a notepad, under your hand.

When using felt tip pens or watercolor pencils, always wait long enough for the color to dry before continuing to paint. This prevents colors from running into each other. But maybe, this effect is also just desired by you.

Which color do I use for a mandala?

When choosing colors, you can use color circles and color guides as a reference. For example, you can design your mandala with contrasting colors and their complementary colors, or you can work in a more monochromatic way, using only one color with its various gradations. But even here you should not worry too much. Pick the color that appeals to you at that particular moment.

Basically, don’t put yourself under pressure. You don’t have to finish coloring your mandala in a certain time. You can also color it over several days. In addition, it does not have to be perfect. You should just have fun and enjoy painting.

Take your time and let yourself drift. Enjoy the process of coloring. Let colors and shapes have an effect on you. Sink into the here and now, into yourself and your actions. Feel the pen in your hand. How does it move across the paper? How do you succeed in applying the color? Do you want to change it, intensify it? Which field and which color do you take next? Concentrate completely on coloring, direct your entire attention only to it and you will see that other thoughts have no place in this moment and your problems move far away. In this so-called flow state, in which you are focused only on this activity that brings you joy, you can wonderfully switch off and forget space and time.

Flow ” …describes the psychological state of a person who is immersed in an activity with high concentration, optimal pleasure, full engagement, and intrinsic interest, and who is normally focused, motivated, positive, energized, and directed toward the task at hand.” [1]