This tutorial makes drawing a mandala extremely easy. This design is simplified into 29 detailed steps with pictures that will help you recreate this basic mandala without getting lost through the whole procedure.
I have chosen one single basic shape and I have applied it to the whole mandala for one simple reason. I always try to prove to you that drawing a mandala can be as simple as doodling a number of triangles on a grid as this tutorial shows.
Another point I always try to prove behind my tutorials, is that meditative arts are for everyone and they do not require any artistic skills. And every person can become an artist if he has the will and the passion.
Meditative arts, and more precisely mandala art, is simple once we catch the few main and basic steps.
So the rule number one in drawing a mandala, and in making drawing a mandala easy for beginners, is to, actually, draw a mandala grid.
A mandala grid is in fact a web created from tracing a number of circles and equally separated lines. To draw the grid it is preferable if we have a compass and a protractor to make the tracing process easy.
I have created many videos that explain how to draw a mandala grid and that shows you in a light way what are the different steps required to draw a mandala.
I will share the links and please click and watch and let me know how well they helped you.
1- Beginners Guide: Mandala 101
2- All you need to Know about Mandala Art:
3- What is a Mandala Grid:
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How to draw a Basic Mandala using one single Basic Shape
Supplies:
A4 white cardboard or paper
Sharpened Pencil
Compass
12" Ruler
0.5 black drawing pen
Eraser
Protractor
Directions:
Step 1: Mark the center of the paper
Step 2: The center of the paper will be the center of the mandala circles.
Step 3: Trace nine circles with the following radii: 1 , 2.5, 4, 5, 6, 7.5, 8, 9, and 9.5 cm
Step 4: Using the protractor, trace grid lines separated by 10 degrees.
Step 5: Color the middle circle in black, then, on the 2nd row, draw triangles on every two grid sections.
Step 6: In between each 2 triangles, draw a reversed triangle as shown in the picture.
Step 7: Retrace the outline of the 2nd circle.
Step 8: Inside the reversed triangles, draw smaller reversed triangles.
Step 9: On the third row, trace a triangle on every 2 Mandala grid sections.
Step 10: Trace another inner line on one side of these triangles.
Step 11: On the inner side of the triangles, and in the space created between the double line and main line, draw a complete small triangle.
Step 12: Color the small triangles of the 2nd row in black.
Step 13: Between each 2 triangles of the 3rd row, draw a triangle as shown in the picture.
Step 14: Color the smaller triangle of the 3rd Mandala row in black.
Step 15: Trace a double outline for these outter triangles and color it in black.
Step 16: On the 4th row, trace a triangle on every 2 grid sections, having as a start and end point the summits of the 3rd row triangles.
Step 17: Retrace the outline of the 4th circle.
Step 18: Between each 2 triangles, draw a reversed triangle as shown in the picture.
Step 19: On the inner side of each main triangle trace a double outline on one side only.
Step 20: Color the double outline in black.
Step 21: On the 5th Mandala grid row, draw a triangle on each grid section.
Step 22: On the 6th row, draw a triangle on each 2 grid sections between the 5th and 6th circle's outlines.
Step 23: Between the large triangles, trace thin triangles with a sided double outline as shown in the Mandala picture.
Step 24: Color the sided double oultine in black.
Step 25: On the 7th Mandala row, trace a triangle, right on top of the large 6th row triangles, starting from the bottom side of the mentionned triangles and reaching the outline of the 7th circle.
Step 26: Trace wide triangles, starting and ending at the sides of the previously drawn triangles as shown in the mandala picture above.
Step 27: On the 8th row, and right on top of the thin triangles of the 7th row, and starting and ending from the sides of these mentionned triangles, draw tall and thin triangles as shown in the mandala picture above.
Step 28: Between these thin triangles, draw larger triangles that end and start from their bottom side.
Step 29: On the last row, trace triangles right above the thin triangles on the 8th row.
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The Video Tutorial
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My Meditative Coloring Books
Besides being a meditative art teacher, I illustrate and publish meditative mandala coloring books. Coloring a mandala is a very relaxing and simple activity that can be your gateway to meditative arts.
I hope that you will choose to add these books to your collection.
Drawing a mandala is an activity that I practice everyday not only to maintain my accounts on Instagram, facebook, blogger etc. but because drawing a Mandala is my daily therapy. I have noticed for the past three years that this activity has helped me overcome so many low points in my life. I have went through a lot of problems and Mandala drawing was the key to get out of the hell I was going through and find the light again.
Why is drawing a Mandala that important?
Well, in my own experience, and all the studies that have been made around this art has proven that there is a deep connection between Mandala art and the universe energy. Besides this very important note, the act of repeating patterns helps regulate heart beats, and as a result lower blood pressure and alleviate stress.
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In this article I will give you a number of important Mandala tips and tricks to be able to replicate the design I created.
Please note that in order to be able to replicate this design and post it on your own account you have to mention @mandala_art_bymaria on Instagram account.
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Tips and Tricks to replicate this Mandala design
1- Drawing a mandala doesn't necessarily mean that you have to center the mandala on your paper. In most of my easy tutorials on Youtube you see me taking the center of the paper but that's only to serve the purpose of the video.
2- In this design I have used 3 different technique: Free handed Mandala, Grid mandala, and tangles.
a- The free handed mandala is a Mandala drawn without a structure (a grid).
b- a grid Mandala is a mandala drawn based on a grid.
c- tangles are those wavy lines you see on the drawing
3- To draw the free hand mandala start from the center of the flower mandala, trace the petals around it, and start expanding your flower. To have a better idea on how to draw a free hand Mandala kindly check the following video
4- To draw a Mandala grid to recreate the small mandala at the bottom of the page start by marking a point that will make the center of your paper. Again, the center of your mandala doesn't necessarily have to be the center of your paper.
After marking your center point, have in mind a general picture of how you want your mandala to be so you can trace circles that have measures close to the design you are imagining, or, if you are following my tutorials, I give you the exact circles radii and the distance required between the grid lines.
For more info about how to draw a Mandala grid kindly check the video below.
5- Drawing a Mandala requires basically these main Materials:
-Compass
-Protractor
-Ruler
-Pencil
- fine black drawing pen
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For more mandala tips and tricks follow me on social media and subscribe to my youtube channel
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My Meditative Coloring Books
As mentioned in the welcome message, if you are a fan of Mandala coloring books I invite you to add my books to your collection. Each book contains 40 original hand drawn designs and I am sure that coloring these Mandalas will make you happy and relaxed.
This tutorial includes both a mandala and a zentangle.
What is the difference between the two?
A mandala, a word that means circle or universe in the Sanskrit language, represents a number of circles organized around the same center. In these circles we reproduce symmetrical patterns while respecting the lines of a circle.
A zentangle represents a well defined shape in which we have doodled. The patterns in a zentangle can be randomly drawn, not necessarily symmetrical and definitely not repeated in a circular movement.
All Mandalas are circular when zentangle can take any desired shape from geometrical shapes to animals
So in this tutorial, we have a zentangle wolf and a moon mandala. Therefor, you will be able to learn both techniques. In addition to that, I have added a beautiful watercolor background to give the wolf a strong rise. To see how the background was made check the video at the bottom of this post.
Trace the outline of the wolf as shown in the illustration below using a 0.8 black drawing pen.
Step two of the Zentangle Wolf:
Decorate the inside of the wolf as shown in the illustration below using a 0.2 black drawing pen.
Step one of the moon mandala:
Get a compass in which you can install a black drawing pen. In this compass I have used the Stabilo fine 88.
Step two of the moon mandala:
Draw the circles of the mandala grid using the compass shown above. The center of the circles is the opening of the wolf's mouth.
The radiuses are: 3 cm, 4 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm, 7.5 cm, 8 cm and 9 cm.
Step three of the moon mandala:
Trace the grid lines of the mandala separated by 10 degrees.
Step four of the moon mandala:
Draw a pointed petal on every 2 grid sections.
Step five of the moon mandala:
Inside the pointed petal, draw a swirl at the bottom of each. Then between every two pointed petals draw a tear drop.
Step six of the moon mandala:
On the next row, draw one arc petal on each grid section.
Step seven of the moon mandala:
In the space between the 3rd and 4th circle, draw a pointed petal on each 2 grid sections.
Step eight of the moon mandala:
Fill each pointed petal with arcs from big to small. Color the blank spaces in black.
Step nine of the moon mandala:
Draw a tear drop between each 2 pointed petals.
Step ten of the moon mandala:
On the next row, draw one swirl in each grid section.
Step eleven of the moon mandala:
Retrace the grid lines in the space between the two last circles.
Video Tutorial
My Meditative Coloring Books
As mentioned in the welcome message, if you are a fan of Mandala coloring books I invite you to add my books to your collection. Each book contains 40 original hand drawn designs and I am sure that coloring these Mandalas will make you happy and relaxed.