How to Draw Mandala Art

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Mandala means "circle" or center point. They often convey balancing elements, symbolizing unity and harmony. Nowadays, mandalas have become part of what many call therapeutic coloring pages.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins
Image Credit: Lucy Akins
Image Credit: Lucy Akins

For this particular mandala, we will be using simple figures such as scallops (or 'U' shapes), petals, swirls, lines and circles.

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Things You'll Need

  • Different size plates, cups or glasses to form circles

  • Pencil

  • Eraser

  • Ruler

  • Coins or Deleter circle ruler

  • Paper

  • Fine point marker

  • Ultra fine point marker

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 1

Turn your largest plate upside down and trace a circle around it.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 2

Using smaller plates, cups or glasses, draw additional circles of varying sizes inside the initial circle.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Tip

Alternatively, you can use a compass to draw the circles.

Step 3

Use a Deleter circle ruler or coins to draw smaller circles towards the center.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 4

Use a ruler to determine the center of the circle and draw a vertical line through it.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 5

Use your ruler to draw a horizontal line through the center of the circle.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 6

Starting at the top left, draw a diagonal line through the center of the circle to the bottom right of the circle.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 7

Draw a second diagonal line, this time from the top left, through the center, to the bottom left of the circle.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 8

Mark the center point and draw in four equal scallops around the inside of the smallest circle.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 9

Proceed to next circle and continue to draw scallops around the inside of the circle.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 10

Proceed to the next circle and draw simple lines around the inside of the circle.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 11

Move onto the next circle and proceed to draw more scallops.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 12

In the next circle, draw simple swirls until the circle is complete.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 13

Draw a petal shape inside the next circle between the marked lines.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 14

Continue to draw petals all around the circle.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 15

Draw a smaller petal inside the initial petal and repeat until all petals have an inner and outer appearance.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 16

Draw yet another outline of petals. Continue all around the circle.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 17

Draw simple lines between the outer and inner petals.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 18

Draw another petal in between previous petals.

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Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 19

Fill the petals with small overlapping scallops.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 20

Draw small circles inside the scallops.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 21

Draw scallops around the outer petals.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 22

Using an ultra fine point marker, trace pencil drawings.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins
Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 23

Continue tracing the pencil drawings.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 24

Continue until the entire piece is outlined with marker.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 25

Using a fine point marker, fill in the inner petals.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 26

With a fine point marker, fill in the circles and outline outer petals as desired.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 27

With a fine point marker, outline outer scallops and draw a line at the tip of the scallop. Continue all around the mandala.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 28

Allow the ink to dry completely and erase pencil marks.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

Step 29

And you are done. You can make it as complicated or as simple as you wish.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins

All-in-One Guide

Here is a diagram for you to print out and use as a guide.

Image Credit: Lucy Akins
Image Credit: Lucy Akins

These don't have to be perfect. Stick to simple lines and drawings... and have fun.

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