Draw a Mandala Freehand Using This Step-By-Step Guide

Often used as a focal point for meditation, mandalas are known for helping to calm and enlighten the mind. So imagine how relaxing it could be to design your own! With this tutorial, you’ll learn how to draw a mandala. (Or, if you’re more of a coloring person, you can just grab some colored pencils and print out our mandala coloring pages. No judgment.)

Draw a Mandala

Level: Easy

What You Need

Instructions

1. Draw Mandala Guidelines

Start by drawing a large circle in pencil. You can use a roll of masking tape or a plate to trace as a guide. Your circle will be the size of your finished mandala, so plan accordingly.

Draw one line horizontally through the center of your circle, then another vertically so you have four equal quadrants. Next draw a small circle in the center where the two lines cross. This will be your starting point.

2. Add Organic Shapes

Draw your first organic shape! We used a flower petal, but you can make any design you want. Use your quadrant lines to make sure your design is as symmetrical as possible.

Then keep working through the negative space, filling it with repeating shapes.

Build your way out from the central image, maintaining a consistent and symmetrical design. Continue adding shapes until you reach the edges of your circle.

Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble keeping the shapes symmetrical, mark additional quadrants on your mandala for further guidance.

3. Trace in Ink

Now that your mandala is finished, trace over the pencil lines with ink to make the design bolder. This is also a good time to go in and erase and graphite mistakes.

4. Add Fine Details

From here, you can either leave the mandala as-is or continue drawing within the shapes for an even more intricate look.

And you’re done! Once you erase any remaining pencil lines, it’s time to color it in — or just enjoy the simplicity of the design in black and white. If you draw more than one, you can turn your mandalas into a DIY coloring book, too!