Ausmalwelt Editorial·July 17, 2026
Coloring Mandalas: Tips for Beginners
Coloring mandalas is relaxing, builds concentration, and fun for all ages. Four templates ranging from classic to extraordinary, plus expert tips to get started.
Mandalas are far more than colorful circle patterns. The concentric forms work like a kind of visual meditation: those who engage with the symmetry and fill in section by section switch off the noise of everyday life and enter a genuine flow state. Researchers at Knox and Illinois State University showed that coloring structured geometric patterns like mandalas measurably reduces anxiety (Curry & Kasser, 2005).
In this post we present four mandala templates: a classic floral mandala for beginners (difficulty 3), an intricate geometric mandala, and two special designs — a koi mandala in yin-yang arrangement and a dreamcatcher mandala with a dreamcatcher as its centerpiece. Plus concrete tips to make your coloring sessions better right away.
The images in the pack
Coloring Tips
- Plan your colors ahead of time. Before you start coloring, lay out three to five colors side by side and check if they work well together. Simple rule: analogous colors (like blue, turquoise, and violet) feel calm, while complementary colors (like orange and blue) feel vibrant.
- Work section by section. Always fill in the same type of area in one go—for example, all the inner flower petals first. This creates an even pattern without losing track of what you're doing.
- Work from the inside out. Start at the center and work outward ring by ring. This prevents your hand from smudging freshly colored areas.
- Use fine-tip markers for details. Thin fields and ornaments are best colored with fine-liner pens or thin colored pencils rather than thick markers. A 0.4mm fine-liner gives precise lines without bleeding.
- Use shading instead of solid color. Shading adds depth to each area: press lightly toward the edges, transitioning from dark in the middle to light at the edges, or vice versa. Practice on scrap paper first.
Sources: Curry, N.A. & Kasser, T. (2005). Can coloring mandalas reduce anxiety? Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 22(2), pp. 81-85. | Carsley, D., Heath, N.L. & Fajnerova, I. (2018). When Did Coloring Books Become Mindful? Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 56.
