Mandala comes from the Sanskrit word for “circle,” and trace their history back to Hinduism and Buddhism.  Mandalas are present in nearly all forms of artwork and represent harmony, wholeness, and the universe’s infinite nature. While mandalas are beautiful to look at and enjoy, the creation of mandalas also has very specific benefits to the artist. They are known to cultivate mindfulness, help reduce stress, and promote self-awareness.

The Science Behind Mandalas

In the early 1900s, psychoanalyst Carl Jung introduced mandalas to western therapy setting and used them to help patients overcome traumas. In a study, Nancy Curry and Tim Kasser also found that patients who color mandalas had better success at reducing anxiety levels than patients who colored a blank page. Building on their findings, Patti Henderson, David Rosen, and Nathan Mascaro found that adults with PTSD showed significant improvements in mental health when drawing mandalas versus those who drew static objects.

How to Draw a Mandala

For this project, grab a blank piece of paper and some Pitt artist pens.

Mandalas always begin with the epicenter and grow outwardly, so draw a dot or small circle in the middle of the page.

From there, add symmetrical shapes around the entire circle, and continue adding layers of patterns to the circle. You can draw flower petals, circles, triangles, diamonds, or any shape that you’d like. They can be simple.

If you would like to make the design more complex and detailed, fill in the different shapes with stripes, zig zags, dots, or color.

Remember, the purpose of drawing a mandala is the creating process, and not the finished picture. Don’t worry about perfection. I have found that mandalas look amazingly complex and interesting even when there are mistakes throughout the process.

 

Enter to Win This Clip & Create Rotating Design Board from Totally Tiffany

Our friends at Totally Tiffany have graciously provided this Clip & Create Rotating Design Board for this giveaway — a $19.99 value! Use the spinning board to create perfect mandalas without having to worry about turning and twisting to get the right angle. Just pivot the design board and keep going!

This design board is also perfect for adult coloring projects, using as a lazy susan for your craft supplies, and for a variety of art projects. It freely moves a full 360 degrees and can help you always have the best angle for coloring, Zentangling, sketching, painting, lettering, flower arranging, and mixed-media projects. You’ll love the stability and convenience of the Clip & Create Rotating Design Board.

Visit Totally Tiffany to learn more.

To Enter:

• Share your favorite image above on Pinterest or Facebook by pinning or liking the image.
• If you pinned on Pinterest, share the link in the comments section below. If you “liked” on Facebook, tag us so we can see (add @stampington to your caption).
• If you don’t have Facebook or Pinterest, please comment below and tell us how you practice mindfulness with your artwork and what creative activity you do to relax.

*Winners will be randomly selected from the comments below for this giveaway and contacted via email. Contest is open to U.S. residents only, and ends 6/30/17 at 11:59pm PST.