Free Download: How to Draw Mandalas Practice Sheet

Learn how to create mandalas with these tips and practice exercises for nature-inspired patterns

Mandalas have a deep and ancient connection with meditative and spiritual practices. They are used to visually represent energy, waves, or even sound, and they also appear as a form of self-expression in the field of art therapy.

Considered symbols of integration and harmony, mandalas date all the way back to the 8th century, in India, later appearing in regions of China and Japan. Mandalas are always associated with self-knowledge and emotional balance, which is why they have gained so much attention in the modern world.

For over ten years, visual artist Lizzie Snow (@fortyonehundred) has used mandala design as a way to express her admiration for nature. Her work is inspired by fractals and patterns found in nature, and she has thousands of followers on social media.

After completing her studies at university, she knew that she wanted to make a living from art and so she began holding numerous exhibitions, accepting international commissions, and collaborations, as well as setting up her own online store.

Lizzie has collaborated with major brands such as Apple, Lululemon, Converse, Peugeot, TopShop, Blunt Umbrellas, Roy Henry Vickers, AllBirds, and Whittaker’s, among others. Her work can also be seen in solo and group exhibitions in New Zealand, Canada, and the UK.

At the end of this post, Lizzie shares a file with basic exercises to create mandalas from different patterns.

But to get into the mood for creative meditation before downloading the guide, discover Zentangle - an abstract and repetitive style of drawing using patterns that will help you to rest your mind and refine your strokes.

What is Zentangle?

The term Zentangle comes from the words Zen (a Buddhist philosophy of meditation to balance the mind) and tangle (weave or tangle in English) and its goal is to instill a sense of calm in those who practice it.

The concept was born in 2004 in the United States, thanks to Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts. Zentangle is a type of largely abstract drawing that uses patterns in a repetitive way. For many, the practice constitutes a relaxing artistic technique.

What do you need to practice Zentangle?

All you need for this type of drawing are calibrated markers (of different thicknesses) and paper thick enough to absorb the ink... The rest is up to your imagination!

You don’t need to know how to draw to practice it and, although it’s usually done in black ink on white paper, you can choose to do colorful drawings using colored markers, watercolors, pastels, or any other material of your choice.

Learn more about what a Zentangle is and practice this style of illustration.

Mandala drawing exercises

In this mandala practice sheet, Lizzie shares basic exercises for creating intricate designs of your own using different patterns. Each pattern has a faint version that you can trace over and a blank space for your own creations after the guided practice. It's an excellent way to warm up and get a feel for the style of drawing and repetition.

By clicking on the button below, you will find a file in .pdf format in your computer's Downloads folder, with the document Exercises for Drawing Mandalas by Lizzie Snow.

If you want to take your newfound skills further, sign up for Lizzie Snow's online course, The Art of Mandala Drawing: Create Geometric Patterns, where you will learn the meditative practice of drawing mandalas and explore painting techniques such as hatching, tracing, and dotting.

You may also like:

- 4 Easy Watercolor Exercises for Beginners
- Simple Exercises for Drawing Perspective
- Free examples of colored mandalas.