TOOLS YOU NEED for MANDALA MAKING

The most important tool is your personal DESIRE to gift yourself with your own mandala. This desire will guide you through the whole mandala making process.

In terms of mandala making tools, you will need:

1.  A good sketching pad.
If you intend to use heavy markers or water colors, you might want to get heavier paper or art paper.

2. A pad of graph paper.
For easier practice and if you want to make an elaborate mandala design with special geometries and many details, we suggest you get a set of grid paper with fine divisions (5 lines to the centimeter or 10 lines to the inch). That way you can mark exactly the underlying geometric structure of your mandala design.
Most commercial grid papers have a square grid. But there are also triangular or hexagonal grids, and special geometries like the geodesic grid (see part #3). For now, just get yourself some regular square grid paper.

2. A good lead pencil & eraser.

3. A good compass.
You want a compass that can hold a steady radius as you trace a circle.

4. A good ruler with clear graduations in centimeters.

5. A straight edge or drafting triangle.
It can be either an equilateral triangle and/or a triangle with a perpendicular side (90º angle). The compass and the straight edge are the two special tools of the traditional sacred geometry artist. They represent the two cosmic principles: the line and the curve. The curve is the shape of the Feminine/Yin energy of the universe and the line is the shape of the Maculine/Yang energy principle.

6. Colors tools: markers, crayons, pastels, watercolors...
You may have already used them to color the StarWheel designs. Try to experiment with some color tools you are not familiar with.

Optional tools:

1. Shape templates.
These are drafting guides for small shapes: triangles, squares, pentagons, hexagons... You can use those or combinations of those for a variety of smaller additional icons or symbols in your mandala.

2. Calculator.
In a later section, we will learn how to measure up the Golden Ratio on a line or the overall structure of the mandala and a calculator helps.

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