Mandalas are considered a great coloring theme for adult coloring books. The detail that mandala’s take to color lends itself to what adult coloring books are created to do. They are designed to focus your mind on something besides your everyday. Adult coloring has been proven to be a great way to relax. Mandalas have even been used in art therapy for dealing with PTSD, dementia, stress, and fatigue.
When using gel pens, try to stick with higher quality paper because gel pens tend to make the paper buckle. If you only have thin paper, stick to gel pens that have drier ink. Using gel pens on a mandala works great because of the number of fine details these coloring sheets contain; gel pens are great for detail coloring. Listed below is a variety of gel pens to get you started on your mandala coloring journey.
The best pens for Mandala art are:
- Aen Art Gel Pens
- Sakura Gelly Rolls Pens
- ColorIt Gel Pens
- Feela Gel Pens
- Art-n-Fly Gel Pens
- Transmit Gel Pens
- Papermate InkJoy Gel Pens
Aen Art Gel Pens ($16.99)
This is a pen set that comes with 100 pens. They have a comfortable rubber grip making them great for coloring for extended periods. Also, Aen is a thicker pen than most, so they hold more ink. Lastly, they are non-toxic.
Sakura Gelly Rolls Pen ($69.00)
A pen that works for blending. This pen comes in a huge variety of colors; a set includes glitter and metallic type pens too. Sakura Gelly Rolls Pens are described as ice cream smooth, and they have options for different tip sizes.
ColorIt Gel Pens ($20.99)
A set has 48 pens with refills included for each pen. A travel case is included, along with 24 Glitter pens, 12 Metallic pens, and 12 Neon. The pens have a clear case which makes it easy to check their ink levels. They are water-basked, making them a safe pen for anyone.
Feela Gel Pens ($28.99)
If you are looking for quantity, you need to check out Feela Gel Pens. A set comes with 180 pens with refills for each pen. As you can imagine, there is a wide variety of pens in this set. They are smooth to write with and have fine tip points. Also, this pen is non-toxic.
Art-n-Fly Gel Pens ($16.99)
The 40 piece set comes with a wide variety of pen types, including metallic, glitter, pastel, neon, and a single white pen. These pens have very little issues with putting out globs of ink on the paper when compared with other brands. Also, a great pen to get a bang for your buck.
Transmit Gel Pens ($21.99)
Another set with a lot of pens is Tanmit. A set comes with 120 pens and refills included. Pens come in three tip sizes. To top it off, they are non-toxic and acid-free.
Papermate InkJoy Gel Pens ($22.68)
These pens stand out because they don’t have caps; they are click pens. Also, their sleek design lends itself to comfort. They write smooth and are ergonomic, perfect for relaxing. This set is a smaller set with 20 pens.
Blending with Gel Pens
One thing to keep in mind when you use gel pens is they’re notorious for smearing. On that note you can use their ability to smear to your advantage; their ability to smear lends itself to their ability to blend. To blend gel pens, you can use a flat paintbrush and pull the wet ink into the area you want to blend. You can also enhance their blending capabilities by wetting your brush and pulling the ink from the gel pen. If you use this technique, be sure to not make the brush too wet, you run the risk of overstraining the paper and tearing it.
When gel pens are concerned, there are a lot of ways for you to blend them. You can also blend gel pens by using a pen with wet ink and a pen with ink that is drier. An example of a pen with dry ink would be Art-n-Fly gel pen, and a wet pen would be Sakura Gelly Roll pen. Start by filling out a small area with the wet gel pen, then color over the top edge of the shaded area with the dry pen. Repeat until you get the desired effect.
What is Mandala art?
Mandala means circle in Sanskrit. A mandala is a geometric pattern that represents the cosmos/deities in heavenly worlds. They are not associated with any specific religion or culture; they are speckled across cultures. Coloring mandalas have been used for therapy since the early 1900s. Mandalas stimulate both hemispheres of the brain. The left side of the brain is stimulated by the details in the pattern, and the right brain is set to work when you access the mediation aspect.
Check out our list of mandala coloring books HERE.
Final Remarks
Coloring a mandala gives the artist a chance to step away from life for a second and exist in that moment of focus. Each layer is a way to reveal another portion of their brain. The smooth gel colors give each circle a flow, which additional blending will complement.
Coloring a mandala can be intimidating; there are so many choices to be made. So review the gel pens I listed above for you and get started with one. Each set has a variety of colors. But be sure to keep in mind less is more when coloring a mandala. Color them while keeping the idea of order in mind. Instead, take it step-by-step circle-by-circle, use the coloring session to find balance, not chaos.
Related Questions
Can you use markers, colored pencils, and gel pens on mandalas?
Yes, you can utilize any tools to achieve the results you want. Using many types of coloring tools on any coloring page can create a greater level of depth, especially if you find a way to blend those mediums. There are techniques to get you started to try using the sources I have listed above for some of those methods. Those sources also contain some tips and tricks; further research beyond my sources is also encouraged.
Do people create their own mandalas? Should I use gel pens for them?
Yes, you should; gel pens are a common tool for making your own mandalas. Of course, making your own mandala is more complicated than coloring one, but it can also be a great way to relieve stress. Making a mandala is all about repeating patterns in circles; it’s a great way to achieve focus. If you need help getting started, there is a lot of tutorials out there to help you get started.
Mandalas are often used for mediation; how does that work?
There is not just one way to meditate; you don’t have to only be still and quiet. People use all different types of activities to meditate; for example, Tai Chi and Yoga are both common practices. Meditation is a way to have an internal conversation with yourself through focus. To reveal any issues you are currently struggling with and think them over in greater depth, or even reveal something to yourself you weren’t aware of before. Each layer of the mandala represents a layer of yourself, and with each circle, you achieve a different level of focus.
Maximize the benefits of coloring with my free adult coloring eBook and by signing up for my email newsletter HERE!
Please note that the contents of this blog are for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Any action taken based on the information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk. Additionally, all images used in this blog are generated under the CC0 license of Creative Commons, which means they are free to use for any purpose without attribution.
Sources:
https://www.colorit.com/blogs/news/coloring-mandalas-for-adults-tips-and-tricks
https://www.artnfly.com/blogs/old-blog/4-gel-pen-techniques-to-use-in-your-adult-coloring-books
