The Mandala Guidebook: How to Draw, Paint and Color Expressive Mandala Art

I have been obsessed with mandalas for awhile. I've drawn my own, but really wanted more instruction. I've bought three books and was extremely disappointed in all of them. For one thing, all were too complex and dense. One was not actually about drawing mandalas at all. One had really confusing instructions so I couldn't proceed after a certain point. And the third was all about theory and psychology. I wanted clear instructions on how to DRAW mandalas.I stumbled onto Kathryn's 100Mandala website and was blown away by her YouTube videos. They made the process so simple. For the first time, I was able to understand Sacred Geometry mandalas, like the Seed of Life.Kathryn's new book seemed expensive, so I postponed purchasing it. But after going through her whole site and looking inside the book on Amazon, I took the plunge.It was worth every penny! This is a gorgeous book, packed full of practical information on HOW to draw mandalas. Not theory, but practical, easy to understand instruction ... on all kinds of mandalas!This book is EXACTLY what I have been seeking. Kathryn has a great gift as a teacher. She knows how to simplify complex material, such as math concepts, for creating certain types of mandalas. In this book, she teaches how to create a variety of mandalas and spiritual symbols step-by-step.Attached is my first attempt after reading the beginning instructions for a freehand mandala. [UPDATE: I am adding a second mandala I drew last night based on the instructions in Chapter 2. Note that I don't think I have ever gone this far in a How To art book. But following the instructions (and following the encouragement of Kathryn to add my own ideas) is making my heart sing!]I really love that she keeps it simple with just enough detailed explanation.If you want to learn how to draw mandalas, you won't find a better book than this. In fact, I usually prefer videos, but these instructions and pictures are really clear.100% Recommended!

I just love this book. It's worth much more than what it's priced at. So often I have bought an instructive book that covers only a handful of projects, often at a price much higher than this book. Kathryn has packed her book with very clear illustrated step by step instructions that makes it so easy to create professional mandalas from your first attempt. The book itself is jammed with full color pictures of finished mandalas--I tried to count how many several times but always lose count, my guess there are at least 200 done by Kathryn plus many done by other various artists. There are enough ideas here to keep me occupied for over a year.You are guided how to select and use art supplies, how to draw mandalas both by the free hand method and by using a grid, how to draw the much sought sacred geometry mandalas and Celtic spirals, as well as a labyrinth. It covers all the different shapes, patterns, fillers and embellishmentsused in traditional, modern and Mehndi mendalas as well as how to use mandalas for healing and self-expression. It includes the benefits of mandalas, how to interpret your mandalas and color interpretation. Kathryn has covered multiple types of mixed media, showing how to use each one to create very unique mandalas and also how to make mixed media mats to frame your work.I would rate this as my best book purchase of the past several years.

Discovering The Mandala Guidebook by Kathryn Costa has provided me both tremendous information and joy.When I started to gather information on mandalas, my first step was to search the history and sacred practice of the art. Although these sources were interesting resources, Costa’s book offered an immediate invitation to the practice of mandalas.Kathryn Costa’s warm tone and clear instructions on creating mandalas encourage even the most reluctant artist to enter the wondrous world of mandalas. Providing a variety of examples, as well as an array of the purpose of mandala—sacred, healt -centered, playful and artistic exploration, Costa’s book encourages readers to enter the practice at any point and invites the reader to expand their mandala practice.In addition to the book, Costa generously provides other sources to support the reader’s mandala exploration. The Mandala Guidebook utilizes a multi-platform approach to mandalas which many readers should find to be of great interest and

This is one of the most beautiful and thoughtfully produced book I've seen in a long time. With great step by step explanations and photos, the author explains how to design and color your own beautiful mandalas. One of my favorite sections was a great color guide that really breaks down how to use color combinations for the best effect. The author's voice is patient and encouraging and really inspired me to start creating my own designs. Helpful tips on using the right medium, how to blend colors and mixed media help make this an essential part of my library.I go back to The Mandala Guidebook again and again and I recommend it to everyone who asks, "How did you learn to do that?"

Nice, very colorful book about mandalas. I had hoped for a lot of instructions and less information on the different types and color combinations. Overall very nice and worth the money.

Kathryn Costa's book The Mandala guidebook is a beautifully written book that I would highly recommend to everyone. As a fellow artist, drawing and creating mandalas was new to me. In Kathryn's book, she took me step by step in creating my own mandala. I was so pleased with how it came out. The instructions were easy to follow and well written. Once my mandala was created, now it was time to color it in. This was a difficult choice for me. As I read on, I was pleased to see that Kathryn included in her book instructions on how to apply different colors and how to blend them. I immediately dove into finishing my mandala with much ease. I must say I am very proud of how beautiful my first mandala came out and I am looking forward to reading this book from front to back to learn all the great techniques she offers and applying them. Big Kudos and a big thank you to Kathryn for a job well done!!! Looking forward to more of her publications!

Being a member of the 100 Mandalas' community, this was an eagerly awaited book for me last year. When my first copy arrived, I was surprised at the beauty of this book with its many illustrations for creating Mandalas. The book is a work of art in itself. Kathryn takes us through the step by step process of creating many versions of the mandala, across various cultures and styles. There are no assumptions made that one can already draw, or understand how to use color. The essence of creating a Mandala is the beginning point, and Kathryn clearly shows us how to move through to its completion. This book continues to inspire me to take my Mandala practice to the next level, to challenge my skills, and this is generously illustrated with her inclusion of Mandalas by other artists. This is always the book I refer people to who are attracted to trying out their own interest in creating a Mandala for the first time, or who want to expand their creative skills into new directions..

All you have to do is look at the beautiful and colorful cover of this book to know that there are even more treasures inside! One of the key words is "guidebook," and that's what this book is, a guide to creating mandalas of all kinds. I have been making mandalas for a long time and I learned several new techniques, especially collage mandalas, that really stimulated me. I like that the steps to making mandalas are very clear and straightforward. Most of all, I liked that color was used in such an expressive way (also one of the key words in the title). Color soars in this book, both subtle and bold, and you just want to look at all the beautiful ways it is used, how it is interpreted, and how you can add it to your mandalas to give them special meaning. This book will deepen your mandala practice and beckon you to spend time enjoying all that it offers.

Duidelijke afbeeldingen

Muy completo en cuanto a explicación de técnica y concepto de los mandalas. Lo recomiendo mucho para quienes desean iniciar en el diseño de mandalas.

This an amazing book! It is so filled with inspiration and easy to follow instructions! I will take it where ever I go, it is fantastic for all levels, no matter where you are in your mandala journey.

Le pongo sólo 4 estrellas porque una parte del libro se enfoca mucho en el cambio de texturas y la autora determinados productos que al menos a mí no me interesaba comprar. En sí, muy buena compra!

Um livro lindo com várias mandalas coloridíssimas . Gostei profundamente e dá muitas ideias par que você possa fazer suas próprias mandalas . Recomendo.