FAQ #4: The Mandala Lady

Customer: how do you know what colors to use?

The Mandala Lady:
This question usually comes after they tell me that they are afraid to color because they might ruin whatever it is they're coloring because they don't know what colors to use.

For most of the mandalas that I color, I generally stick to 6 colors (and their variations):

"Funny Face" Mandala (primary/secondary colors)

Primary Colors:

1. Yellow
2. Red
3. Blue

Secondary Colors:

1. Orange
2. Green
3. Purple

The key to using these two sets of colors is knowing which ones complements the other:

• Red <--> Green
• Yellow <--> Purple
• Blue <--> Orange

Notice in the "Funny Face" mandala how you see instances of reds next greens, yellows next to purples, and oranges next blues. You'll also see instances where they are all mixed up...which goes to show how all these colors work well together. I'll have "Funny Face" and "Pathway" in my booth tomorrow at the market.

So when you're coloring and see that you have a lot of blues in your coloring, start adding some orange.

"Pathway" Mandala using only 6 shades of grey

Just to give you a different answer to this question...who says you have to use colors?

Here's an example of coloring with greys...with the focus on gradations of lights and darks to give it dimension.

I can already hear the next question: how do you do your shading?

That, my friends, will be the topic for another post.

Happy Coloring!

Joyfully, Maureen
The Mandala Lady