When I first saw the beautiful Mandala Stones made by Australian artist Elspeth McLean I was completely blown away. Her beautiful crafts inspired me to make some Mandala Stones myself. I was not the only one. This new trend went viral and you can admire the colorful stones all over the Internet. But watch out! If you start to make Mandala Stones, it is very hard to stop. I wanted to paint one or two, but ended up with a whole basket full of them, because it is so addictive.
Here you can find a stimple step-by-step Tutorial for a beautiful Mandala Stone Pattern >>
And the results are amazing! Dot Painting (or dotillism) is a fairly old technique, mostly known from Indigenous Australian art. Small dots form intricate patterns, that look far more complicated than they really are. The great thing about it is, that you don’t have to be super talented or need a lot of practice to make these Mandala Stones. It is really easy and also a suitable craft for kids!
materials used:
acrylic paint (available here*)
metallic paint (available here*)
extra fine synthetic brushes (available here*)
spray paint, clear (available here*)
The traditional pattern begins with a big dot in the middle of the stone, surrounded by a lot of smaller ones. Then you paint your way outward until the pattern has the desired size. Many a time the stone is primed with a darker color underneath the pattern to emphasize the Mandala.
Here you can find an easy step-by-step tutorial for a basic Mandala Stone pattern >>
You don’t have to stick to the traditional patterns. Freestyle dot painting is so much fun to do and can look really awesome. Areas with different shades of the same color and color-groups that go well together, make sure that the pattern is not too chaotic and has a little structure. Curved or straight lines of little white dots can divide colored areas and provide some contrast.
Spirals and curly patterns are always appealing to the eye. If you start on the inside or the outside is just personal preference. It’s easiest if you start with a couple of really small dots in the middle and then make them slightly bigger as you go on.
With a little practice you can try patterns that are more complicated. Bigger dots are framed with smaller ones in contrasting colors. You can be as creative as you want. Most of the time you don’t really kow how your Mandala Stone is going to turn out in the end. You just start in the middle and go from there. The pattern “happens” on its own. To avoid a pattern that looks too chaotic or mismatched use color groups that go well together. Use the same color for all the smallest dots for some consistency throughout the pattern. White is a really good color for that, because it stands out brightly against a dark undercoat.
A lot of ideas and inspiration for colorful Mandala Stones:
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Hello Barbara,Iam Suganya from India.I just happened to come across your tutorials on mandala stones and I am happy that you have shared in detail on how you painted the stones .I have been looking at Elspeth’s mandalas and I was wanting to try for quite sometime but I did’nt know how to start and now you have taught me.Thanks a lot for sharing. I have been obsessed with making mandals on canvas and I have tried one on that board but it takes a long time to dry ,I think best is to try in acrylics.What brand are you using as I will order it online.Thanks a lot ..
Thank you! 🙂 Most of the brands are good nowadays. I have linked some examples in the posting above. Just make sure to buy waterbased acrylics. You can adjust the consistency of the paint much easier if it is needed.
These are beautiful, do you sell them?
Thank you so much! 🙂 I don’t at the moment, but I’m planning to set up an etsy shop in the near future.
Please let me know when you do 🙂
Very beautiful and creative
thank you! 🙂
I want to give it a try so much, think I can do it, just never go to the ocean to get those wonderful stones, any ideas of where you could get them, maybe at a nursery or place that sells rocks for gardens? I really would like to get the paint that is the best to use, there are so many out there. Is the one in tube the best? Thank you , Jan Pike, Fairfield, Ca.
Since there is no ocean where I live, I find my rocks at the riverside. Also some garden centers sell suitable rocks for that kind of crafts 🙂
I live in a small town or Port Macquarie here in Australia, and beaches are everywhere ! It’s our pride and would love to do something like this with the rocks piled up from the beaches. I Love it !
That sounds so lovely! I’m quite envious of your proximity to rocky beaches. Tons and tons of mandala stones in the making 🙂
I think it’s illegal to take stones from a beach in the uk !
Hundreds and thousands of them. I guess if everyone took just one our beaches would change for ever
Loving the painted stones.