Dragonfly Mandala

Four dragonflies sit on the diagonals of this mandala, their tails pointing to a scrolled rosette at the center. Between them, stacked lotus flowers and daisies mark the four directions, and buds and swirls fill the edge. The netted wing veins alone make hundreds of cells: about 870 areas, for adults and patient colorists from 10.

Level

Detailed

Areas to color

866

Ages

Ages 10+ & adults

Time to color (estimate)

2 hours or more

Paper

A4 or US Letter, standard printer paper

Keep the wings see-through: tint them very lightly in pale aqua and lilac, leave some cells white, and add a little more color in the cells near the body. A strong turquoise on the long bodies gives contrast, with soft pink for the lotus flowers.

Color from the center outward so your hand doesn't smudge finished areas.

Choose a palette before starting: analogous colors (blue, teal, green) feel calm; complementary ones (blue and orange) feel lively.