Snail Spiral Mandala

A snail with long eye stalks crawls to the right, its round shell wound into a spiral that tightens toward a tiny curl. Rows of petals, leaves and little swirls follow the spiral inward, while the body is patterned with scales, braids and waves. About 820 areas, a detailed project for adults and patient colorists from 10.

Level

Detailed

Areas to color

817

Ages

Ages 10+ & adults

Time to color (estimate)

2 hours or more

Paper

A4 or US Letter, standard printer paper

Follow the spiral of the shell with a gradient: start dark (plum or deep brown) at the tiny center curl and lighten little by little until you reach pale apricot on the outer whorl. Color the body a soft olive and leave a thin white line along its back for a moist shine.

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.