Whether you’re just starting out or you’re looking to take your mandala drawing to the next level, I hope you’ll find this guide to mandala drawing tools useful.
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Mandala drawing tools guide
Table of Contents
Equipment List
The basic list of equipment I give all my students is as follows.
- Geometry compass
- Pencil
- Protractor
- 30 cm clear ruler (and ideally a shorter clear rulertoo)
- Rubber/Eraser
- Thick white paper (for my classes A4 is perfect)
- Smudge-proof fineliner pen (not strictly necessary for my class but needed to complete the drawing)
I’d also recommend having either a cutting mat or an old magazine to hand to place under your paper when you are using the compass so that you don’t make a hole in your table or desktop. You might also find this smaller rubber/eraser handy for rubbing out smaller details.
The one item on this list that proves the most problematic is the compass, so please do read the section below on compasses, even if you skip over everything else!
You can read about the colouring pens, pencils and paints I use to add colour to my art work here, including my favourite metallic pens and paints.
Best compass for drawing mandalas
There’s a huge range of geometric compasses available costing anything from one or two pounds to £50 or more. Below, I recommend three compasses ranging in price from around £10 to £40. Please beware of really cheap compasses as you’ll find it impossible to draw an accurate circle with them.
What to look out for when buying a compass?
Historically, the best compasses were used by architects and were made entirely of metal parts. Sadly, as architects now use computer software to do their drawings these professional compasses are no longer made but if you can get your hands on a vintage compass I’d highly recommend it.
The problem with modern compasses is that they have plastic parts which invariably wear out. Worst still, really cheap compasses are available that are so badly made that they are not fit for purpose. So what should you look out for when buying a compass?
Faber-Castell 174607 Compass
I use this Faber-Castell compass and I’m happy to recommend it. It has all the following features.
Shouldered Point
Look for a compass with a sharp point or better still, one like this one with a shouldered point.
Jointed legs
I’d recommend buying a compass with jointed legs. These allow you to keep the legs of the compass parallel to each other (and vertical to the paper).
Rapid adjustment buttons
These two buttons allow you to quickly change the radius of your circle. You can then use the wheel for finer adjustments. These aren’t essential but they are useful.
Extension arm
Some also come with a useful, if rarely used, extension arm for drawing larger circles.
Universal pen adapter
More important is a pen adapter, which is essential if you want to draw a circle using a pen or a mechanical pencil, which I often do. YOu should be aware though that a technical pen adapter is not the same thing as it can only be used with some technical pens. You want to look out for a universal pen adapter as this will take a variety of pencils and pens.
Less expensive alternatives
The Staedtler Compass Mars Comfort 552 02 Promo also has adjustable legs and a pen adaptor but it does not come with an extension arm and it has rapid adjustment buttons. I’ve not used it myself but it has excellent reviews. Even without the extension arm, it draws big enough circles for all my classes and beyond. It has a sharp point but it is not a shouldered point.
The Staedtler Noris Club 550 02 School Compass also has adjustable legs and comes with an extension arm and a pen adaptor. It’s a smaller compass but still perfectly big enough for most people needs and all my classes. I’ve not used it myself but the reviews are again excellent. Again, it has a sharp point but no shoulder. It does not have rapid adjustment buttons which means it will take longer to change the radius you are using. However, it may well last longer than ones with rapid adjustment buttons as eventually, these can wear out. Personally, I like being able to change the radius quickly and if I eventually need to buy another compass so be it.
