The Best Markers for Coloring Mandalas in 2023 - Art New York (2024)

Creating and coloring mandalas can be a relaxing hobby, and it will be especially more enjoyable if you use the best markers for coloring mandalas. There is something about using markers with bright colors that make making mandalas seem more beneficial.

You can use any colorful markers for making mandalas. However, if you are thinking of making large and intricately detailed ones, then you will need a good set of markers that have excellent drawing tips. On the other hand, regardless of what kinds of mandalas you are planning to make, you will always benefit from quality markers.

In this article, I will be showing you a couple of products and short reviews of each, and there will also be a short buying guide so you will know what to look for. By the end of this article, you will already know all the things that will help and guide you in your search for the best pens for coloring mandalas.

Best Marker for Coloring Mandalas Reviews

1 .ARTISTRO Acrylic Paint Markers

One major highlight I like the most about these pens is the brightness of the colors of their inks. Over the years, I have used dozens of brands of paint pens, and there is only a handful that has truly bright and colorful inks. This set of pens is one of them.

I would not normally use paint pens for making and coloring mandalas because they typically have thick writing tips, but these are different. This set of paint pens comes with fine, 0.7mm thick tips that are ideal for coloring small details. They also work for drawing fine lines.

Aside from mandalas, I also use these markers for other art projects. It would be a shame if these pens are relegated to exclusively drawing mandalas, so I also use them for painting rocks, cups, glasses, and others. Just like most other paint markers, they can also write on non-porous surfaces.

Aside from drawing mandalas and adult coloring books, these markers also make great gifts for creative kids. You do not have to worry about safety as the inks are non-toxic and odorless. In addition, the inks are water-based so if they accidentally leak on your kids’ hands, they can wash off using soap and water.

There is not much I can complain about. However, if I have to give one criticism, I would say that the red is not as color accurate as I would have wanted it to be. The red paint marker is a bit on the orange side and it is more evident when the ink dries.

2 .BIC BodyMark Mandala Markers

If you have ever wanted to try doing mandala henna tattoos or just want to try custom henna tattoos, these are some of the best pens that you can use. These markers have been tested on almost all skin types. Generally, they are safe for all skin types.

Another nice thing about these pens is that they all have fine point nibs, so if you want to make intricate mandalas or line drawing tattoos, you can do so using these pens. You may also find these pens useful for traditional paper drawings if you want. The nibs work well on traditional drawing surfaces, too.

The inks used in the pens are brightly pigmented, making every mark visible on the skin. Even if you have darker toned skin, these markers will still show clearly. On the other hand, I do like to use two layers to make my tattoos more visible, so you might want to do it as well.

Speaking of adding another layer, it is easy to do so because the ink dries relatively quickly. In just a couple of minutes, the ink will be completely dry to the touch. This means if you want to put another layer, you do not need to wait that long.

Here is the catch with these markers, though. Once you open them, you need to use up all the ink that same day. It will not matter if you replace the cap as tightly as you can since the ink will still start to dry quickly.

3 .Niutop Acrylic Paint Pens

What I liked the most about these pens is how smooth their inks flow from the tips. You just need to prime the pens for a bit and the ink will flow evenly out of their tips. This ability to make uniform lines is what makes these pens ideal for creating and coloring mandalas.

Mandalas are supposed to be colorful and because of that, this set of markers comes with 24 different colors of pens. Although this set does not have quite as many colors as some of the other marker sets I have, they still have bright and vibrant ink paints. This means I can still make great-looking mandalas.

Another thing I liked about these markers is they have fine-tipped nibs. When I draw mandalas, I like to make them as detailed as possible, so these pens’ fine tips are just perfect for my needs. They are also easy to control, so making fine details is quite easy.

Other than mandalas, I also use these pens for other art projects. They use acrylic inks that can write on almost all kinds of surfaces, both porous and non-porous. I have tried using these markers on glass and stones and they performed quite well on everything I have tried them on.

I do have a bit of a problem with these products, though, and that is the fact that the ink is a bit runny. This is especially evident when you use them on very porous materials like wood. I notice that they tend to bleed through the fibers of the wood, especially if I place two layers of paint.

4 .GenCrafts Watercolor Brush Pens

Unlike most of the brush tip markers I have used so far, these products come with real brush tips. My other brush pen sets use nylon tips that mimic the strokes made by brushes. However, these items have actual bristles. They do take a while to get used to using them. However, when you do, they write quite well.

These pens use water-soluble inks that come with vibrant and bright colors. If you use these to color your mandalas, you will discover that these pens add life to all your drawings, thanks to their bright pigments. You also do not need to worry about the inks bleeding into each other.

Now, even though I said that you do not have to worry about the inks bleeding into each other, you can still blend them using the included refillable water brush. Because the inks are water-soluble, they will look just like real watercolors when you hit them with the water brush.

Aside from using them as watercolors, they also work well as traditional color markers. I also like using these pens for doing calligraphy, apart from coloring. Although these pens are not as easy to control as other brush pens, they do perform well above average.

Now, I do have one slightly serious issue with it and that is the brush tips tend to fray quite easily. You need to be a bit more careful when using these markers compared to other brush-tipped ones.

5 .iBayam Colored Pens Fine Point Markers

I like drawing mandalas that are delicate and highly detailed. Drawing tiny details just helps me relax. These pens have very fine felt tips, which is why I enjoy using them. I can put a huge amount of detail in my mandalas using these pens, and having a lot of different colors to choose from also helps.

I have always made it a point to put a sheet of paper between the pages of my drawing pads in case the ink bleeds through the one I am working on. With these markers, I could make do without the sheet of paper because there was minimal to no bleed-through when I am using these pens.

Other than mandalas, I also used these Pitt artist pens for mandalas for a variety of other art projects. However, I found myself mainly using these markers for architectural illustrations. These pens, coupled with a couple of chisel-edge markers, are great for making old-school illustrations.

Aside from drawing, I find them great for note-taking and journaling, too. I have tested a lot of felt-tipped markers, and the fine ones are usually not good for writing as they usually snag on the fibers of the paper. This is not an issue with the iBayam markers. They write so smoothly that they are a joy to use for journaling.

I have been fortunate enough to get sets of these mandala coloring pens that have no issues. However, there are also a lot of people who complained about the product. Many of them said that they received sets with one or more pens dried out. Some even reported that their pens leaked. The company should invest in better quality control.

6 .Soucolor Artist Mandalas Brush Markers Pens

One of the greatest features of these mandala coloring markers is that they have dual tips. One end has a fine felt tip while the other is a flexible nylon brush tip. The fine tips are great for drawing detailed mandalas while the brush tips are perfect for coloring large spaces and creating dazzling calligraphy.

If you will be getting these markers, you will not be left wanting color variety as the set comes with 34 different colored pens. There are no repeating colors, and the distinction between the different shades of one color is very evident. This makes creating color gradients a breeze.

Speaking of the inks, these markers use high-quality inks. This means they are highly pigmented, vibrant, and do not bleed quite as much as other pens. The ink also flows smoothly. There is no skipping, ghosting, and blotting of the ink no matter how long you have been using the pens.

Moreover, the ink these pens use is water-soluble, so you can blend the colors using a water-filled blending pen. Doing this makes the inks look like watercolors with their softened colors and washed-out edges.

I do not have any complaints about the pens themselves, but I do not like the carrying case that came with these markers. It is just a regular plastic envelope that does not even hold the pens in place. You will find it next to impossible to keep these markers organized.

7 .Sakura Pigma 30067 Micron Blister Pens

Sakura markers have always been one of the best brands when it comes to drawing markers, and their reputation extends to this set of Pigma Micron markers. This collection of 8 different tips contains all the sizes of nibs that you will need for drawing mandalas or any kind of illustration you have in mind.

All the pens, even the ultra-fine 0.20mm tip marker, write smoothly on paper, making them ideal for note-taking and journaling. They write almost as smoothly as ballpoint pens. However, in my honest opinion, it would be a shame to just use these excellent drawing pens for note-taking.

Another nice thing about these pens is the Pigma inks they use. Unlike inks that rely on dyes, these pens use pigments to give their ink a deep black color. The difference is that pigments stay on top of the paper, while dyes are absorbed into the fibers and usually bleed through the other side. With that said, Pigma inks have minimal to no bleed through.

One more thing about the ink that these markers use is that it dries quickly to prevent smudging. This is quite important especially if you will be drawing a particularly large and detailed mandala. You would not want to get halfway through your project and accidentally smudge your work. This will not happen if you use Sakura Pigma pens.

There is one thing that you need to know about this set of pens. They only come in black ink. This means that you can only draw mandalas. However, you will need to use another set if you want to color your work.

8 .TFIVE TF001 Paint Pens Paint Markers

Just like with most paint markers, the inks in this set are highly pigmented, giving each color more vibrancy. The bright colors easily contrast against any background, light or dark. I enjoy using them for coloring simple mandalas and informal calligraphy.

These markers are great for coloring and drawing other objects other than regular paper. The oil-based paint inks contained in each of the 12 markers can write on all surfaces that you can think of. I used these markers last year to decorate Easter eggs and it was a joy to use to do so, instead of messy paintbrushes.

If it is the first time that you will be using paint pens, do not be surprised when they won’t write. You need to prime the pens first to get the ink flowing. Just shake the pans to loosen the ink then push the tips in to get the ink flowing. These pens take less than a minute to get primed. Once you finish priming, the ink will flow smoothly.

If you will be using these pens for decorating outdoor pieces, you do not need to bake the paint into the surfaces. Once the ink dries, the markings will remain waterproof and fade-resistant regardless of what kind of surface you write on. Even if you leave it under the sun for hours a day, the colors will not fade.

Now, you need to know that these markers have medium tips, so coloring highly detailed mandalas is next to impossible. You can probably color simple mandalas, but it would still take a bit of patience. Now, if you like doing arts and crafts, then these are the markers that you are looking for.

9 .Shuttle Art Permanent Fine Point Markers

This is the first time I have seen a set of regular markers that have these many colors. You will be getting 48 colors in total in this one set of markers, which is more than I usually use for mandalas. Speaking of which, these markers have somewhat translucent inks, so they are good for coloring mandalas.

These markers look like Sharpies, and they also have the same kind of durable mandala coloring tips. I have been using these markers quite often these past couple of weeks, and their nibs have not frayed as much as I thought they would. They still wrote uniformly and do not skip or fade.

I also use this brand of markers in my shop because they are affordable and can write on almost all surfaces if they are dry. I use these markers to place marks on different materials, like wood, and even on glass and plastic.

10 .Moxix Acrylic Paint Marker Pens

These pens all use opaque paint inks. This means that you will not even see the sketch lines underneath if you use these markers for coloring. The colors are also quite bright and contrast well against the regular paper and even more so when used on black or colored paper.

Another nice thing about the inks these markers use is that they dry quickly. In just a couple of seconds after writing, the ink will be completely dry to the touch. This prevents the ink from smudging. This is something that you do not want to happen if you have been working on your mandalas for the better part of an hour.

These markers can also write on different materials and surfaces, even non-porous ones. Aside from coloring mandalas, I also use these markers for decorating mugs and glasses, and for painting Easter eggs and kindness rocks. These paint pens are quite versatile and have dozens of uses.

There are only a handful of paint pens that I know so far use fine-tip nibs, and this is one of them. This is the reason why I love using these pens for coloring mandalas. The fine tips can get into the tight spaces and then add color without making a mess.

I would have given these markers higher scores if only there was a way to organize the pens aside from visuals. There are 32 colors in this set of markers. Some of the colors are similar in shades, so having at least color codes on the caps would have been nice.

What to Look for When Buying a Markers for Coloring Mandalas

If you are new to the hobby of making and coloring mandalas, then you might not know yet what to look for when shopping for markers to use. Here is a quick yet concise buying guide that will help you choose markers for mandalas.

Nib Size

You will be working with drawings that have very tiny details, so you will need pens that have tips that are small enough that they can color tight spaces.

On the other hand, there are also some mandalas that you can color using different gradients, and you do not necessarily have to color within the lines. For these types of designs, even larger nibs can be useful.

Type of Nibs

For mandalas, you should use markers that have fine tips. However, note that some mandalas require a broader stroke. The best choice, in this case, is to get markers that have dual tips. For example, a fine point and a brush tip, or a fine point and a chisel point nib.

Having different types of nibs will add versatility to your kit. This way, you will be able to color smaller details, but at the same time, you can also make broader strokes.

Ink Quality

This does not just pertain to coloring mandalas, but all artwork in general. If you had the choice, I suggest using pigmented inks instead of dyed inks as those do not bleed quite as much. This is the best when coloring mandalas as you will be coloring small details so bleeding will be a problem.

In addition, you should get markers with quick-drying inks. You will be working on mandalas for hours on end, so if you accidentally smudge the ink, then all that time would go down the drain.

Mandalas should be relaxing, so you need to get markers that dry quickly to prevent smudging.

Number of Colors

Mandalas are colorful so having a set of markers with a lot of colors is best. If you are just a beginner, a set with 8 to 12 colors would suffice. However, if you are a bit experienced and you would like to make gradients, then a set with at least 24 colors would be more to your liking.

Amount of Ink

You would not want to run out of ink while in the middle of coloring mandalas. This would be a lot of undue stress, which is what you are trying to avoid. Get markers that have a lot of ink, at least enough to last for a couple of months’ worth of regular use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to Use for Coloring Mandalas?

It will depend on what kinds of mandalas you will be coloring. If you will be coloring highly detailed mandalas, then you will need color markers that have fine tips. On the other hand, if you will be drawing simple ones, markers with medium tips will be fine.

Which Paper is best for Coloring Mandalas?

Mandalas, especially those that are highly detailed, usually fill an entire page. This means you will be putting a lot of ink on the paper, so there will always be bleed-through. You should use heavier gauge paper so that you can lessen the amount of bleed-through.

Conclusion

Drawing and coloring mandalas should be able to give you the kind of relaxation you are hoping for. With that in mind, you will need to use the best markers for coloring mandalas. This way, you will no longer need to worry about your markers not working as they should. Also, you can expect that your mandalas will also look great.

Now that you have reached the end of this article, you already know what to look for when you are shopping for markers that you will be using for coloring mandalas. You can be sure that you are getting the most out of your money when you follow the tips you received.