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A stroke of zen: Painting mandala stones for relaxation and fun

17 May 2023

If you’ve been looking for a small project and are keen to dig out your paintbrushes in this not so serene weather, these DIY mandala stones are a relaxing and creative activity. As well as being a form of meditation and stress-relief, mandala stones can be a great handmade gift or personalised décor in your home. 

What you need:

Step 1: Start by painting your stone in your chosen Resene paint colour for the base. Fleur used Resene Black.

 

Step 2: Once your base coat is dry, use the blunt end of a pencil to dab a dot in the middle of your stone using your chosen Resene paint colour. Fleur used Resene Bullion metallic paint. Next, use the sharp end of the pencil to add a ring of small dots around the edge of the larger dot in the same colour.

Step 3: Pull the cotton tip off the end of a Q tip and use this to make two rings of dots in two of your other chosen Resene paint colours. Fleur used Resene Red Berry, followed by another ring in Resene Fire.

Step 4: Use the remaining cotton end of the Q tip to add more rings of dots in your chosen Resene paint colours. Fleur used Resene Pirate Gold and Resene Kermit.

Step 5: To finish the mandala, use the cotton end of the Q tip again to add a final ring of dots in your chosen Resene paint colour. Fleur used Resene Now Or Never. Give the Q tip a slight wiggle as you make the dots so that they are slightly larger than the last ring of dots. Finish by adding some dots and dashes with the sharp end of a pencil using your chosen Resene paint colour. Fleur used Resene White, which really stands out against the base of Resene Black.

 

Step 6: Once the paint is dry, you can leave as is for a low sheen finish or paint on a coat of Resene Clearcoat USV to give the stone a glossy finish.

project and images Fleur Thorpe

Published: 17 May 2023