Techniques of making mandala
The mandala are created in different ways. Painting Mandalas in papers and Sand Mandalas are two of the popular way of doing it.
For creating a sand mandala, the mandala is created of fine multi-colored sand, and then the sand grains are placed in the concentric circles. Working from outward towards centre along the pattern that has been laid out. Metal funnels are generally used so that uniform sand goes at a time.
We have been always confused with the fact that a mandala is used for the meditation. But then Dalai Lama, the great Buddhist master explains that the process of making a mandala itself is a meditative process.
Whether it be in museum or in the ritual arena, the sand mandalas are not permanent. After being on demonstration or after serving as a divine being in rituals, the mandala is destroyed. The multi-colored sand is poured back to a large container and brought back to be ritually deposited.
For painting mandalas, first of all the symbols, objects, gods, and goddesses are sketched into a canvas paper. The sketching is done with a black ink or pencil. After the sketch is done the mandalas are painted with different kind of inks and coated with gold and silvers.
