Japanese Mandala #3 - Free Coloring Page

At the centre of this mandala a five-petal cherry blossom opens around a round core lined with short, dotted stamens. A close ring gathers scattered Japanese motifs: a torii gate, folded fans, small pennants, stylised birds and a few empty circles. Next comes a band of overlapping rounded waves, then a segmented ring alternating flower-filled tiles and striped tiles, split by radial bars. The border closes with a ring of pointed bamboo leaves, then a clean double circle.

The line stays fine throughout, but the segmented ring and the central motifs pack in many small areas that call for a sharp pencil and a steady hand. The central flower and the wave band leave larger, more restful spaces. This mandala coloring page suits an adult used to detailed work, or a patient teenager; expect several sittings to cover it all without rushing the small tiles.

Start with the flower and the waves before tackling the tiles and the border leaves, the fussiest part. A fine-tip pencil works better than a broad marker on the narrow tiles. For a printable mandala that keeps its detail, print on 200gsm paper at A4 or A3.