My Favorite Tools
Looking to get started with dot mandala painting, but not sure what supplies are really useful?
You’re in the right place!
On this page, you’ll find the tools and materials I use and recommend — all beginner-friendly and tried and tested by me.
To make things easy, each item has two buttons: one for Canadian shoppers and one for those in the U.S. Just click the one that fits your location! It’s worth mentioning that I am in Canada, so the Canadian links go to products I’ve personally used, while the American links are the US versions.
Note: this page contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Hope Rocks Studio and helping me keep the dots flowing!
Basics to get started:
Stylus Tool Set
Basic Stylus Tool set for creating smaller dots
Acrylic Rod Set
Basic Acrylic Rods set for creating larger dots
DecoArt Paints
DecoArt Americana Acrylics are ideal for dot mandala art
FolkArt Multisurface
FolkArt Multisurface acrylic paint is my favorite for the basecoat
White Chalk Pencil
For guidelines: shows up well on black background and wipes off easily
White Charcoal Pencil
For guidelines: shows up well on black background and wipes off easily
Stencils
For drawing on guidelines
Rustoleum Clear Coat
My favorite sealer/top coat
DecoArt Varnish
If I can’t spray outside, this is my brush-on varnish
Paint Pot Strips
These are great for creating custom color palettes & preventing paint from drying out
Paint Palettes
Also good for paint mixing, and easy to clean out & reuse
Cardstock
Very useful for practicing on (but old cereal boxes also work)
Excellent additions for later
Nuvo Drops
Amazing Dimensional Paint for beautiful accents
Compass
Useful for creating the circular guidemarks
Blank Notebooks
These make beautiful surfaces for Mandalas
Rhinestones
Beautiful embellishments for your mandalas
Gorilla Glue
Easy-to-use, super strong glue for adhering your rhinestones
Light Ring & Phone Holder
This is a good size light and a phone holder all-in-one
Phone Holder
Very versatile phone holder
My Paint Shelves
Minimalist ‘shelves’ that fit 2oz paints perfectly (yes, the links below are correct!)
Happy Dotting Company Tools
These tools are wonderful, but much more expensive.