“Anyone can become an artist!” - today this motto is more relevant than ever. Yes, don’t be surprised, nowadays anyone can feel like the inventive Leonardo da Vinci or the expressive Van Gogh. After all, in the past, in order to paint your own canvas, you had to study at an art school for years or, at a minimum, complete expensive drawing courses. And everyone, regardless of gender and age, can create their own still life, portrait or landscape in just 3-5 days - just like a real master exhibiting in famous galleries.

What is the reason for this phenomenon? In paintings by numbers, which are gaining more and more popularity in the 21st century. After all, they allow anyone who craves it to unleash their creative potential, even without sufficient experience or free time.

We draw according to the “all inclusive” principle

What’s especially nice is that any set for home painting already includes everything you need: numbered jars of paints, one or more brushes, instructions, a check sheet for checking shades, divided into sectors and marked with numbers on cardboard or canvas with a stretcher, varnish mixture and wall fastenings for the finished painting. You can start creating right away! But first, you should choose the desired basis for the picture and get acquainted with life hacks for coloring.

Cardboard vs canvas

Experienced paint-by-numbers believe that it’s worth starting with. After all, this material is very cheap, but at the same time it is able to absorb excess paint applied to it, which is important for beginning artists. But cardboard does not give the paintings the texture and “realness” that canvas gives: slightly rough to the touch, already primed and stretched on a real stretcher (). The canvas, in turn, is available with a monochrome numbered outline or a colored one. The latter type of canvas is suitable even for elderly and visually impaired people, as well as children, because... coloring becomes intuitive. It’s better to start with small formats and clear subjects: animals, fish, birds, landscapes, nature or flowers. But you should move on to drawing people, angels, icons or complex architectural structures after mastering the basic techniques of number painting.

With or without rules?

Of course, contemporary art has long ceased to have clear “do’s” and “don’ts” instructions, and the rules modern art exist solely to violate them. But for this you need to know them at least a little, and therefore, before you start unpacking the treasured box with canvas and paints, it is worth studying online encyclopedias in order to learn or refresh your memory of the concepts of light and shadow, line and shading, perspective and plane, front and background, color separation and contrast...

And if you are still a beginner and do not have experience in creating paintings by numbers, then it is better to strictly follow the instructions that are in each set. And when you master the basic techniques of this type of painting, you can already develop a wealth of your own techniques and tricks. Moreover, there are not so many basic techniques that significantly facilitate drawing.

"Magnificent Four" methods of coloring pictures by numbers

There are 4 principles for painting a canvas. You will remember them without difficulty, because they are unusually logical and functional; common sense and convenience suggest them to anyone who draws.

From light to dark

By painting over white, yellow, blue or pink areas at the very beginning, you will avoid accidental marks. After all, it is much easier to erase or cover up a pastel shade with another color than a bright or dark color.

If you color all the large details of the picture at the very beginning, then you will not only avoid the blunders and blots mentioned above, but you will also be able to correctly arrange the nuances and draw small details, put the right strokes and highlights. This way it will be easier to compare the “small things” with the main semantic spots of the picture: agree, by painting over the vase and the three largest buds in it, it will be easier for you to place medium-sized flowers and leaves of the bouquet next to each other.

Moving in this direction, you will definitely not smear the design already applied on the edge with your shirt sleeve or elbow. As a rule, it is in the middle of the picture that classical artists place main image, be it a hut in a pastoral landscape or a bowl of fruit in a delicious still life.

This method of moving across the canvas also allows you to avoid rubbing off the paints that have already been applied with your elbows; they will dry as you apply them, and when you reach the bottom edge, the top of the painting will be practically dry.

How to hold a brush and make strokes?

The brush is easiest and most comfortable to hold in the same way as you hold a ballpoint pen. Your hand should have support. This is enough so that you do not get tired, and the picture turns out neat. To begin with, you should master the usual strokes: just try to paint over each numbered fragment as evenly as possible, making smooth movements with the brush from left to right (if you are right-handed), applying paint in an equal layer of thickness, without going beyond the contour.

Once you've mastered this, you can experiment with layer thickness, shading, and even dot painting if your artistic vision calls for it. For example, if you need to draw a heavy rain cloud saturated with water. After all, its lower part is rough and dark, which is well conveyed by small ripples of dots, and threads of rain descend below, which are easiest to imitate with short oblique strokes.

Bright mix: how to mix paints correctly?

As a rule, the paints in a set are already mixed, which is why there are so many numbers in it, because each of them means a certain shade, which sometimes differs only by a fraction of a tone from the previous one. If during the painting process you run out of the desired color, you can easily mix it yourself from existing paints. Usually, light tones run out first, because there are usually more light spots in a picture than dark ones, and therefore you just need to slightly dilute with white the tone that is closest in shade to what you need. It is best to do this on a palette or a sheet of cardboard, and not directly in a jar, so as not to accidentally spoil the entire mass of paint.

Effective and impressive: blurring the boundaries

This is amazing, but with just two techniques - creating clear or blurred boundaries - you can give the picture depth, expressiveness, and professional look. To understand in which area it is worth making the clearest possible outline, and where to slightly blur the edges, just carefully examine these places on the sample reproduction.

This is shine: 3 unique types of varnish

When the painting is ready, you will probably want to give it a gloss and protect it from dust, cracking and fading by covering it with a transparent protective base.

Matte Acrylic varnish is good because it dries unusually quickly and also gives the paints additional brightness. Literally a couple of 6-8 hours after covering the painting, you will be able to proudly hang it on the wall and invite your family and friends to your own vernissage.

Gloss, as the name implies, gives the image a special shine and smoothness. This is a plus if you want to smooth out some roughness, but a minus if you want to emphasize volume. The aforementioned matte finish does a better job of imparting texture.

Craquelure truly magical: it allows you to nobly age a completely new painting in a matter of moments, covering the surface with a network of intricate cobweb cracks, turning a newly created portrait or landscape into an elegant antique.

Auxiliary materials

Before starting work, you should cover the table with newspaper or film, install bright but not glaring lighting, and also stock up on toothpicks and cotton swabs. The former will help you draw even the thinnest lines, while the latter will be useful for promptly removing excess paint or correcting a bad stroke. You may also need an additional set of brushes best quality and different diameters, a palette and even an easel if you are going to paint outdoors or in the country.

Don't forget to place a sippy cup of water and disposable napkins on the table. But don’t rush to open all the jars of paint right away: acrylic thickens quickly, so open them step by step, number by number.

Frame for a man-made masterpiece: choosing the ideal frame

Acrylic perfectly imitates classic oil paint, and therefore it is worthwhile to arrange the finished picture with dignity. A textured, slightly recessed and gilded or silver-plated frame in the Baroque style: with fine ligature, vignettes or vines will suit almost any subject. After all, then the image will acquire the proper volume and become a worthy decoration for your home art gallery! ()

The algorithm for working with a picture is as follows:

1)Find the correct pigment number corresponding to the number on the picture that you want to paint over

2) Paint over the fragment of the painting corresponding to the paint number. Important: do not dilute paints with water!

3) Having finished one number, the brush should be washed. Important: do not mix colors!

4)Using a dry brush, move on to the next number.

5) Color all the numbers on the canvas and you will see the result of your work.

Warning

1.Paints dry very quickly! Make sure the paint pot's lid is tightly closed when not in use.

2.Don't leave your brushes in the paint! Wash your brush thoroughly immediately after use.

3. Paints have a fixing force, so they cannot be washed off after drying.

4.Do not allow paint to dry completely on your hands, clothes or interior items! Wash it off as quickly as possible.

5.Do not give to children under 3 years old - contains small parts!

COLORING TIPS

So, in front of you is an open set of paint-by-numbers coloring books and you can’t wait to start creating your masterpiece. The tips below will help you draw a picture in such a way that you can be proud of your work, and after finishing painting you will hardly be able to guess that the picture was painted using this method (by numbers).

Of course, in this article it is impossible to tell and describe all the nuances that exist, since painting is a real art. We simply tried to summarize the practical drawing experience we have already accumulated along with the recommendations of various manufacturers and present it in the most accessible form. So:

DRAWING SEQUENCE RULES

Preparing paints

Before you start painting, you need to carefully prepare your paints. The whole trick is that MENGLEI and Truehearted products do not require any mixing of paints to obtain the desired shade and effect: everything is already completely ready and numbered, since the manufacturer took care of this in advance! In our paint sets, the paints are perfectly matched to the color scheme and presented in the right quantity, so that your future masterpiece is guaranteed to be similar to the original, and maybe even better;-) It all depends on you!

Pay attention to the numbering of paints in containers

When painting by numbers, it is extremely important that the numbers on the containers match the numbers on the canvas. Some plots involve the use of several containers with the same color of paint, respectively, these paints have the same number. Therefore, the numbering sequence is as follows:

Opening bottles

Open bottles of paint carefully, without using force - this may damage the bottle. To prevent paint from drying out, always open only those paints that you really need at the moment.

Drawing

For convenience, place the following items near you: an image of the finished painting, paints, a brush, a canvas with an outline, a control sheet, a glass of water, a piece of cloth and matches for stirring the paints. It is better to choose a place with good lighting. Outline large surfaces first with a thin brush, and then paint over the surfaces with a thicker brush. Make sure you fill in the contour lines. It is considered normal if dark paint covers better than light paint. If the outlines or numbers show through, apply paint to them several times.

How to hold a brush

Hold the brush like a pen. For stability, place your hand on the surface and rotate the picture so that its location is convenient for you.

Drawing order

There is no single approach to the order of painting. There are several drawing techniques:

1)You can draw a picture using the “line by line” method, from the top edge of the picture to the bottom.

2)However, you can achieve better results if you paint using the "background to foreground" method, first painting the objects in the background and then the ones in the foreground. For example, you are drawing a landscape. In this case, the drawing order is as follows: 1. sky, 2. clouds, 3. meadow, 4. trees, 5. leaves, 6. flowers.

Sometimes the question may also arise: should I paint a picture by numbers or by colors? Empirically and experimentally (Attention: such conclusions were made by “practitioners” and are not official recommendations of the manufacturer), some users identified two options:

1) In the sequence of numbering of paints in the set:

• from increasing the total number of areas and contours that need to be painted with one color to decreasing. Example: with paint No. 1 in the set you need to paint 15 contours, and with paint No. 2 - ten contours.
• from a larger total area of ​​contours that need to be painted with one color to a smaller one. This can be assessed visually by eye.

​ 2) In sequence from lighter shades and colors to more saturated and dark ones. This is due to the fact that if there is an error in coloring, it is much more difficult to paint dark segments with light paint than it is to paint light segments with dark paint. In other words, in order to paint a dark segment with white paint, you need more layers and vice versa: you can paint a light segment with dark paint in one layer, i.e. much easier.

As you can see, there are many variations and interpretations of the paint by number technique. Various combinations and alternations of techniques and methods are also possible, which provides us with an endless number of options. In other words, you are absolutely not limited by anything except your imagination, desires and skills. You shouldn’t get hung up on anything: you need to draw in a way that is convenient, pleasant and comfortable for you. Just start drawing a picture and in the process you will understand which technique and method of drawing is most pleasant and convenient for you.

For a perfect image of the finished painting paint over unpainted areas and visible numbers. As in art galleries, you need to look at the painting and evaluate it from a distance of 2-3 meters.

Notes to skilled artists

The painting effect can be enhanced by applying different thicknesses of paint. To do this, apply the remaining paint in a thick layer to the elements of the picture that you would like to highlight. This will give the picture a relief effect.

Varnishing

Acrylic paints after drying acquire a slight gloss and beautiful view. The surface of the painting can be wiped with a slightly damp cloth. No additional care required. If desired, a week after the painting has dried, you can coat its surface with a special varnish for paintings. Glossy varnish will enhance the brightness of the colors, and matte varnish will remove glare. Varnish can be purchased in special stores for artists and craftsmen.

Frame

By placing the picture in an appropriate beautiful frame, it will become a real masterpiece! To preserve the effect of the painting, you do not need to place it under glass. You can decorate your painting with a regular frame from self-service stores, or an elegant frame from specialty stores or galleries.

RULES FOR USING PAINTS

To paint without problems, you must follow the rules for using paints. This is extremely important!

Therefore, we ask you to carefully read the following rules and follow the drawing instructions.

Important: Once the paint cans are opened, the paint has a limited shelf life!

Rule 1

Open paint cans just before you start painting. It is very difficult to package quick-drying paints in such a small volume (about 3ml) so that they can be stored for a long time. Cans of paint, which are the development of the latest generation of the company MENGLEI and Truehearted fulfill this requirement. However, once they have been opened, the paint may dry out. Therefore, the amateur artist should complete the painting as soon as possible after opening the paint cans

Rule 2

Using a brush, remove any stuck paint from the lid back into the jar. Boxes in a store or warehouse could be stored vertically. Therefore, when opening the jar, some paint may be on the lid.

Rule 3

Despite the fact that paint containers are tightly closed and are specially designed to preserve all the properties of the paint, the paint in them may thicken slightly during storage, for example, due to temperature changes. To “revive” paints and use them again, simply add a couple of drops of water to them and stir thoroughly. The paints are ready to use again!

Rule 4

Once the paint cans have been opened, try to complete the painting without taking long breaks. After opening the jars for the first time, there is a possibility that the paints may dry out. Therefore, after opening paint cans, try to use them within a maximum of 12 weeks.

Rule 5

If you want to take a break from working, close the containers tightly, first removing traces of liquid or already dried paint from the lid itself, from the edges of the lid and the sealing grooves of the lid.

Figures A and B show the principle

In Figure AThe container is airtight because the edges of the container fit smoothly into the clean sealing grooves in the lid. The lid fits tightly to the edges of the jar.

In Figure B improperly closed jar. It can be seen that the remaining paint does not allow the lid to close tightly. Therefore, air entering the container dries out the paint. Therefore, clean each jar thoroughly before sealing it. Remove excess paint from the edge of the container with a fingernail or rag, and remove the round sealing grooves with a toothpick or large needle. Before closing the jar, make sure its rims and lid are clean.

Rule 6

If you plan to take a break from painting for a few weeks, seal the paint pots tightly as described above, then wrap them in a damp cloth and place them in a plastic bag or plastic box. This will help protect the paints from drying out. However, this cannot guarantee that already opened paints will remain ready for use and retain their properties for many months or years.

Rule 7

After each break in painting, the viscosity of the paints should be slightly adjusted to ensure proper application. After all, paints contain water, which quickly evaporates from open containers. Therefore, the colors thicken a little. But this is easy to fix: add a few drops of water and mix thoroughly.

RULES FOR CARE OF BRUSHES

In order for the brush to serve you for a long time and with high quality, you must follow the recommendations below. Artists sometimes complain about the quality of brushes. However, in most cases this is due to improper brush care.

Most common mistakes:

1. Do not leave the brush in a glass of water.

2. Never clean your brush with aggressive chemicals.

3. Never use a brush to stir paint.

4. Never use your nails to remove dried paint.

Proper care:

The brush consists of three parts: a handle, metal fasteners and a fleecy part. 1. After painting, immediately wipe off any remaining paint from the brush. 2. Rinse the brush in clean warm water. 3. Gently lather the brush and then rinse it again. 4. Wipe the water off the brush using a rotating motion. Paint should not remain on the end of the metal fastener. 5. Use your fingers to shape the bristly part of the brush back to its original shape, forming the tip. 6. Put the brush down and let it dry on its own. Do not use a heater or hair dryer! The most important rule is not to be afraid! Color for fun - Everything will work out! Happy coloring and shopping!

Friends, hello.

The cool thing about coloring is that you don't have to have a lot of tools! In this article we will review the most popular felt-tip pens, colored pencils and pens that can be used for both anti-stress coloring books and children's coloring books.

We will look at tools from different manufacturers and give examples of work performed by a specific brand.

If you are a beginner, then inexpensive markers will be enough for you. We do not recommend that you purchase expensive tools from well-known manufacturers from the very beginning. Progress to them gradually as your experience and interest increase.

The coolest combination, in our opinion, is the simultaneous use of markers and pens. Thanks to their specific features, these tools allow you to create really cool effects!

Well, let's move on to the review.

Markers.

Copic company.

We give our preference to this brand of felt-tip pens. A big bonus is that they are refillable!

Colors come out very clearly, with minimal distortion when layering (a known problem with cheap brands). Markers from the Copic Sketch line have two brushes (thin and wide). The first allows you to paint small details of a picture, and with the help of a wide brush it is very convenient to fill large areas of the picture with color.

Copic markers can be purchased individually, so you can gradually add to your collection, starting with your favorite colors. These are professional tools, and everything good, as you know, is expensive. A set of 12 colors will cost you 5,000 - 6,000 rubles, and one felt-tip pen can be purchased for 400 - 600 rubles.

It is worth noting that the price of these markers absolutely corresponds to their quality.

Sharpies company.

Sharpie markers color very accurately and brightly. They are sold individually or in sets. There are markers in neon color, which creates a very beautiful visual effect! Pay attention to these models - Sharpie Fine Point Markers. These are inexpensive markers with an excellent price-quality ratio. You can easily find them in your nearest hypermarket. The average price of one piece is 100 rubles.

Their only drawback is not a large selection of colors. For example, you won't be able to find a pastel blue shade. We recommend using these markers together with other tools to create beautiful effects.

Prismacolor company.

A great option that is also used by professional artists, but it is significantly cheaper than Copic. The markers color clearly and have a large selection of colors.

Tombow Company.

In general, the products of this company are positioned as colored pens, but we still classify them as felt-tip pens. Tombow marker brushes are very thin and great for precise coloring. The markers are double-sided, the brushes vary in thickness. These markers are not very suitable for painting large areas, because when layers are applied, the border is clearly visible (unlike Copics).

Crayola company.

These are inexpensive and very common markers that are great not only for kids, but also for adults! A wide selection of colors and excellent quality make them a leader in their price range. These markers are convenient for coloring small parts and are not very suitable for wide areas, because they leave a boundary line when layers are applied.

Among the many types of marker data, we recommend that you use Crayola Super Tips Markers. The downside to these markers is that they dry out quite quickly compared to all the other markers on our list. If this doesn't bother you too much, then these will suit you just fine.

Colored pencils.

Our choice is Prismacolor pencils. Their colors are so clear and rich that if you press the pencil with force, the fully colored picture will look like it was drawn! A huge selection of colors allows you to create very unusual shades and effects. It’s very cool to create shadows using these pencils. The shadow makes the picture more dynamic and interesting.

Colored with Prismacolor colored pencils

Prismacolor has several different types of pencils. Pay attention to these - Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils. These are professional pencils and a little more expensive. They can be purchased individually (about 80 rubles). This is very convenient, because you don’t have to buy a whole set if you just want to try them out.

For painting very small details, check out the Verithin series. These pencils can be sharpened very finely.

Helium pens.

Sakura company.

These are great pens that we recommend you use. The pens are very thin and come in a wide range of color styles (metallic, glitter, pastel and moonlit). Helium pens are great for highlighting the details of a design. The pen fits perfectly on top of the felt-tip pen, focusing attention on a specific area. It looks very nice.

Fiskars company.

Fiskars is another good brand of gel pens. A very affordable set of 48 pieces. The pens are bright and come in many beautiful colors—metallic, neon, glitter, and more.

Handles.

Staedtler Triplus Fineliner.

These are very thin pens, indispensable for precise coloring. Sold as a set and individually.

Paper Mate Flair Guard Pens.

While they don't color as accurately as the other markers and pens we've covered in this article, these pens come in a wide range of colors and are great for coloring small areas. Plus, these pens aren't very expensive - always a plus!

Friends, we hope you liked our review. Share your experiences and thoughts with us in the comments! We wish you good luck and a great mood!

Learning how to color correctly with colored and regular pencils

Writing and drawing are very similar activities. Therefore, most people hold a pencil the same way as a pen - between the thumb and the first two fingers, closer to the point of the pencil. But remember - a well-sharpened pencil tip can easily break and crumble under strong pressure. There is no need to put pressure on the pencil, as when writing with a pen.
This method allows you to easily control the pencil and is ideal for specific techniques - linear and cross hatching.

To give the drawing more expressiveness, liveliness and lightness, let's try to hold the pencil further from the end.
It is more convenient to do picturesque energetic lines or shading by pressing the rod on top with your index finger.
"Reverse capture" - this method can be convenient for shading and shading. The pencil is placed on the hand and pressed with the thumb.
The movements are short, using the entire hand.

Another way to recapture.
Movements of the pencil tip are made with the entire brush.

In the academic school of drawing there is a “correct way to hold a pencil.” This method is convenient for artists to use when they are standing at an easel. At the same time, the hand is suspended and movement of the entire hand is required to work. It does not cover the drawing and it does not get erased during work.

Advice! When artists draw at a table (on a horizontal plane), they always place a sheet of clean paper under their hand - a “Background”. The backing allows you to avoid “rubbing” the paper and protects the finished part of the drawing.

Lesson two:
HATCHING AND SHADING
Two basic techniques for toning drawings.
Hatching is the application of strokes (lines) of varying thickness and with varying pressure at a certain distance from each other. The lines can be straight or curved, short or long, overlapping each other in several layers at different angles, forming a grid.

Shading is a uniform (or gradated) “filling” of a surface with a pencil without gaps between the lines.
This can be as simple as rubbing a pencil over the surface of the paper to create a solid tone of varying intensities.
Sometimes pieces of paper, cotton wool, suede, your own finger, etc. are used for this.

LEARNING TO HATCH

In order for the hand to obediently apply strokes in the right direction and with a certain amount of pressure, the hand must be trained! Developing hand firmness, strength and timing of pressure requires many hours of exercise!
Let's perform several exercises to master the basic drawing technique - shading with a pencil. Don't be upset if it doesn't turn out very nice the first time. A little patience and you will see the result yourself!

EXERCISE 1. GENERAL HATCHING
Take a sheet of landscape-size paper, a simple TM or HB pencil and draw 4 rectangles “by hand” (without a ruler).

Shade the first rectangle evenly, using only one angle of inclination.
In others, we change the angle of inclination. We try to make the distances between the lines uniform!
The pressure on the pencil is the same!

EXERCISE 2. HATCHING WITH DIFFERENT GRADES
Let's draw two (or more!) rectangles.
Learning to make strokes with different pressures
Press firmly at the beginning of the stroke and very lightly (almost without touching the paper with the pencil) at the end.
And now so that the strokes smoothly intensify and then also smoothly weaken and come to naught.

We hold the pencil in our hand freely, as if making swings. At the same time, your wrist should work very well.
The lines must be drawn without lifting the pencil from the paper!
The sheet must not be rotated!
Don't forget to maintain equal (or proportional) distances between the lines!
EXERCISE 3. SMOOTH INCREASE OF GRADES
Shade the long rectangle, evenly thickening the tone from light to dark.
Try to achieve its maximum even gain.

Don't resort to rubbing the strokes into spots and try not to use shading for now.

These techniques can be used individually or together.
When practicing or drawing, try to avoid mechanical shading or shading. Always think about the nature of the surface, shape and volume of objects.
It is necessary to learn how to correctly convey chiaroscuro and gradations of light and shadow of colored objects in a drawing.
By shading a drawing with a pencil, develop a sense of tonal relationships and skill
see the power of shadow and contrast relationships in shading. Using the shading technique, try to convey the texture of the surface in the drawing.

Mandalas for coloring are a wonderful meditative therapy that will help you completely disconnect from the outside world, concentrate on yourself and get rid of stress. Any color you choose for coloring has a certain energy and has its own meaning.

Interpreting colors will help you learn more about your psychological state, understand emotions and feelings, realize and even identify hidden desires and aspirations. Don’t think for a long time about what colors to paint the mandala with, choose them impulsively, don’t be afraid to experiment in order to find peace and harmony.

Light pink color consists of pink, yellow and white. Denotes tenderness, tenderness, naivety, kindness, caring, romance and affection for home.

White - a symbol of purity, wisdom, Divine presence, dilutes energy, carries a life-giving stream, protects from negative vibrations.

Beige color symbolizes warmth, comfort, peace, regularity and harmony. Helps strengthen family, love and friendship relationships.

Yellow — the energy of knowledge, learning. Yellow is good for home and clothing in limited quantities. If joy is not enough, use all tones of this color for coloring.

Pink - romance, kindness, love, passion. People who prefer this color want to live life to the fullest, love new experiences and are hardworking. Purple color - means love, affection, truthfulness, sincerity, power, royalty, nobility. A color for daring and purposeful people. Purple has the energy of compassion, affection, unity, forgiveness, understanding. This color belongs to “creators” who devoted their lives to the embodiment of new ideas. Blue calms the nervous system, brain, muscles. Color Divine power, Divine Spirit. This is the only color that has no contraindications. Blue - denotes wisdom and faith. A color that provides additional protection and development of spirituality. Blue color protects secrets. Considered a symbol of the birth of the world.

Gold color symbolizes wealth and success, is a symbol of good health and wisdom. People who prefer golden tones are usually very optimistic. Orange - denotes support, stability, reliability, a symbol of real power. For a sense of stability, hang the painted mandala in a visible place. Red — brightness, dynamism, mobility. Symbolizes love, joy and wealth. Red in large quantities denotes aggression and power. Brown denotes thoroughness and practicality, adherence to traditions, respect for family. It is preferred by those who value tradition and family and are confident in their feet. Black - denotes authority and weight; it rewards the owner with its detachment and secrecy. Use it subtly and unobtrusively.