Mehndi designs were originally and traditionally drawn with a paste of leaves of the mehndi plant ( called marudhani in Tamil ). Simple patterns like circles were drawn on the palm by placing the paste of the palm and forming a circle. When the paste dried a light reddish coloured circle is the result. The paste was also applied on the tips of fingers forming caps to get the colour around the fingers when the paste dried. Such simple designs were there for quite some time. Then came the use of hand made cones in which the paste was filled, but while the earlier types of paste mentioned first were solid, these cones had more easily flowing paste. Now, ready made mehndi cones are available using which beautiful and intricate patterns are drawn on the palm, fingers, on the back of the hand, above the arm and on the feet. Mehndi designs are used in India on all occasions and specially for weddings, festivals like Karva Chauth, Diwali. The following are some of the tips that may be of help in drawing mehndi designs with a mehndi cone.
1. One needs some imagination and skills in free hand drawing.2. The opening at the tip of the cone, made for mehndi paste to flow should be of optimum diameter -
as small as possible
3. The cone should be held as close to the tip as possible so that the cone does not bend when drawing.
4. Start a design from the base of the palm and proceed towards the base of the fingers when drawing on the
palm. The same tip applies for drawing on the back of the hand.
5. Semi-circular designs may be suitable when starting a design from the base of the palm.
Floral patterns may be useful for starting a design from the centre of the palm.
6. Floral rangoli borders can be used for designs on fingers.
7. Rangoli and mehndi designs are primarily based on flowers, tendrils, petals, paisley, leaves all combined
to get a design according to our imagination. Like rangoli, some element of symmetry is also required.
8. Combination of the motifs in point 7 along with other motifs and patterns that we can think of will result
in infinite mehndi designs each different from the other like our finger prints !
9. We can also try different patterns for each finger or one pattern for the entire palm and fingers another
one for the entire back of the hand and back of the fingers. The possibilities are endless.
Rangoli-sans-dots will have some simple mehndi designs in this series. After all mehndi designs are invariably drawn without dots! - free hand designs and it is natural that Rangoli-sans-dots has some. Hopefully more intricate patterns can be drawn as time progresses.
In this mehndi design category of posts the first design on a palm below. Where ever possible and necessary intermediate steps can also be added. Usually the designs are self explanatory. However in this first mehndi design the free patterns at the base of the palm are started. Then the three floral petal patterns are added at the top surrounded by a double line border. The three motifs are drawn on the top. The designs on the fingers are drawn with the curved lines drawn first and expanded as shown. The remaining gaps athe base of the palm are filled with the five floral patterns ( one below the base of each finger ) are added to complete a simple but beautiful mehndi design. Quite easy. After completing the design a solution of sugar in lemon juice is applied using a cotton bud on the design so that mehndi sticks better. Allow it to dry and scrape it ( do not use water ).
I have tried some mehndi designs using rangoli designs in Rangoli-sans-dots. They are available in kolam designs and Diwali rangoli designs. There are some designs drawn with rangoli powder that can also be used for mehndi patterns and they are in mehndi rangoli.
I have tried some mehndi designs using rangoli designs in Rangoli-sans-dots. They are available in kolam designs and Diwali rangoli designs. There are some designs drawn with rangoli powder that can also be used for mehndi patterns and they are in mehndi rangoli.