Henna Drawings on Hand

Since ancient times, representatives of various nations, beliefs and cults have associated symbols and images that are applied to the body in the form of tattoos and drawings, with sources that carry certain magical powers and give supernatural abilities to its carrier. These elements of mysticism inspired a sense of security. The most popular way of painting the body is mehendi (mendi).

Mehendi (Mehndi) is a decoration of the body with drawings using henna dyes. Since ancient times, it has been used by the peoples of India, Asia and Africa as a coloring agent for various purposes and is made of dried leaves of Lawsonia shrubs nekolyuch.

This dye is especially often used for dyeing hair and drawing on different parts of the body. Henna is also used in medicine - both for pains in the head and joints, as well as for wound healing and blood purification. Since ancient times, people believed that drawing henna on the body with the help of the body contributes to giving the body magical powers and preserving health.

This skill originated many thousands of years ago and improved in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Traditions of body coloring were known in Egypt, India, and in Arab and African cultures. It was possible to determine the estate (caste), belonging to a certain religious cult, and even the character of a person, type of activity by patterns applied to the body.

There are several trends in the culture of Mendi. The main ones are:

• Indianin which the ornaments are woven from drawings and patterns, veiled the most confusing (compared to other styles of this art).
• Arab The style is the focus of themes using alternating patterns and floral patterns.
• Asian the style is intermediate, combining in its patterns Indian ornaments and African geometry, using floral themes in different variations. Asian style is considered the most feminine.
• African style is characterized by the content of clear chopped patterns with floral decorations.

Five thousand years ago in Egypt, representatives of rich clans applied henna patterns to their face and body. Both men and women were lovers of painting themselves. Murals already served both for decoration and for ritual purposes. They decorated the bodies of the pharaohs, sending them to another world, as well as parts of the bodies of the priests, putting certain ornaments according to religious rites. Sacred drawings were decorated with heroes, criminals, prejudging their future life.

At first, natural henna powder was used as a dye, due to which the applied murals were only brown and reddish tones. Then they began to add wood ash to henna, which added black and gray shades to the palette.

Since ancient times, the most magical place to place mehndi are hands, which especially attracts modern fashionistas who successfully combine mystical components with aesthetic pleasure.

In the modern world, the importance of the cult component of drawings and symbols began to increase - largely due to the influence of representatives of pop culture who covered their body with henna drawings.

Temporary tattoos have become a very important attribute for the female.

The beauty of the paintings, the richness of colors and the mystical meaning inherent in ancient symbols and drawings are very attractive for modern man. Mehndi now combines modern ornaments and designs with themes of the cult magical murals of antiquity.

Both solemn and mourning ceremonies in the cultures of India and the East are not without mehendi. In India, a special relationship to wedding ornaments. There it is considered: the more complicated and tangled the pattern is, the happier the family life will be. There is even a tradition when a young spouse does not do housework until the wedding painting comes down so as not to frighten off family well-being.

Many Russian and European brides, having adopted the fashion for mehendi, began to decorate their bodies with wedding patterns. In this case, the most intensively used coloring in white tonality, often alternating with dots and lines in black. Black shades are achieved by mixing ash into henna.

There is no natural white henna in nature; therefore, a mixture of white acrylic hypoallergenic paint and special glue is used for the wedding pattern. Such a solution does not penetrate under the top layer of the skin (unlike henna), and the drawing lasts no more than two days, but more often comes down after the first wedding night.

Apply this painting is required on clean, skimmed skin, after which you can not use oils, creams and lotions that can erase the picture. To strengthen and protect it is desirable to apply hairspray to the surface.

In addition, the marriage ornament on the female body itself should include certain signs, including symbols of fertility, childbirth, and well-being. A part of such a “battle painting” of the bride is intended for contemplation by others, including protection from the evil eye, and the hidden part that decorates intimate places is a gift only to the groom.

The popularity of mehendi art is also due to the fact that temporary henna drawings can be periodically updated (as opposed to permanent tattoos) - in the place of the previous murals, apply new ones that correspond to a certain situation or mood.

Painting with henna is sufficiently resistant to environmental effects and keeps on the body for up to three weeks. Although the stability of the image depends on many factors: the type of skin, the selected dye, weather conditions, body area.

When drawing on the body with henna, there are no fears that appear when applying permanent tattoos (insertion of various infections and infections). Henna itself is a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agent. It softens and restores the skin.

After henna there are no allergic reactions, but when choosing a dye for painting the body, you must make sure that it does not contain artificial additives.

Before using mehendi, it is desirable to understand that in Indian and Eastern cultures this art is treated with trepidation, considering that not only the paintings themselves have magical powers, but also forces can be found only in certain parts of the body.

Places of application of magic symbols and ritual patterns are selected on skin areas with a large number of nerve endings that coincide with the chakras interpreted in Indian teachings as the energy centers of human spirituality. These are the hands and forearms of the hands, feet and legs of the legs.

Pictures that have an intimate or sacred meaning are made on the back of the hands: on the palms and fingers on the side of the folds, and also on the wrists. These places are hidden from prying eyes, so you can feel comfortable even in strict official situations.

The hands look elegant as a modest pattern or inscription on the wrist, as well as an aristocratic composition consisting of drawings and ornaments, smoothly passing from the tips of the fingers to the shoulder frame. This design arm is called "sleeve."

A fully painted hand does not look defiant, though slightly extravagant. This makes the image of the bearer unforgettable - especially if this composition is located on one hand, right or left.Where to apply depends only on the compatibility with the outfit and the preferences of the woman. At the same time it is important that the plot of this ornament consists of images harmoniously interconnected, united into a single theme. Sometimes in such designs are encrypted whole messages.

When drawing mehndi on hands, not only simply beautiful drawings are used, but also signs and paintings that have sacred significance. At the same time, a whole composition of drawings, symbols and ornaments, harmoniously complementing each other and transmitting certain protective qualities to their owner, can be created.

Composition of the type "sleeve" is when a part of the body is covered with a pattern in whole or in part. Paintings of this type can be a combination of patterns and symbols dedicated to one theme. However, only some of the symbols, smoothly flowing into the general scheme, carry a charge of magical energy.

If you are going to put any symbols or drawings on your body, it is advisable to learn their meaning in different cultures. The most common characters that carry a hidden meaning, are:

• Owl - the image of this nocturnal winged predator is associated with wisdom and power. Owl is represented in many ancient religions as a link between the human and the otherworldly worlds.
• Pen - an ancient tattoo that has several meanings. The whole pen pointing upwards is spirituality, love of freedom, creativity and will power; broken feather - fallen hopes; a feather hovering over the palms - sadness and parting.
• The Dragon - audacity, power and strength.

• Flowers - in different variations they emphasize femininity, refinement and rich spiritual world.
• Birds - personify love of freedom, thirst for life, swiftness in actions, desire for a dream.
• Cat - Since ancient times, such a tattoo was applied to priestesses and most worthy female representatives, since this animal was considered sacred (especially in ancient Egypt) and personified the divine essence.
• Crown - power, self-respect, greatness and leadership.

• Butterfly - health, luck, ease.
• Wolf - determination, courage, willpower, dedication, self-sacrifice in the name of the family.
• the Rose - beauty is external and internal, love, passion.

Picture "Mandala" is more than just a symbol. It carries a sacred understanding of the very structure of the world. The carrier of such a sign must correspond to the wisdom laid in it, so as not to look ridiculous in the eyes of others. We must realize that this is not a drawing, but a sort of diagram of the world, described by the wise men of Tibet, India and China, carrying in itself the concept of a community of cosmic energy in unity with man. Mandala shows the energy interaction throughout the cosmos.

Dreamcatcher - keeps in a dream from evil spirits and bad dreams. It was originally a talisman of American Indians and was created in the form of an amulet woven from a willow ring, bird feathers and threads in the form of a woven cobweb. Then this talisman began to be depicted in mende and tattoos. It is believed that the owner of such a pattern or a talisman is the master of his destiny, who is not subject to influence on his mind.

Popular with both men and women. animal theme. Many animals in different civilizations and cultures are compared with certain characteristic human traits. Usually everyone puts on his body a picture of the animal with which he identifies himself.

It should be noted that drawings with animals are most often applied to the forearms and shoulders. Moreover, a certain set of images of animals, birds, insects and reptiles in different variations may have a different meaning.

First you need to purchase natural henna for mehendi in one of the specialized salons. If this is not possible, then a hair dye, sold in every cosmetic store, is suitable.

There are a lot of recipes for the preparation of the material itself, but even the oldest of them are used by mehendi masters:

• Strong black tea is brewed and filtered.
• In about 100 grams of this tea, add two tablespoons of sugar and mix thoroughly with the juice of one lemon.
• Henna is added to this mixture, stirring it evenly and bringing to a creamy consistency.
• The solution is infused for about 20 minutes.

The very process of drawing on the body with henna at home is not very complicated, but it requires preliminary preparation and consists of the following main steps, which can be described step by step.

It consists in the following: before the drawing process, the skin is cleaned of impurities and degreased with alcohol lotion. Hair is removed from the intended area.

First, the dye itself is prepared (according to the above method). Then the prepared solution is placed in a cone with a sharp tip, which is easy to make from thick paper, rolled up under a cone into a tube. Recently, instead of a cone, medical syringes without a needle or with a shortened needle have often been used.

• Preparing a stencil for a conceived theme, which is either purchased in a store, or made independently. Most often, at the first stage of such creativity, stencils are ordered from professional artists.
• The prepared dye must be applied through a stencil - by means of a cone or a special brush. This should be done in stages, in thin layers, allowing the first layer to dry beforehand. Dries made drawing about 9 hours.
• Smudged areas should be immediately wiped with a swab dipped in warm water. Then these sections draw again.

It must be remembered that the correct imposition and removal of the stencil is the key to a clear picture. In order for the painting to be saturated and not smeared, the following rules must be followed:

• apply stencil, tightly fixing on the skin;
• Remove the pattern only after the top layer has dried.

If you need to correct the pattern during the manufacturing process, you must first remove the fresh dye layer from the skin with cotton wool, and then wash the area with warm water and soap. You can use a tampon, pre-moistened with an alcohol solution.

Fresh tattoo can be removed with vinegar. After using vinegar, the skin will have to be washed with water. After using alcohol-containing solutions for washing the skin must be moistened with a cream.

If the painting on the body has already dried up, then it will be somewhat more difficult to remove, since henna-based dyes penetrate deep enough under the skin. In this case, one of the following ways will help:

• Bath with hot water, which must be taken several times using a sponge with detergent (or use soap, applied to the toothbrush).
• The use of sea salt (especially if the tattoo is applied on the skin of the hands) in the form of hot salt baths. In other cases, it is advisable to use gauze masks moistened with saline. You need to attach the mask to the tattoo and wrap this place with cling film.
• Use paste from a mixture of baking soda and lemon. Two tablespoons of soda mixed with the juice of one lemon. Apply this mixture to the drawing and hold for 10-15 minutes. Then wash the place with warm water and soap, while using a hand scrub.
• Hydrogen peroxide and warm vegetable oil can also be used.

Using any of these methods to remove the dye from the skin, you need to realize that the skin then requires immediate hydration. To do this, use any moisturizer.

For those who are at the foundation of understanding the art of mehendi, patience is required for constant training. Your way is to start with interesting ideas, using simple and easy sketches.

Indian masters begin to teach their students with drawing lines, bumps and various curlicues, gradually moving to create simple drawings and patterns. Simple beautiful inscriptions from curls and weaves, as well as small flowers will look unobtrusively both on women's wrists and on the forearms, ankles and hands of girls. At the same time, flowers and inscriptions can be combined into small compositions.

For boys and girls, there are options for both simple Mehndi tattoos with hearts, inscriptions and flowers, as well as with simplified images of film characters. These sketches are realized through special decals.

Male brutal tattoos are very complex and require the approach of professional masters. However, the market now appeared precast stamps, consisting of individual elements. Using such design sets for mendi, you can create small but very complex compositions for men - in the form of animals, inscriptions (including hieroglyphs) and various ornaments.

Gradually, you can create more complex simple sketches by honing your skills and developing your own style. This is the only way to move from templates to individuality.

One can believe or not believe in the mystical charms of mehendi symbolic drawings, but the fact that this art, having experienced ups and downs, is today relevant and respected among different ages and social strata - indisputably. It gives us aesthetic pleasure, like other forms of art.

How to draw mehendi mandala on the hand - in the next video