Mehndi is a traditional form of body art that originated in the Middle East and India. Applying mehndi for beginners requires gathering the correct tools, alloting adequate time, and patiently practicing. Beginners can use jacquard bottles, cones, or stencils to apply temporary mehndi tattoos to their hands, feet, or any other part of their body.
The art of mehndi is used in many different countries, and is called by many names. In the United States, it is often referred to as henna body art. In other places, it may be called mehendi, mehandi, or al-henna. This type of tattoo typically consists of an elaborate design that represents a certain meaning to the wearer. For instance, Hindu brides wear mehndi to represent fertility and the love between husband and wife.
It may be difficult at first to apply mehndi for beginners. Those just starting out should always remember to clean their hands well before mixing henna paste and applying the temporary tattoos. Artists can either then begin using a prepared henna paste, or may make the paste themselves using henna leaves.
If the artist is going to create his or her own paste, it is important to dry the henna leaves, sift them with a nylon cloth to get remove any debris, and then crush them into a fine powder. The powder should then be mixed with a small amount of coffee or tea and a little bit of mustard oil. Once this step of mehndi for beginners is complete, the paste should be left to cool and age for a full two days.
After it is cooled, the paste can be applied to create the characteristic long lasting temporary tattoos known as mehndi. If the artist is using a stencil, the paste can be spread directly over the stencil and smoothed down. For other methods, like the cone or jacquard, the henna paste is placed inside the container and sealed off to prevent it from falling out.
Applying mehndi for beginners can be fun and simple. At first, it is a wise idea to use a relatively uncomplicated design; using stencils is usually easier than freehand design, but even those who choose to use freehand design should aim for simple designs. When the design is finished, it should be dried near a source of heat. The heat will make the tattoo darker as it dries.
As it dries, the next step in applying mehndi for beginners is to mix together some sugar and lemon juice. Then, using a cotton ball, the mixture should be applied to the tattoo to help it darken even more. After a few more hours of drying, the mehndi will be complete and the artist can wash the area with water without the threat of removing the tattoos. Over time and with practice, artists will find that they become more self-assured at practicing mehndi.