Hello, dear readers! If you want to do something new and unusual with your nails, try an Indian style manicure. Ethnic design options in modern nail art are always popular, which is not surprising - such a manicure always emphasizes individuality, as it looks unconventional, stylish and a little bewitching.
What is mehendi
Mehendi or mehndi (eng. mehndi) is an original body painting technique, known in Eastern countries since ancient times. Originating in Ancient Egypt, the art of decorating the body with patterns has been supplemented and modified over the centuries by the peoples of India, North Africa, Mesopotamia, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
In recent decades, artists from European and American countries have made their contribution to the development of mehndi.
This eastern trend manifested itself especially clearly in Western culture in the 60s of the last century - then paisley patterns and other floral elements in the mehndi style were especially popular. They were widely used in clothing and various accessories.
Currently, body painting masters create their original compositions based on the classics of this style, thanks to which mehndi continues to develop and does not lose its popularity around the world.
In the East, it is generally accepted that mehndi not only decorates the body, but also serves as a kind of amulet against evil spirits, and also attracts good luck and prosperity. In India, Malaysia and a number of other countries, henna painting is almost a mandatory ritual for women before a wedding or other special ceremonies.
Of course, such a significant artistic phenomenon as mehendi could not be ignored by modern nail art. Many women do manicures in ethnic style. Indian motifs on nails remain trendy in the 2022 season and will probably not go out of style in the coming decades.
The role of nail shape
The shape of the nail is important for Arabic manicure. As a rule, nails in oriental style are made elongated, in the shape of an arch. This option is considered natural and serves as an indicator of a woman’s health. Those who do not naturally have perfect hand shapes have to resort to correction by extending the nail plate, giving it the desired shape.
The dark tone is also designed to visually lengthen the nail, make it narrower, and make the arm longer. Gold glitter or stones can distract from imperfectly shaped fingers.
Style Features
The most important thing for a mehendi style manicure is symmetry and equal thickness, mostly thin lines. It is difficult to depict large-scale patterns on nails, so masters mainly use the simplest elements of ethnic Indian design: paisley patterns, flowers, trees, star combinations.
As a complement to the main pattern, lines of dots or small circles and other small details are often added.
Another important feature of Indian style manicure is the required color contrast between the base coat and the painting. The most popular colors for the background are beige, white, green, as well as any pastel shades. But of course you can use a variety of colors - there are no specific frames here.
Note: Coming up with a mehendi pattern on your own is not easy, especially for beginners. Therefore, the easiest way is to redraw fragments of your design from available sources - even experienced manicurists do not hesitate to admit that in their works they do not invent ethnic patterns themselves, but copy them, making only their own small additions and changes.
Fashionable nail design in oriental style
Recently, Arabic manicure using various techniques has come into fashion. You can often see natural feathers fixed with transparent gel, the “liquid stones” technique, which allows you to create luxurious cabochons on your nails framed by gold frames, a combination of two contrasting shades on one nail with foil volumetric elements along their border.
One of the interesting solutions was the use of openwork tip rings for nails, decorated with rhinestones, stones, and curls. The latest innovation makes it possible to change your look throughout the day to suit your mood.
Photo of nails in oriental style
Looking at the oriental manicure, the photo of which is shown below, one can highlight its distinctive feature. This is a wealth of shades, painstaking work, elegant luxury. Oriental manicure with rhinestones especially suits this style.
Methods of execution
Indian style manicure can be done in four main ways:
- using stickers;
- using stamping;
- drawing patterns through stencils;
- drawing by hand with a thin brush.
The first three methods are simple and do not require any special preparation - we prepare the nails, apply a base, then a base coat of gel polish, stamp the design on the desired fingers and cover it with a top coat.
We will dwell in detail only on the fourth method. It allows you to create a truly original design that emphasizes your individuality. Many amateurs, having mastered the technique of painting on nails and using the most modern nail art technologies, create real masterpieces on their nails!
Of course, for many, drawing neat thin lines is quite difficult and the best option would be to turn to a professional master. But if you want to learn how to create original and stylish patterns on your nails with a brush, you will have to spend a fair amount of time on training - you cannot do this without experience.
White color is a symbol of purity and innocence.
If you need to look unusually chic for some event, then an Indian manicure will complement any look and become a highlight. Not every master can create such a manicure, so you should decide on a salon in advance. The technique of performing Indian manicure is quite complex. However, these days the beauty industry has developed so widely that any tool for performing manicure or nail art can be easily purchased without any hassle. Indian manicure represents certain exclusive features that will immediately stand out from any others.
The manicure of oriental beauties is famous for its uniqueness, bright colors, abundance of gold and stones. The ornaments for which this sunny country is famous adorn the marigolds of oriental beauties. There are several oriental manicure patterns:
- Arabic - characterized by natural colored patterns and curls;
- Indian - done with henna, peacock feathers and paisley are used;
In order to make your Indian dream come true, a nail artist may need:
- Beads, beads.
- Rhinestones, Swarovski stones (various sizes).
- Paints of various colors, henna, gels, varnishes.
If you want to see your nails in the Arabic style, then you should know that it is characterized not by straight lines, but by curls, bends, and various patterns.
How to draw
The first and most important thing is that the brush should have a thin tip.
As for the length of the pile, it doesn’t matter what you like. Typically, it is more convenient to outline the future design with a long-bristled brush, and to draw the smallest details of the pattern, it is more practical to use a short-bristled brush. Also, many craftsmen use a long-haired liner brush for such patterns, which is ideal for creating geometric patterns.
You can paint with either gel polish or gel paint - in this case there is not much difference. If you need the thinnest possible lines, then it is better to paint with gel polish with good pigmentation. And if you draw with fairly voluminous lines, it is better to use art paste or gel paint without a sticky layer.
What tones should I use?
The most classic color scheme for a mehendi design is a nude base and black or brown patterns. A win-win option is to combine the base tones of gel polishes. The most compatible shades: white, black, beige. The main rule of mehendi style is to remember contrast. The pattern should stand out clearly and be contrasting. If we use a light base, then we draw the ornament with dark colors, on the contrary, if the base is dark, then the pattern will be made in light colors. In fact, the color scheme may well be your unique vision. This design is creativity in its purest form.
How to draw
- First, you need to learn how to properly put material on your brush. It is convenient to use foil or something similar as a training palette. Before use, wipe the brush with a lint-free cloth soaked in de-sticking liquid. You should definitely have such a napkin on hand to wipe your brush from time to time.
- The brush must be completely soaked in gel polish or gel paint. To do this, drag the brush across the palette while scrolling it. As a result of this simple manipulation, you will do three things at once: saturate the brush, remove excess material from it and form a thin tip.
- There should be no droplets on the tip of the brush! If you watch how much material you put on the brush, then the lines without any additional effort will turn out to be approximately equally thin along the entire length. To check whether there is too much paint on the brush, you can draw several test lines on the palette.
- When working, it is advisable to have a support for your hand, especially if you have very little experience.
- Hold the brush almost perpendicular to the nail surface. This is not very convenient for beginners, but if you want to learn how to draw beautiful patterns, you need to practice holding the brush correctly.
- You should try to draw lines with the tip of the brush. And if you need a thicker line, you can press the brush a little and stretch it across the surface.
These recommendations can be fully applied not only to Indian-style manicure, but also to drawing any other subtle patterns on nails, for example, when creating a “dream catcher” manicure.
Which gel polish to choose?
Of course, mehendi manicure is not done with henna. The best way to create a beautiful design is with a specialized nail material - a certain gel paint. It is many times thicker than regular gel polish, so it is more convenient to paint with it: it will not spread if the elements of the pattern accidentally come into contact with each other. After drying the gel paint in a lamp, the surface of the nails must be covered with a top coat in two layers. Even if the top coat is thick, it is better to coat the nails twice. This will help level the surface of the nail plates and make the nails themselves smoother, even and well-groomed.
Advice from the master
Of course, before drawing mehendi on your nails, it is best to practice on tips or on a regular sheet of paper. Only in practice can you understand how thin lines are obtained and how wider ones are obtained. During training, it is advisable to try to draw lines in different directions, including directions that are uncomfortable for you.
And most importantly, concentrate your attention on each line and do not forget about what you are drawing. If you relax and do everything automatically, there will be practically no benefit from training. In order to draw thin lines clearly and quickly in the future, you first need to learn how to carefully draw each one.
How long should you train? Nobody will tell you this. For some, a few hours will be enough, while for others it will take more than one week. It all depends on your desire to learn, and of course on your abilities. And then - there is no limit to perfection. The highest level of skill is achieved by those who understand this and continue to train daily, already being an experienced master.
Design selection
Even a simple Indian style nail design looks very stylish.
For example, black mehendi lines look great on a surface made in pastel colors.
This combination of colors is considered classic - it seems to imitate regular mehndi henna patterns on the skin. It is also worth noting that Indian-style patterns look most impressive under a matte finish.
And of course, it is not at all necessary to decorate all your fingers with patterns. Sometimes, to create a stylish design, it will be enough to paint one nail.
If you draw mehendi yourself with a brush, try not to copy patterns from a photo or entire picture, and redraw only its individual fragments. And fantasize more! This way you can create your own original Indian style manicure design.
How to make a beautiful oriental manicure
To make a real work of art, you first need to choose a color scheme, think over the ornament, and choose decorations. When choosing a shade of varnish, you should focus on natural tones, which are distinguished by their deep saturation. Oriental motifs make nails look like precious stones set in gold. With the right accessories, it looks truly magical and expensive.
Brief summary
Indian style manicure is one of the most original and stylish trends in modern nail art.
In order for a mehendi design to look impressive and look like a solid, complete composition, it must be done very carefully, almost flawlessly.
If you make mehendi patterns on your nails with a brush, do not forget that the main thing in such work is experience. Don’t be lazy to practice using tips every day and in a month or two you will be able to draw with thin lines easily and freely.
Once upon a time, the creators of mehendi painting put some special meaning into the symbolism of their patterns. Of course, we are unlikely to be able to convey it by copying fragments of ancient symbols. But it's not that important. Such a manicure radiates positive vibes, makes us more feminine, mysterious and attractive - and this is quite a lot.
What do you think about mehendi style nail art and other ethnic nail designs? Share your opinion in the comments!
Symbolism of patterns
Mehendi patterns are beautiful designs with Indian motifs. The basis of the designs is usually floral elements. In India, it is generally accepted that the presence of beautiful paintings on parts of a person’s body inevitably attracts good luck, success, and is even a kind of amulet that can save anyone from evil spirits, evil spirits and other evil spirits. Each individual element of the pattern has its own meaning.
The lotus flower symbolizes youth and purity. The image of an elephant means success and prosperity. It is no secret that in India, mehendi painting is a traditional decoration for girls. Patterns are especially popular during the holidays. It is impossible to meet an Indian bride without mehendi. It is customary to paint the hands of the bride so that family life after the wedding will be happy.
