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Design Vocabulary & Technique

What is Motif?

A motif is a single repeated element in a mehendi design - such as a peacock, lotus, paisley, mandala or kalash. Motifs carry meaning and are combined with outlines and fillings to build a full design.

Motif explained

Many motifs are symbolic: the peacock for love and beauty, the lotus for purity, the kalash for prosperity, and fish or swans for fertility and grace.

Telling your artist which motifs matter to you is the easiest way to personalise a design.

Also searched as: mehendi motifs · mehendi symbols meaning · henna motifs

Mehendi designs related to motif

Peacock Mehendi

Peacock mehendi features the peacock - India's national bird - drawn with a detailed fanned tail or curled neck, used as a central motif symbolising beauty, grace and love.

Lotus mehendi uses the lotus flower (kamal) as its main motif, usually drawn as layered pointed petals in the centre of the palm, symbolising purity, prosperity and new beginnings.

Mandala Mehendi

Mandala mehendi is built around a mandala - a circular design of concentric rings of petals, dots and patterns radiating from a central point, usually placed on the palm or back of the hand.

Paisley (Keri) Mehendi

Paisley mehendi uses the teardrop-shaped keri or ambi motif - often read as a mango or a flame - as its building block, usually filled with fine lines, dots and petals.

Related mehendi terms

ButaA buta (or buti for a small one) is a small floral or paisley motif, borrowed from textile embroidery, that is repeated across a mehendi design or placed singly on fingers and wrists.Bel (Vine)A bel is a vine or creeper pattern in mehendi - a flowing line with leaves and small flowers that trails across the hand or along a finger. It is the backbone of Arabic designs and a common border in Indian work.KalashA kalash is a sacred pot, usually shown with mango leaves and a coconut on top. In mehendi it is an auspicious motif symbolising abundance, prosperity and new beginnings, common in Gujarati, Marathi and Rajasthani bridal designs.OutlineIn mehendi, the outline is the main contour line that defines the shape of each motif before fillers are added. Bold outlines make designs read clearly from a distance and help lighter areas like the back of the hand look sharp.

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