Free Hand Application

When you have some experience of applying henna and the basic techniques that entails, you may want to try creating free hand designs.

No matter how much experience you have, though, you should always start with some sort of guideline. Plan out your design on paper; seeing it will help you imagine the design on your own (or someone else's) skin. Use string or elastic bands to mark out the boundaries of the design, particularly if the design involves parallel lines. For long lines or a spiral effect, secure string along/around the arm or leg.

Symmetrical designs are especially difficult to do in free hand. One trick is to apply half of the design as usual, then trace the pattern using henna paste on thin paper. Reverse the paper -- setting it carefully in line with the first half -- and gently press the tracing on to the skin. Using this as a guide, tidy up and fill in the design as needed.

Free hand work can also be used to customise transfer designs. The combination of transferred design and free hand additions can be very effective.