The use of henna or mehndi is very popular in the Indian subcontinent. Young brides get their hands and other body parts painted with paste of powdered henna. If we talk about India, applying mehndi is a common practice in almost every household. Women just love to apply henna during social occasions. Whether it is marriage, engagement, festivals or social function, women just need to have henna on their hands. It adds a certain charm to the overall beauty of the women. It is a type of body art practiced by Indian women since centuries. Artists trained in henna painting draw those intricate and beautiful lines on the palms. Traditional motifs are drawn on the hands of young brides. There are plenty of traditional motifs but the most popular one is the paisley motif.
Henna body painting is considered to be auspicious. According to existing beliefs, shade of the henna color decides the fate of the bride. In other words, the husband will love the wife more if she has darker shades of mehndi. Yes, that’s a belief which may be right or wrong but it shows the importance of the tradition of henna body painting.
Henna is basically a flowering shrub that has fragrant flowers. Leaves are dried and crushed into powder to create the dye. As far as the technique of Applying Mehndi is concerned, a paint brush or a plastic cone is used to apply the blend of lemon juice, henna powder and henna. Once the paint is applied, it is left as it is for few hours. This way, it dries up which helps it in getting a firm color. However, at some places, to create a more intense and dark color on the skin, plastic sheet or tissue paper or medical tape is used to wrap the painted area. Reddish brown is the final color and can last from few weeks to few months depending upon the quality of the paste.
It was in 1950s that acrylics were first available. However that time they were mineral spirit-based paints. Later on, water-based acrylic paints were available in the market. These paints were used as house paints in Mexico. Later, artists started to use these mediums in art and painting. Today, acrylic painting has become an art genre in itself and more and more painters are experimenting with this versatile medium. 
This is what you will broadly need to do an acrylic painting: A set of Acrylic Paint Tubes (easily available in the market), paint brushes of number 4 and 8 (flat) and 4 and 12 (round), Canvas board, cotton cloth and other essentials required for painting like pencils, eraser, brush holders, water holder, jars, palette etc. If you wish to make a beautiful colourful collage, try mixing acrylic paints with glue, the visual effect that it will give in a collage will be very appealing! A thick layer of acrylic paint will give a glossy finish to it while using a thin transparent layer will give a matte finish! What is most important while using acrylic paintings is that you should only squeeze that much colour out of the tube that is required. This is because acrylic colours dry very quickly. Blending colours in acrylic needs to be done fast because once applied these colors dry very quickly. 
Oil painting medium is become popular and exist since ages. We have already learnt some aspects of oil painting in our previous post. Amateurs must learn this beautiful technique of art.
Mix colors and see what you achieve to paint your sky.
elements of the artwork like theme, style and color, texture plays an equally important role. Most often than not, the texture of the painting decides the visual effect and mood of the complete work of art. A painter has to have understanding of finer nuances of texture. One of the most famous artists in the history of world art, Vincent Van Gogh was famous for using bold delineation of textures in his paintings.
Kerala is also known as ‘Gods Own Country’ because of its charming beauty. One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Kerala attracts huge numbers of travelers from all over the world. Famous for its land waters, spices, greenery and hospitality, Kerala has also contributed significantly to the world of Indian art. The traditional mural paintings of the state have always attracted art aficionados. These paintings are primarily frescos of the prehistoric era. The murals depict mythology characters and legends of Indian history. One can find many such frescos on the walls of the temples and churches in South India.