Artistic freedom

One of the toughest things about being a henna artist is the need for artistic freedom and the need for design rules. Yes, they both contradict each other, but both are important and necessary. Of course, every artist wants the artistic freedoms of applying a design they want to,  but at the same time, a few parameters to work with as well. This is important so that the person getting the design is still getting kind of what they had in mind, without micro-managing the design. 

So what kind of guidelines does an artist want?  

The flow of the design (straight, swirly, curved, spaced out)

The type of design elements (floral, geometric, swirls)

Design elements (peacocks, paisley, bands, lotus, etc)

Placement on the body (hand, arm, legs, feet)

The mood of the design (bold, intricate, traditional, modern)

When about three or four of the categories are clear, it becomes much easier to apply a design. 

Here are photos of a design and the elements that the client wanted incorporated. 

A sleeve style design on the forearm. Geometric but some flowers as well.