Free Tutorial to Make your own Unique Rangoli this Diwali.

Dear Angel hearts

Diwali here is just around the corner. Homes are being cleaned and spruced up to welcome the Goddess. The festivities include lights, sweets, floral garlands on the doors and a traditional Rangoli at the doorsteps to welcome the goddess.

This is a small tutorial to teach you how to make a reusable Rangoli that can be displayed in infinite ways so you have a new look daily. Its easy to make, totally reusable and made out of materials you probably have at home.

Traditionally Rangolis were made directly on the floor by applying a coat of red mud (The kinds used to make pottery) in a square shape. Once it dries the square is further marked with 1” dots that would look like square grids so one has a guideline to create the free form designs. The outlines are drawn with the help of white powdered Rangoli and then they were filled in with colored powdered Rangoli.

These days there is very little time and space to create these beauties traditionally. So I am going to show you an easy way to create a quick and easy modern way to make it. Rest assured it will still look rustic and traditional. And its portable. You can make it look different each day. Its so simple to make that you could probably make it a small family craft activity.

I first demonstrated a slightly different version 3 to 4 years back during a TV show MI Marathi Channel (Mogra Phulala) which ran a capsule on DIY crafts.

I have been procrastinating about trying out a slightly different version and sharing it with everyone for long and I decided it had to be done before this Diwali.

Just an example of what the many possibilities at the end of this tutorial.

So here we go.

This is what we need

• Cardboard – You could use a thick cereal box is you like.
• Brown Cardboard - 12”x12”- 1 Piece – If you dont have brown you could paint it brown.
• White Cardboard - 4”x4” - 1 piece
• White Cardboard - 2”x2” - 4 pieces
• White Cardboard - 1”x1” - 4 pieces

• White and Silver Glitter 3D tubes
• Scale
• Pencil
• Scissors
• 4 Different Shades of Acrylic Paints of your choice – I used acrylic shades in Red, Orange, Blue and Green. The traditional festive shades. In case you are working with kids even craft paints will do.
• A few round mirrors

Here is how you we go about it.

Leave the Brown cardboard of 12”x12” aside. We will need that as a background later. In case you are using a white cardboard just paint it a nice shade of mud brown and set it aside for drying. I use acrylic paints but you could use any craft paints that you like.

Next draw two diagonal lines across the 4”x4” squares and the 2”x2” squares and 1 diagonal line on the 1”x1”squares. This is how how they would look.

Next cut them across the diagonal lines so we get triangles in various sizes. Here is a photographs of the tirangles cut and ready. This method will give you even triangles and is a lot quicker

So now we have the following pieces

• 4 large triangles from the 4”x4” square.
• 16 medium triangles from the 2”x2” squares
• 8 small triangles from the 1”x1” squares (we drew only 1 diagonal across these) 

Divide and stack them up as follows so its easy to start painting in equal numbers.

• 2pcs x 2 sets of large triangles
• 4pcs x 4 sets of medium triangles
• 2pcs x 4 sets of small triangles.

Once ready start by painting the background color. The number of sets is the number of colors that you can work with. Since I worked with only 4 colors I painted them in this order.

Large Triangles 2pcs orange, 2 pcs Blue,

Medium Triangles : 4 Pcs of Orange, Blue, Red and Green each.

Small Triangles : 2 pcs of Orange, Blue, Red and Green each.

So essentially I repeated the main large triangle colors for the small and medium triangles sets and added two more colors for the small and medium triangle sets.

This is what they look like.

Next I outlined the borders of each triangle with white 3D paint. If you dont have 3D paint use a brush and white paint to draw a line or use a gel pen. Outline the 12”x12” brown cardboard too. You can do double or triple lines if you wish for the brown square piece.Let it dry. This is how my dried pieces look.

Once the outlines dried I added the mirrors on the 4 large triangles. Now here is a simple technique to add these mirrors. I also added the mirrors on the 4 corners of the brown cardboard.

Step 1 : put a large enough blob of 3D silver glitter in the center of the triangle (pic1)

Step 2 : Gently place the mirror on top. Never mind the glitter is all underneath and not showing. (Pic 2)

Step 3 : use the back of the brush to gently press down the mirror adjust the mirror firmly into the nicely formed glitter border. Its easy and you will never go wrong with this method. And it fixes well. (Pic 3) Leave them to dry

For the rest of the medium and small triangles I just put a small drop of 3D glitter in the center and let it to dry. Pic 4

Let them all dry nicely and its all ready. The fun can now begin. Start by placing the larger triangles in the center and work with the medium and small pieces on the outside. Here are some examples of how I arranged them on the brown cardboard. You dont need to stick them at all. They will remain in their place easily.

The possibilities are infinite. Just keep playing and having a new Rangoli or a Mandala Design every day on your door step or home. And its easy to maintain.

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4 - I placed a tea light in the center to show you how it looks. The brown space can be used to decorate with tea lights if needed.

I hope you enjoyed the simple DIY and will make some for yourself and friends and family and show me how they look.

Have fun with infinite possibilities.

I have tried to make this DIY as simple as possible however if you have any further questions please feel free to let me know. I would be happy to revert.

Much love and light

Prerna Poojara

Catalyst for Creative Compassion

PS: sorry some of the pics are really wonky.