Madhubani paintings are one of the most popular Indian folk art forms. The ethnic prints and styles of this particular artwork has made it catch attention throughout the world. Discussed under is a step by step procedure to make a Madhubani or Mithila painting. So go ahead and impress your loved ones by gifting a self-made Madhubani painting to them. It is simple, easy and a great personalised gift idea! Take a look at the instructions:

Materials Needed
-Handmade Cloth or Paper
-Tracing Paper (same size as that of your cloth)
-Carbon Paper (same size as that of your cloth)
-Fabric Paint or Poster Colors (as per the choice of cloth or paper)
-Black Marker
-Iron (in case of cloth)

Instructions
Step 1
Choose the subject that you plan to depict in your Mithila painting. You can pick events from Hindu mythology. Draw a rough sketch on a notebook first so as to practise the design before attempting the final artwork on paper or cloth painting. A very typical feature of Madhubani painting style is that there are no empty spaces in between the sketch. Thus, one has to maintain that point andfill in the empty spaces on the canvas with geometrical designs or patterns.
Step 2
Sketch out the design you decided on the tracing paper. Then using the carbon sheet, imitate the same design on paper or cloth (as per your choice). Once you are done with tracing, you would be equipped with the outline of the design on the given base (paper or cloth).
Step 3
Now fill in colors in the design and make sure you dont render any shading in colors as a typical Madhubani painting uses absolutely flat shades.
Step 4
Once the paints have dried out completely, outline the entire design again using black marker. This would add to the finishing of the painting.
Step 5
Lastly, add a colorful border to the entire depiction.
Step 6
In case you have painted on cloth, iron it with low setting (only after paints have dried).