Rangoli drawing on paper is the best way to practise a design before you make it with powder. It is also a favourite school project and a fun activity for kids in the Diwali holidays.
Here are 20 rangoli drawing ideas: easy flowers and dot grids, pencil rangoli drawing with shading, rangoli drawing with colour using sketch pens and crayons, rangoli drawing for kids, and Diwali drawings. Each one lists the level and time.
Once your drawing is ready, copy it on the floor. Our how to make rangoli guide shows the steps, and dot rangoli designs give you more grids to draw.
Easy Rangoli Drawing for Beginners
An easy rangoli drawing starts with one circle or one dot grid. These easy rangoli design drawing ideas use a compass, a bangle or a coin to keep the shapes neat.
1. Eight Petal Flower Drawing in Colour Pencils
Draw a circle with a bangle, then eight round petals around it. Fill pink and green. The best first page in any drawing book. Easy, 15 minutes.
2. Dot Grid Star Rangoli Drawing
Mark a 5 by 5 dot grid, then join the dots into a star. Kids learn symmetry very fast with this one. Easy, 20 minutes.
3. Coin Circle Flower Drawing
Trace a coin seven times in a ring and the overlaps make a flower by themselves. Easy and beautiful in 10 minutes.
4. Square and Diamond Rangoli with Leaf Border
A square, a diamond inside it and leaves on the border. Use a scale for the straight lines. Easy, 20 minutes.Pencil Rangoli Drawing and Rangoli Sketch on Paper
An easy rangoli pencil drawing has no colour at all. Shading with light and dark strokes makes the design look rich. Use an HB pencil for lines and a 4B for shading.
5. Shaded Pencil Mandala with Three Petal Rings
Three rings of petals with darker shading at the base of each one. A neat rangoli sketch for a drawing exam. Medium, 45 minutes.
6. Pencil Peacock Rangoli with Feather Eyes
A peacock with a fan tail, every feather eye shaded in pencil. Draw the S-shaped neck first. Medium, 50 minutes.
7. Folded Paper Lotus for Perfect Symmetry
Fold the paper in half and draw one half of the lotus, then copy it to the other side. Perfect symmetry every time. Easy, 25 minutes.
8. Unbroken Kolam Loop Pencil Sketch
Kolam loops around a 6 by 6 dot grid, drawn without lifting the pencil. A good brain exercise for older kids. Medium, 30 minutes.Rangoli Drawing with Colour: Sketch Pens and Colour Pencils
Rangoli art drawing with colour looks bright on paper. Fill light colours first, then dark. Sketch pens give bold fills, colour pencils give soft shading.
9. Rainbow Mandala in Sketch Pens
Seven rings, each a colour of the rainbow, with white gaps between. A beautiful rangoli design drawing for a school wall. Medium, 50 minutes.
10. Four Corner Paisleys Around a Flower
Four paisleys point to the centre flower. Shade each paisley from dark to light with colour pencils. Medium, 40 minutes.
11. Crayon Sun with Wavy Rays
A sun with wavy rays in yellow and orange crayon, with a ring of blue dots. Crayons make thick, happy colour. Easy, 20 minutes.
12. Hexagon and Triangle Maths Rangoli
Hexagons and triangles made with a compass and scale. Good for a maths project because every angle is 60 degrees. Hard, 60 minutes.Rangoli Drawing for Kids and School Projects
A rangoli drawing for kids should be big, round and simple. These suit class 1 to class 5 school projects. More ideas are on our rangoli designs for kids page.
13. Butterfly Rangoli Drawing for Kids
A butterfly with four round wings, each with a dot pattern. Perfect rangoli drawing for class 1. Easy, 15 minutes.
14. Two Fish Rangoli Drawing for Kids
Two fish chase each other in a circle. Kids love drawing the scales as small U shapes. Easy, 20 minutes.
15. Cow and Calf Drawing for Vasubaras
A cow and her calf for Vasubaras, drawn with round simple shapes. Kids enjoy the bell and the spots. Easy, 25 minutes.
16. Cute Elephant Rangoli Chitra
An elephant with a coloured cloth on its back and dots everywhere. Easy rangoli chitra for small hands. Easy, 25 minutes.Diwali Rangoli Drawing and Festival Rangoli Ka Chitra
A Diwali rangoli drawing is a lovely way to plan your floor rangoli. Draw it on paper first, then copy it at the door. See our Diwali rangoli designs for floor ideas.
17. Four Diyas Around a Lotus Drawing
Four diyas on a lotus ring, with bright yellow flames. Draw the floor version later at the same proportions. Medium, 35 minutes.
18. Laxmi Charan and Kalash on Paper
A kalash with Laxmi charan walking toward it, drawn with colour pencils. A good rangoli ka chitra for a Diwali project. Medium, 40 minutes.
19. Bhaubeej Pooja Thali Rangoli Drawing
A pooja thali with a diya, a coconut and sweets, for Bhai Dooj. A rangoli simple bhaubeej drawing for kids to gift. Easy, 25 minutes.
20. Akash Kandil Lantern with Stars
A star-shaped akash kandil with tassels and small stars around it. Shade the glow with yellow pencil. Medium, 35 minutes.How to Make a Rangoli Drawing on Paper
- Mark the centre: fold the paper in half both ways and press lightly. The folds meet at the centre.
- Draw guide circles: use a compass, a bangle or a bowl. Keep pencil lines light.
- Add the main shape: petals, a star or a dot grid. Draw one quarter, then repeat it in the other three.
- Ink the lines: go over final lines with a black sketch pen or a dark pencil.
- Colour: fill light colours first and dark colours last. Erase the guide lines at the end.
Which Tool to Use: Pencil, Sketch Pen or Crayon
| Tool | Best for | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Pencil | Rangoli sketch and shading | HB for lines, 4B for dark shading |
| Colour pencils | Soft, smooth fills | Colour in one direction for an even look |
| Sketch pens | Bold, bright school projects | Let each colour dry before the next |
| Crayons | Small kids | Press hard for rich colour |
For a school project simple rangoli design on paper, use thick white drawing paper, not notebook paper. It does not tear when you erase.
From Paper to Floor
Drawing rangoli on paper first saves powder and time, because a paper rangoli drawing is a plan. Count the dots or petals and note the colours on the back of the sheet. On the floor, a 20 cm drawing becomes a 60 to 80 cm rangoli, so multiply every size by three or four. Mark the centre with chalk and draw the main circles with a thread tied to chalk. For easy floor ideas, see easy rangoli designs.
Common questions
How do I make an easy rangoli drawing for kids?
Start with one circle drawn around a bangle. Add eight round petals and fill them with crayons. Butterflies, fish and suns are also easy because they use round shapes.
What is a good rangoli drawing for class 1 or class 2?
Pick a big, simple design like a butterfly, a sun or an eight petal flower. Avoid fine details. The child should finish it in 15 to 20 minutes.
How do I draw a symmetrical rangoli design on paper?
Fold the paper in half twice. Draw one quarter of the design, then copy it into the other quarters using the fold lines. A compass helps with rings.
Which is better for rangoli drawing: sketch pens or colour pencils?
Sketch pens give bold, bright colour and are quick. Colour pencils give soft shading and look neater for older students. Many kids outline with sketch pen and fill with pencils.
What is rangoli chitra?
Rangoli chitra means a rangoli picture. It can be a drawing on paper or a design on the floor. In school, a rangoli ka chitra is usually a coloured drawing on drawing paper.
Can I make a Diwali rangoli drawing into a floor rangoli?
Yes. Measure your drawing, then multiply every size by three or four for the floor. Keep the same colours and the same number of petals, diyas or dots.
