Introduction to Henna Body Art
This course will introduce participants to the use of henna for body adornment. Henna is a paste made from the plant Lawsonia inermis for painting designs on the skin. The designs last anywhere from five days to two weeks. Henna body art is not only beautiful, but also beneficial for the skin. In this workshop, I will introduce the history of henna use, cultural information about the traditional uses of henna in places such as India, North Africa, and the Arabian peninsula, and go over the practical information to get you started mixing your own henna paste and creating your own designs.
details
- when: sunday, april 17th, 2011, from 3:15 pm - 4:45 pm
- to attend: Please see the info page for more information on attending any of the workshops at the 2011 Boston Skillshare.
- facilitated by: Liz Ging
lesson plan
Henna Body Art 101
--botany and geography
--health and safety information, including allergies and G6PD deficiency
--application methods including cones, bottles, resists
Cultural Traditions
North Africa and Arabia--weddings, Eids, evil eye, jinn, zar ceremonies
India-- bridal henna, sangeet, post-childbirth
Mixing and Application
--mixing your own henna paste
--using essential oils to darken stain
--rolling cones
Regional Design Styles
--Indian
--Khaleeji or gulf
--Arabic, Indo-Arabic
--Moroccan
facilitator experience
--lecturer, Henna Gathering 2011, Providence, RI, "Arabia Felix: Line, Pattern, Scent; Body Arts of Yemen"
--2009-present, providing henna body art at parties, weddings, and other special events in the metro-Boston area through my henna business, Sweetfern Studio Henna
--ICNHA certification (International Certification for Natural Henna Artists)
--beginning level Modern Standard and Egyptian colloquial Arabic
--BFA, Massachusetts College of Art
intended audience
people interested in body art, natural dyes, and/or cultural traditions of the Middle East and India
other resources suggested by the facilitator
--my henna portfolio is available on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetfernstudio/sets/72157623732065422/