With henna being so versatile, it's no wonder that people refer to this art for nearly every occassion. Although traditionally used throughout history for celebrations like weddings and childbirth (South Asian, Middle Eastern and North Africa cultures) or life events like coming of age (Jewish traditions), henna has grown in popularity to become a form of expression.
One of the best things about henna is the creativity you can get with it. Our series this month features animals in henna.
Below is the shape of Mickey Mouse, but is actually the logo for DeadMau5. This lady, was going to a DeadMau5 concert and wanted to show her festive side.
Peacocks, a beautiful symbol in henna, represent loyalty, prosperity, and beauty. The peacock theme is common in Indian style bridal henna.
Another animal that is often seen in modern henna is the dragon. Although Chinese in origin, dragons are a really popular design among boys and men. This buff guy wanted to try out a tattoo with an enormous dragon across his arm and shoulders. The perfect way to try it out was with henna, to see if he liked it long enough to get it done with the permanent ink. (remember, henna is NEVER black!)
Koi fish are also common in Chinese cultures, and this design features two koi in a yin-yan. The drawing for this was again a tattoo trial for two friends.
Who doesn't like a sea turtle? Although this design was inspired from the art of Kona, Hawaii based studio, this lovely 16 year old got the chance to adorn herself with a cute turtle while celebrating her birthday, (in the middle of Edmonton winter).
Stay tuned this month for more ideas on using animals in henna designs.
Until then, enjoy henna and get your hands on a couple of ebooks from our site (some of them are FREE!)
http://www.hennaart.ca/E-Books