Mehndi Hand Designs
Mehndi or mehendi is a form of body art from Ancient India, in which decorative designs are created on a person's body, using a paste, created from the powdered dry leaves of the henna plant. Ancient in origin, mehndi is still a popular form of body art among the women of the Indian Subcontinent, Africa and the Middle East.
Mehndi is derived from the Sanskrit word mendhikā. The use of mehndi and turmeric is described in the earliest Hindu Vedic ritual books. It was originally used for only women's palms and sometimes for men, but as time progressed, it was more common for men to wear it. Haldi (staining oneself with turmeric paste) as well as mehndi are Vedic customs, intended to be a symbolic representation of the outer and the inner sun. Vedic customs are centered on the idea of "awakening the inner light". Traditional Indian designs are representations of the sun on the palm, which, in this context, is intended to represent the hands and feet.
Mehndi is derived from the Sanskrit word mendhikā. The use of mehndi and turmeric is described in the earliest Hindu Vedic ritual books. It was originally used for only women's palms and sometimes for men, but as time progressed, it was more common for men to wear it. Haldi (staining oneself with turmeric paste) as well as mehndi are Vedic customs, intended to be a symbolic representation of the outer and the inner sun. Vedic customs are centered on the idea of "awakening the inner light". Traditional Indian designs are representations of the sun on the palm, which, in this context, is intended to represent the hands and feet.
objective: swbat understand the history and meaning of mehndi designs including the design aspects traditionally involved in creating their own mehndi design.
your project:
You have choices for this project. You can create an Incense Burner or a Candle Holder: See options and images below.
Option 1: Create an incense burner with traditional mehndi hand designs.
What is Incense & an Incense Burner? Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, and in therapy, meditation, and ceremony. Why is Incense popular in these practices?
The Incense Burner is any sculpture or vessel that holds the wand part of the incense. In this case, when creating your Mehndi Hand Design, you will leave a small raised area to hold the actual Incense. See images below.
The Incense Burner is any sculpture or vessel that holds the wand part of the incense. In this case, when creating your Mehndi Hand Design, you will leave a small raised area to hold the actual Incense. See images below.
option 2: create a candle holder with traditional mehndi hand designs.
A candle holder is along the same lines as a Incense Burner however the production aspect of the project is slightly different. The flicker of light from the candle is important to the meditation practice. You will need to create a larger area to house the candle, in our case, a tealight. Be sure to measure and account for shrinkage during firing. See images below.
Other options/design techniques:
Take into consideration glazes prior to creating your piece. How can you use a color burst or a solid underglaze to enhance your design? Would you like your palm to sit raised or flat? Both are options. See images below.