Henna Tattoos

The henna plant originated in Egypt (scientists have found mummies with henna in their hair!), but painting with henna has been practiced for over 5,000 years throughout Africa, India and the Middle East. Traditionally, henna is used to mark the beginning of a new stage in a person's life and is thought to bring blessings, good fortune and happiness, which is why you will often see it painted on a woman before her wedding. Henna tattoos are traditionally done in a variety of patterns and shapes including specific symbols that represent courage, peace, love, etc. Comparatively, traditional African designs are more geometric than designs from India and may be inspired by rug and carpet designs.

Leaves from henna plants are crushed and mixed with water to create a dye that is used to make temporary tattoos. The dye is applied to the body (usually hands and feet) with a small stick or squeeze bottle. Once the henna is dry on the skin, it is flaked off to reveal the tattoo, which can last up to one month.

Sixth graders learned about the art of henna tattooing in art class and then practiced combining symbols and shapes to create designs of their own. Students filled their own traced hands with their unique designs for the 2-D part of this project before creating a watercolor background for them.

Following the 2-D projects, students created plaster casts of each others' hands. After a talk about skin colors and learning how to mix their own, students painted their 3-D hands with henna too! They had a great time!