Thursday, June 26, 2008

What is Mehndi Style?

Mehndi body art, a tradition of India and other Middle Eastern nations, has gained popularity worldwide. Resembling intricate tattoos, mehndi body art is applied to the surface of the skin using a paint-like henna paste. The paste stays on the skin for several hours. When it is removed, it leaves behind a stain that darkens over the following 24 hours.
Mehndi is associated to lots of things - a good dark design is a sign of good luck for the marital couple. It is common for the names of the bride and groom to be hidden in the mehndi design; and the wedding night cannot commence until the groom has found the names. Some examples of popular traditional images used in mehndi designs are the peacock, which is the national bird of India, the lotus flower, and an elephant with a raised trunk, which is a symbol of good luck.
My artwork is a tribute to this artform. I enjoy adding the intricate patterns to my paintings.
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