Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts

The 6 Most Creative Henna Tattoos

Mehndi art or henna tattooing is one of the most popular rituals among Indians. A bride has henna applied on her hands and feet just before the wedding ceremony. It’s a symbol of beauty, aesthetics, and fertility and is considered a blessing as she starts her new life as a married women. The art and history of applying henna in intricate designs is something India is proud of.


 Even westerners are becoming increasingly interested in getting themselves tattooed with henna as it not only looks beautiful but also smells great. And the best part is it is temporary.  Henna or mehndi also has medicinal properties as it’s a natural component derived from mehndi plant. It soothes your stomach and skin and has other ayurvedic properties too. One can have ample design options ranging from flora and fauna to other motifs with delicate patterns that can all be drawn with henna.
So, let’s have a look at some of the most creative henna tattoos.

Floral pattern
Flowers as henna tattoo looks amazing. It not only has aesthetic value but also has a meaning when used as a bridal henna design. Blooming flowers signifies the onset of new beginning or life. One can choose to get a detailed floral pattern, a lotus flower, vines, leaves or a simple petal flower henna design. All designs look delicate and feminine when done with precision and neatness. Basically application of henna can lead to the formation of a myriad designs. It could be anything and everything. But floral patterns are one of the most common as well as creative styles of henna tattoo.









Animal instincts
Henna tattooing is among the most sought-after forms of body art. One can adorn different parts of one’s body with mehndi without any fear of pain or side-effects. Also, its temporary nature gives you an opportunity to experiment with various designs. Other most creative style of henna tattooing is getting animals drawn on with mehndi. In India, brides insist on getting a peacock done with henna on their hands. A peacock is considered lucky and happens to bring good fortune in the post-marriage life of a bride. Also, parrots, butterflies, swans and humming birds are drawn to support the elaborate henna design and symbolize the messenger of love and success. You can get a little edgy and can get a cat tattoo done with henna if you happen to be a cat-lover. When it comes to henna tattooing, options are limitless!

Dreamcatcher design
A dreamcatcher design has its origin in native North America. People in North America are besotted with the prominence of dreamcatcher design and don’t shy away to get a permanent tattoo done with dreamcatcher as the main element. The intricate design and symbols that together create a dreamcatcher can be drawn with henna tattoo. The dreamcatcher is usually used to protect kids from nightmares and catch good dreams. Now more and more people are becoming inclined to get a dreamcatcher made with the help of mehndi. Generally it is a circular pattern with interweaving symbols and designs. It is unique and creative.

Sun, Moon and Stars
Apart from flowers and animals, other creative forms of henna tattooing are becoming prominent. For example, things like sun, moon and stars made with mehndi. Such designs not only look amazing but also have a meaningful relevance.  Getting a star designed with henna represents your shining qualities. On the other hand, the moon henna tattoo signifies lasting love. Not to forget, the sun design shows that you are a lover of everything bright.


Names and phrases
The list also includes another very creative yet common henna tattoo design which is getting one’s name or an important phrase made with mehndi. Some people like to get their names or just initials designed with henna on different parts of their bodies. Others love to get a phrase like ‘carpe diem’, ‘seize the day’ etc designed. These kinds of henna designs show one’s intellect, passion and personality.

Other random designs
Henna tattooing is so versatile that one can choose to get anything and everything made with it. But the majority of people love to get something either they are fond of or has some relevance to their lives or identity. Most popular among these designs are those of dragons, snakes, mermaids, roses, scorpions, hearts, butterflies, owls, feathers and tinkerbell (to name a few).
I’m sure by now you must be tempted enough to get yourself a cool and trendy henna tattoo. So, what are you waiting for?

Image sources: Sara's Henna, Danasokh, Pinterest, Fabulousdesign


An artistic show for contemporary Indian textiles at Devi Art Foundation

For those who often attend of Indian Fashion weeks, you will probably be aware of the phrase "reviving ancient Indian textiles". Meanwhile, a Baluchari bustier or a Kimkhab sari dress being showcased on the runway may seem a slightly futuristic and non-traditional in comparison. Nowadays, we are now seeing ancient crafts being fused into the contemporary 21st century through radial and unique ideas.

An artistic show for contemporary Indian textiles at Devi Art Foundation | Traditional Indian Textiles


Mayank Mansingh Kaul, Sanjay Garg and Rahul Jain have recently organised talks at Devi Art Foundation, Gurgaon about Fracture – Indian textiles,  showing a wide range of hand-made Indian textiles that have been introduced in a modern context.

The Devi Art Foundation showcased a variety of items such as a series of Indian clothes and silk thread cloths presented as a futuristic sculpture in 3D. All of these works have been part of a project that gathers together a plethora of hand made Indian textiles from across India.

“Though, in India, textiles are such a visible concept, there are no museum quality masterpieces” said Mayank Kaul, all these textiles were ordered between 2000 and 2014. “We wanted to discuss and deliberate what contemporary means in textiles today and what it means to break away from tradition” he completes. 

Here is a variety of creations that are exhibited in the show:

Fashion designer Rimzim Dadu, chose to use another original material such as silicon rubber sheets shredded to thin yarn which he displayed as a given the length of a sari. This textile piece showcases a stunning pattern that looks like the Jamdani weave. The material is graceful and light as a feather, and the stretched yarn brings an undulating pattern.

An artistic show for contemporary Indian textiles at Devi Art Foundation | Saris in Silicon

To represent earthly silhouettes, Shaikh Mohammad Hussain used block print on cotton to illustrate nine concentric spheres. We can see the work of two different views, nearly every sphere differs in pattern. When observed from a distance, it just looks like a repetition of sphere, all thisis  to remember the diversity of these textiles and patterns.

An artistic show for contemporary Indian textiles at Devi Art Foundation | Music of the spheres


Astha Butail created 'Yoking of the Felicity', this installation takes inspiration from the Rigveda, where cloth has great importance. The artist constructed the piece in a contemporary way, by changing a simple product into a three-dimensional format, crafted from the loom itself.

An artistic show for contemporary Indian textiles at Devi Art Foundation | Playing with dimensions