Skin~Scapes

It wasn't an everyday baby shower. Rather than giving her a three-tiered "cake" made out of diapers, Sharon Wailes' friend painted a ceremonial henna peacock on her stomach while she was pregnant with her second child.\nHer doctor was slightly alarmed at the sight of the bird, Wailes says, but the experience is what inspired her to find out more about the art of henna. Fifteen years later, as an IU doctoral student in the department of Germanic studies, Wailes does several how-to shows every year to help other people have their own unique first experiences with henna.\nHenna powder is made from a finely sifted plant. When applied to the skin as a paste, it can leave a light brown mark that lasts about two weeks. Many cultures in Africa and Asia have traditionally used the plant to paint designs in the form of a "tattoo" on the skin.\nMany college students have already had their first experience with henna on spring break trips or at King's Island, but Wailes explained that the history of henna is deeper than "tattoos" of butterflies or hearts on teenage girls' hips.\n"It's kind of a spiritual thing, and it's a way for women to get together," Wailes says.\nSome traditional African and Asian cultures use henna the night before a wedding, Wailes says, or when women become pregnant or even on sad occasions when people die. In some cultures, other women paint elaborate designs on a bride's body the night before her wedding and hide her and the groom's names somewhere in the design. On the wedding night, the groom is supposed to find his name. These days, grooms often are painted with henna as well, she says.\nWailes taught a two-hour class about using henna at the Asian Culture Center Friday. Babita Upadhyay, program and administrative assistant for the center, says they asked Wailes to come and emphasize to students the spiritual importance of henna.\n"We just want to make people aware that it has a spiritual, religious value," Upadhyay says. \nUpadhyay said henna art has an important place in Hindu and Islam. She, like "every other bride in South Asia," was painted with henna for her wedding in Nepal.\nAs Upadhyay described her early henna experiences after the demonstration, her daughter ran up to show that she had accidentally smeared the design that Upadhyay had just finished painting on her hand not even a minute earlier. As a henna newbie, she learned a lesson -- the ink needs about 15 to 20 minutes to dry. Wailes says small children often have trouble staying still long enough for the ink to dry, but that parents often like to give their children henna tattoos because it "keeps them out of mischief."\nAbout 20 students tried their hands at henna for the first time in the center Friday. Since they were inexperienced, Wailes showed them an easier, safer way of putting designs on their bodies. Using eucalyptus oil, the students transferred designs from pieces of paper onto their skin and then traced what was left. Junior Lacy Padgett used a transfer of a sun design on her right foot to help with accuracy. This was Padgett's first time with henna -- she simply saw the program advertised and wanted to learn more.\nPadgett says she doesn't see herself picking the art up as a hobby, though.\n"It's a fun thing to do, but it's more of a one-off occasion," she says. "It's not something I'll do a lot."\nFreshman Randy Crader was a little braver for his first time. Crader decided the transfers available weren't for him, so he vowed to come up with his own design.\n"Those are all pretty girly," Crader says, pointing to the table full of transfers. "I'll do something free hand, but nothing too hard."\nLater on, "R-A-N-D-Y" was spelled out in henna on each of the fingers of his hand. He also says he planned to draw a mustache on one of his fingers so he could hold it up to his upper lip.\nFreshman Bianca Lang was much more timid for her first henna experience. She waited in line for someone more experienced to just paint the design for her.\n"I don't have steady hands," she says.\nLang placed a transfer of a flower on her inner wrist. She says she would be willing to try henna again, on one condition:\n"If someone else will do it for me," she says.\nLang and Crader went to the demonstration as an activity for their Freshman Interest Group, America and the World Beyond. Senior Liz Oates, an instructor for the one-credit class, says the group is for students taking an international studies class. Oates is required to come up with one outing for the group every month. She tried henna once before when she was in Key West, but Friday was her first time doing it herself. She used one of Wailes' transfers to paint a square design on her ankle.\n"It's not perfect by any means," she says.\nWailes has several tips for inexperienced henna users who might not be ready to paint peacocks on the bellies of pregnant women. She says it's a good idea to paint the design from the center outward so as not to smear what has already been done, and it's important to try not to touch the tip of the applicator directly to the skin. Henna spreads slightly after it is applied, so it is helpful to make the lines thinner than desired, she says.\nFor those brave enough to try a freehand design, she says drawing guide dots will help with the construction of even shapes.\nHenna kits are available at Athena, 108 E. Kirkwood Ave., and at the Lakaye Studio online at www.earthhenna.com. Depending on the size, the kits usually sell for $10 to $20 or more.