IU Asian Culture Center offers Henna lessons

Swirls and cross-hatches, dots and twisting lines. The intricate patterns of henna tattoos are eye-catching.

A henna class at the IU Asian Culture Center taught the basic techniques and designs used to create both traditional and Arabic art styles. Senior Priyanka Dube teaches the class, which happens every two weeks.

“The reason I wanted to start this class was to start to spread the culture a little,” Dube said.

Dube has worked at the Asian Culture Center since her freshman year and said she wanted to represent South Asia at the Center through henna. The finished product is undeniably a work of art, and it begins as technically as any artwork. The tools are simple but must be prepared correctly. Dube began her session with a lesson on these technical basics.

Henna powder is made from the leaves of a tree by the same name and is combined with water or other ingredients like coffee, tea, honey or lemon to achieve a paste of the desired color, Dube said. When applied to skin, it dries to a solid consistency and falls off the skin, leaving a darker stain behind, creating the tattoo.

“All the detail you see on it doesn’t look as hard until you start trying to get it out of the tube, and then you realize you’re not very good at it,” Bloomington local Jessica Smith said.

The paste is piped onto the skin through a conical tube, much like frosting is piped onto a birthday cake.

These tubes are special.

The ones Dube uses have traveled all the way from India and are made from the thin plastic wrap often used to wrap gifts.

When a tube isn’t filled correctly, a little paste can escape from the sides — not a good thing because the paste has potential to dye the artist’s skin.

After learning how to pipe the henna paste and hold the tube, participants were let loose to develop their skill. Many began with practice sheets that demonstrated popular patterns. Others dove right in and began tattooing their hands.

Bloomington local Jamie Vaughn said she’ll try henna at home after learning the basics in Dube’s class. Vaughn said she appreciated the artistic quality of henna in particular because of its impermanence.

“I love art and body art, so to make art on my body seems awesome,” Vaughn said.
Dube said most people attend the session only once, but since beginning the class in the spring of 2010, she has had
a few returners.

“Last semester there was a group of girls that came almost every week,” Dube said.
The free class is available every other Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Asian Culture Center.