Mehndi: The Art of Henna Body Painting [Paperback]

Carine Fabius (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1998

The magical art of mehndi, or henna painting, has been practiced for centuries in India, Africa, and the Middle East, and now it has finally arrived in the West. Packed with inspirational photographs of traditional andcontemporary mehndi, this complete resource offers everything you need to create your own beautiful hennadesigns, including:
dozens of practice exercises and sample illustrations
a foolproof recipe for mixing the henna paste
step-by-step instructions on how to apply your mehndi design
insider's tips from professional mehndi artists and more!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-Mehndi, or body painting with henna, was first practiced in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, and is gaining widespread popularity in the United States. This book is a how-to manual for novices and covers almost every aspect of the art from its origins, to how to make your own henna dye, to what tools are needed to draw traditional designs, to protecting the pattern once it is applied. Fabius closes with tips on the best way to paint the henna on the soles of the feet, the palms of the hand, the neck, the stomach, and the back. This book will have great appeal to many teens.
Robert Burnham, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

The magical art of mehndi, or henna painting, has been practiced for centuries in India, Africa, and the Middle East, and now it has finally arrived in the West. Packed with inspirational photographs of traditional andcontemporary mehndi, this complete resource offers everything you need to create your own beautiful hennadesigns, including:
dozens of practice exercises and sample illustrations
a foolproof recipe for mixing the henna paste
step-by-step instructions on how to apply your mehndi design
insider's tips from professional mehndi artists and more!

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609803190
• ISBN-13: 978-0609803196
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.3 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #233,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Information ranges from out of date to plain wrong., June 18, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Mehndi: The Art of Henna Body Painting (Paperback)

I was extremely disappointed with this book. The information about historical origins and traditions is sometimes correct, but only sometimes. The art is awful. I would expect this sort of design work from someone who was trying henna for the first time, not a self-proclaimed expert. The worst part for me, however, is the recipe given. For most of the world, the ingredients listed will actually hinder the dye's ability to stain. At first I wondered why someone would print something designed to fail- then I remembered that the author also sells pre-measured henna kits for those that can't mix their own successfully. Coincidence?
You can get better information, recipes, art pictures, and supplies for free on the Internet. Why pay for bad advice?

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The first henna book I bought-I still refer to it most often, November 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mehndi: The Art of Henna Body Painting (Paperback)

When I decided to venture into the world of my own business, I thought henna would be a likely place to start. Being artistic helps, but knowledge helps more. This was the first book I bought when I began my research into the great big world of henna. The instructions are clear enough so that children can understand, yet not dumbed down. There is a good deal of cultural information as well as interesting traditions and superstitions surrounding the use of henna all around the world. She doesn't stick to just one culture, which I appreciate. Too many books now just give the flashy "Madonna" speech and leave the rich history and customs out of it. This has enough cultural information to keep your friends or clients interested while you are doing a long henna design on them. The professionals tips are great, too! Saved me lots of failed experiments. There are several beautiful B & W photos throughout this book that range from very simplistic to terrifyingly intricate designs. So for those who are learning this wonderful art form either for personal self expression or going into business to do it, or both, this is a must-have! Go forth and Henna!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Introduction to the Art of Mehndi, September 18, 2001

By 

"ariadne137" (KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mehndi: The Art of Henna Body Painting (Paperback)

This is a great book, especially for the beginner. It teaches you much about the history and uses of mehndi. It's a very interesting book, for both beginners and people who are somewhat familiar with the practice. Provides you with many different designs and information on both the history of mehndi and the henna herb itself. Not only that but it tells you how to mix henna paste, how to make cones to apply it with, and lots of advice coming from the author's experience. It also has pages of lines and simple drawings to practice to get the feel of applying the tattoos. Over all this is an excellent book, both for refering to and just to read for fun.