Mey Cynthia Teigen Brenda & Elyzabeth Rebecca Sanda
Bridging Cultures of the World
Henna Body Art
The art of henna is a creative & fun way to temporarily adorn your body with exquisite patterns, whether they be traditional or tattoo-like. It is a popular form of body decoration throughout the world and is loved by children as well as adults. The dye comes from the leaves of the henna plant and gives a beautiful color that stains the skin and hair in rich red and brown tones. The stain usually lasts 1-3 weeks and sometimes longer depending on the area of application, care and the length of time the henna paste stays on the body after application!
Our henna art services are provided at our Studio in SE Portland and at the Portland Saturday Market. We also travel to your locations for parties and special events.
For those who would like to learn the art themselves, each term we offer henna classes at the PCC-SE Center off of SE 82nd & Division. These one-day intense courses are the best way to learn the art properly from the start! No prior experience is necessary. Private class sessions are also available upon request.
We at Silk & Stone carry a complete line of henna products including henna kits, pre-mixed pastes, applicators, etc. Those who take our classes recieve special student discounts! If you would like to sign up for special offers please click here.
For the henna lovers, we also provide a chance to Model for us and recieve complimentary artwork.
Current Events
The next model session coming up January 2010.
Deadline is Dec. 31st
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About Henna
Origin of Henna
The art of henna (called mehndi in Hindi & Urdu) has been practiced for over 5000 years in Pakistan, India, Africa and the Middle East where people of the desert used henna to cool down their bodies. Because of henna's natural ability to cool the skin, they soaked their hands and feet into a paste made of henna leaves to get an air conditioning affect. For as long as the henna stain was on their skin, they felt its cooling properties. As the stain faded, away it left patterns on the skin surface which led to ideas to make designs for decorative purposes. In the ancient Egyptian times mummies wore henna designs and it is documented that Cleopatra herself used henna for decorative purposes.
Henna was not only a popular adornment for the rich but the poor, who couldnt afford jewelry, used it to decorate their bodies as well.
Henna in the West
Today the tradition of henna is appreciated throughout the world regardless of status. It has become a very popular form of temporary body decoration. Its popularity exploded in 1998 in New York City and has become a growing trend ever since. Celebrities like Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Yasmine Bleeth, Liv Tyler, Xena, and many others proudly adorn their bodies with henna and show them off in public, movies, videos, etc. People throughout the west have adopted the eastern tradition in their lives by having their hands and feet painted for weddings, bellies painted while in pregnancy, heads adorned with henna while going through chemotherapy, scars camouflaged to make them unnoticeable, etc.
People use henna is used for many reasons including:
The Henna Plant
Henna, scientifically named Lawsonia Inermis, is a shrub that grows up to 12 feet high. It can be found in the hot climates like Egypt, Pakistan, India, Africa, Morocco, and Australia. The plant grows best in heat up to 120F degrees and contains more dye at these temperatures. It wilts in temperatures below 50F degrees. It also grows better in dry soil than damp soil. The leaves are in opposite decussate pairs and vary in sizes from approximately 2-4 cm. long. The flowers are fragrant, produced in conical panicles 1040 cm long, each flower 5 mm diameter, with four white petals. The fruit is a dry capsule 68 mm diameter, containing numerous 12.5 mm seeds.
The Dye
The henna plant contains lawsone which is a reddish-orange dye that binds to keratin and safely stains the skin. The stain can be from pale orange to nearly bla ck depending on the quality of the henna and how well ones skin takes it. A good henna, fresh from hot climates, will stain the darkest. For body decorations, the leaves of the henna plant are dried, crushed into a fine powder, and made into a creamy paste using a variety of techniques. This paste is then applied to the skin, staining the top layer of skin only. In its natural state it will dye the skin an orange or brown color. Although it looks dark green (or dark brown depending on the henna) when ap
plied, this green paste will flake off revealing an orange stain. The stain becomes a reddish-brown color after 1-2 days of application. The palms and the soles of the feet stain the darkest because the skin is the thickest in these areas. The farther away from hands and feet you go, the lesser the color. The face area usually stains the lightest. The designs usually last from 1-4 weeks on the skin surface depending on care and skin type.
Henna works on all skin types and colors. It looks just as beautiful on dark skin as light skin but because some peoples skin may take the dye better than others, it can look more prominent on one and not as much on another (even lighter skin). But nevertheless, henna is a symbol of beauty, art, and happiness and is meant for EVERYONE!
Because henna acts as a sunblock, there is an added benefit to having henna designs in the summer for those who love to get a tan It leaves tan lines! In order to benefit from this, it is best to get a henna design, let its natural color stay on for 3-5 days and then go and get a tan. This way you can enjoy the natural henna color on your body, the henna color with the tan, and then tan lines in the shapes of the design (once the henna fades away)! The tan lines last as long as the actual tan!
Medicinal Properties
Henna is considered an herb, and has long been known to posses healing qualities. It is used topically and not ingested or inhaled. In ancient times it has been applied to the skin surface for such ailments as headaches, stomach pains, burns (including sunburns), open wounds, as a fever reducer, athlete's foot and even the prevention of hair loss. It is also a sunblock and has been used on the noses of animals to prevent sunburn.
Another use of henna would be to apply it to goat skin bags, after they have been salt-cured. It "insect-proofs" or "moth-proofs" the bags by making the skin poisoned or inedible.
Traditions
Henna is traditionally used for special occasions like holidays, birthdays and weddings in Africa, Pakistan, India, and the Middle East. The most popular of the traditions is the Mehndi (henna) Night where the bride, her family, relatives and friends get together to celebrate the wedding to come. The night is filled with games, music and dance performances that may have been rehearsed for months prior to the event by those closest to the bride while the bride gets extensive henna patterns done on her hands and feet that go to her elbows and sometimes, knees. The bridal patterns can take hours and are often done by multilpe henna artists. The guests will usually recieve small designs on the backs of their hands as well.
Today, brides prefer to have their henna done prior to the mehndi night so that they can enjoy the festivities and also have a deeper stain by the wedding day.
Tradition holds that for as long as the henna stain appears on the bride, she doesn't have to do any housework! Also, the darker the stain the better the marriage and the better the mother-in-law will be! So you can imagine why the bride would want the stain to come our dark and last as long as possible!
Techniques
Following is information, techniques and recipies for the art of henna. If you have further questions please feel free to contact us or register for one of our hands-on henna classes.
Step 1: Finding the Right Henna
Henna comes in a variety of greens and browns. It is not possible to determine its quality by its appearance. The best way to know if it is good is to test it. Many companies overseas sell henna that contains a green dye or green dyed sand which has no affect on the henna or the stain. It is merely used for aesthetic purposes to make the henna appear fresh.
There is a large variety of henna out in the market that comes in powder form, pre-mixed pastes and as pre-assembled kits. Most of the local Indian/Middle Eastern grocery stores may have the packaged henna sitting out on the shelf for a long time and therefore may have demised (lost its quality). The pre-mixed pastes that come from overseas do not have ingredients labeled on the packaging. They often contain chemicals or other harmful substances that may result in allergic reactions. Be very cautious of these products, especially ones labeled Kali Mehndi or Black Henna which contains a very toxic substance called PPD (paraphenylenediamene). PPD is a cancer causing agent that tends to burn the skin and cause other reactions. Click here to learn more.
The henna may also be too grainy or may have foreign particles that tend to clog applicators. If you do end up buying such henna, dont be too disappointed because it usually works great on hair and nails, and is perfect for practicing and fine-tuning your design work. Use it on yourself, on paper, or even make a lamp! It will also cool down those burning and tired feet at night if placed on the soles!
When shopping for the best quality henna, be sure the product is fresh from a hot climate, hasn't been sitting on the shelf or storage very long, is 100% natural (free of any materials other than henna) and is of a high quality brand you can trust. There is a lot of henna out in the market and overseas that claims to be superb, finest or best quality. Watch out for these labels. It is not always the best! The only way to know its effects is to test it.
for high quality henna powder and supplies.
Step 2: Testing the Henna
There is a wide variety of recipes people use throughout the world to make their henna. Some work better than others. An easy way to test henna to see if it has a good color is to mix 1/2 to 1 tsp. henna with some lemon juice until it is of toothpaste consistency. Scoop paste into a plastic zip bag and place in a warm place for a few hours. Snip a fine hole in the corner of the bag where the henna is. Apply a small henna design or a dot on the inside part of the wrist. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Wash off. If it stains the skin a bright orange color, it is good henna and can be mixed with other ingredients to produce a high quality stain. If the stain is barely there or not there at all, chances are the henna has demised and will not produce good results and therefore, may not be worth your time or efforts to mix with costly ingredients. This henna, however, can be mixed with water and used for practicing henna designs or highlighting/conditioning the hair.
Step 3: Sifting the Henna
The majority of the henna available in the market or overseas contains particles that tend to clog fine tipped applicators. For a smooth and consistent paste, it is best to sift the henna powder to remove all large particles before a paste is made. Following are instructions for this process.
Materials needed:
Newspaper or a plastic sheet
Henna powder
Spoon
Plastic container with snaps or an airtight lid (be sure there are no coarse or sharp edges)
1 knee-high stocking
Coins
Procedure:
1.Place newspaper or a plastic sheet on a flat surface being worked on.
2.Stretch the stocking over the edge of the container until the toe is in the upper third part of the container. Push the toe down a bit to make a pouch for the henna.
3.Place small coins into the stocking to help knock the henna through the stocking.
4.Spoon henna a little at a time into the stocking, pressing it down towards the toe area each time. Twist lid on the container tightly to prevent henna from falling out. Hold the lid tight and upright with your hands and shake the container side to side until all the finer henna has collected in the container.
5.Carefully open the container.
6.Slowly remove the stocking from the container. The large particles from the henna powder should have remained in the stocking. These remains can be thrown away or used to make a paste for dyeing hair.
Step 4: Choosing Ingredients
Henna paste consists of:
A good henna powder
A sour activator -releases dye from the henna powder.
A tannin -enhances the henna color.
A terpene-usually a warming oil that helps further enhance the henna color.
And a sugar-to smoothen the texture of henna and prevent less breakage in the design lines so that more parts of the design can work in penetrating into the skin and givign a better color.
Below is a diagram of ingredients that work best in a henna paste:
Step 5: Making the Paste
Good henna is the key ingredient to a high quality henna recipe. Use very fine henna of good quality. Otherwise, it will need to be sifted before the paste is made and/or strained afterwards. Below are a few recipes that work great for henna. Larger quantities can be made by doubling the ingredients. The henna paste will last 5-10 days in the refrigerator and over a year in the freezer if stored in an airtight container.
Ingredients for henna paste:
50grams good quality henna powder (pre-sifted)
¼ cups sugar
1+ cups warm tea mixture: recipe follows
1 teaspoon eucalyptus globulus essential oil
1 teaspoon lavender essential oil
1/2 teaspoon tea tree essential oil
Place the henna powder in a glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Add just enough warm tea mixture (a spoon at a time) to the henna, stirring each time, until the henna is a toothpaste-like consistency. Cover and let it sit in a warm place for 18-24 hours. Add the sugar and oils and mix well. Cover and place in a warm place for 2-3 hours. Use immediately or place in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and freeze.
For immediate use, spoon the henna into an applicator cone. If using an applicator bottle, cut a large opening (about ¼) at the tip of the cone and squeeze out paste into the bottle. Otherwise, snip a tiny whole at the tip of a cone the size of a pinhole and your cone is ready to use!
The Tea Mixture:
4 cups water½ tsp. whole black pepper
5 dark Lipton tea bags6-10 cloves
5 slices dried limes (or ½ cup lemon juice)
Put water in a deep pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add all ingredients (except lemon juice if using it instead of dried limes) and stir. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the mixture is half its original quantity. Remove from heat. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Strain through a fine sifter in a large bowl, squeezing down the ingredients with the back of a spoon to get more liquid out. Throw away the material in the sifter. Let sit for a couple minutes so the large particles can settle down. Without stirring the particles, pour the tea into another container leaving the large particles in the first container. If using lemon juice, add it into the strained mixture. The tea can now be mixed into henna to make a paste or cooled and put into ice cube trays for later use.
NOTE: If your henna paste is too runny, mix in more henna powder. If it is too thick, mix in more liquid. If it is too stringy, you may have used too much sugar and more powder and lemon juice can be added to bring it back to toothpaste consistency.
Recipe 2:
50grams henna powder (pre-sifted)1 teaspoon cajuput essential oil
¼ cup sugar or honey1 teaspoon lavender essential oil
1+ cups bottled lemon juice- warmed½ teaspoon geranium essential oil
Place the henna powder and sugar/honey in a glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Stir in just enough warm lemon juice, a little at a time, until the henna is a toothpaste-like consistency. Add the oils and mix well. Cover tightly and place in a warm place for up to 24 hours. Spoon the paste into an applicator for use or store in a zipper freezer bag or airtight container and freeze until needed.
Note: Try using a variety of ingredients from the chart above and make your own recipe!
Step 6: Straining the Paste
Although pre-sifted henna powder is usually good enough for a good paste, it is best to strain the paste once it is made. The straining removes any remaining large particles that did not get removed during the sifting process or remained from the brewing tea solution. Straining is also great for pre-mixed henna pastes available in the market.
Henna paste
Wide carrot bag or plastic zipper bag
Spoon or spatula
Gloves
A cup or glass
A good, clean knee-high stocking
scissors
1.Wear gloves
2.Place one stocking inside the other (in case one rips) and then place inside the cup/glass with the edges of the stocking overlapping the sides of the cup.
3.Spoon henna paste into the stocking
4.Lift the stocking out of the cup.
5.Drop the stocking into a carrot bag or zip bag.
6.Grasp the neck of the carrot bag with one hand and the end of the stocking with the other hand.
7.Pull the stocking out of the carrot bag through your fist.
8.The henna paste should be left in the carrot bag and the stocking can be washed or thrown away.
9.Snip a wide opening at the tip of the bag and fill your applicators or freeze paste in the bag for later use. If using a carrot bag, roll down the top of the carrot bag (like the Mylar cone), tape it, and put the paste in the freezer.
10.The carrot bag can be an applicator if you snip a tiny hole at its tip.
Step 7: Applicators
Place henna paste in a zip bag, close zip and snip a bottom corner about ¼ in diameter.
Plastic or Mylar cone: Squeeze out henna from the zip bag into an applicator cone or a hand-rolled Mylar cone. Snip a fine opening the size of a pinhole at the tip of the cone (if the Mylar cone already has a pin-size opening you may not need to snip the tip). Slide down the paste towards the tip with your fingertips. Close the open end with a rubber band. Note: The plastic cones are reusable!
Applicator Bottle: Squeeze out henna from the zip bag into the applicator bottle, tapping the bottle on a table top to remove air bubbles. Close the bottle and twist the metal tip onto the nozzle until snug. Wash out tip after each use to prevent clogging. Hint: It is easier to put the paste into a plastic cone rather than a zip bag, snip a hole about 1/4 in diameter at the tip of the cone and use it to squeeze out henna paste into the applicator bottle.
Step 8: Rolling a Cone
Mylar gift wrap sheet, cellophane sheet, or a plastic zippered freezer bag.
Clothes pin
Tape
Cut a 12x12 square from a Mylar gift wrap sheet, cellophane sheet, or a plastic zippered freezer bag. Note: Cut a smaller square for a smaller size cone or a bigger square for a bigger size cone.
Cut the square from corner A to corner B, forming 2 rectangles.
If you are right handed, point the right angle towards your right side and place your left finger in the center of the long side.
With your right hand, grasp the corner closest to you and pull it towards your right, keeping your left finger in the center of the long side.
Start rolling the triangle into a cone shape forming a tip at the placement of the left finger.
Adjust the cone by pulling the outside layer to make it the desired width and the tip the desired opening size.
Place a clothes pin inside the tip of the cone. (This prevents henna from drying out once it is in the cone and also adjusts the opening of the cone to a perfect size.)
Tape all exposed seams from the outside and around the tip to strengthen it.
Fill the cone half-way or slightly less with a well strained henna paste (free of large particles) using a carrot bag with a large opening or carefully with a small spoon making sure not to get it on the opening edges.
Place the cone on a flat surface and push the henna down from the back towards the tip without letting it come out of the tip.
Fold in the sides of the cone towards each other, roll down the top, and tape it down to prevent henna from leaking out the
back.
Take out the pin from the tip of the cone and squeeze out some henna to check for continuity. If the opening is too small, place the pin back into the opening half way and roll it around to make the opening larger. For an even larger opening, snip the tip of the cone to achieve the desired width. Be sure to place the pin back in after every use to prevent the henna from drying and the tip from clogging.
Now you are ready to design!
Note: If your lines are not coming out smoothly or if you have to squeeze pretty hard, then your paste is too thick or your hole is too small. In these cones a slightly thinner paste (than the one used in carrot bags) works best.
Step 9: Making Transfers
Choose a design and place it on a flat surface. Place a tracing paper on top of the design. Using a transfer pencil, trace over the design. Cut out the design. Apply deodorant (Speed stick-the gel stick, not liquid, works best) over the surface to be worked on. Place the tracing paper face down onto the surface and press flat. A mirrored image will appear on the skin. Use your henna cone or bottle to apply henna paste over the transferred design.
Step 10: Application
Hold the henna cone or bottle like a pen and squeeze out henna on a piece of paper with fingertips using light pressure. Practice making fine lines and circles in the thickness desired before working on the body. For thicker lines, apply greater pressure or snip a larger hole at the tip of the cone. Once ready, work over the transferred lines or practice freehand artwork. It is best to keep lines very thin and then go over them once or twice to smoothen them out. Wipe the tip of the applicator often with a tissue to ensure consistent lines. Use the clean tip of the cone or toothpicks to correct any mistakes.
Step 11: Aftercare Instructions
In order to achieve the best results and a long-lasting stain:
Prevent anything from touching the design for the first 20 minutes after application.
Leave the henna paste on for 12 or more hours. The henna needs time to seep into the skin. The longer the paste stays on the skin the deeper it goes into the top layer. This helps it last long and come out darker.
Apply a lemon-sugar solution to the paste once it has dried. The sugar helps the design stay put on the body and the lemon enhances the color. The lemon sugar solution is mixed with six parts lemon juice to 1 part sugar. Bottle lemon juice works great for this. Use this solution with a fine mist sprayer to get an even spray and be careful not to apply too much solution or the paste will become runny.
Keep the designed area warm to help release more dye for a better stain.
Prevent water contact to the stained area as much as possible. The best thing is to spread oil (olive, vegetable, baby oil, etc.) or Vaseline to the stain before showers or before washing the area to prevent water contact.
Try not to scrub the area or exfoliate. Harsh shaving in the area is not recommended. Shave lightly in the area if applicable.
Note: Henna looks orange the first time the paste comes off. It takes up to 3 days for the color to turn reddish-brown. The designs usually last anywhere from 1-3 weeks depending on care, amount of time the paste stayed on the skin, and the area of the body the design was applied. The ankle and feet usually tend to last the longest while the face and neck and hands last the shortest.
Design Gallery
Meaning of Symbols
FLOWERS
THE DAISY: innocence and youth
THE VIOLET: humility
THE ROSE: hope, love, and beauty
THE LOTUS FLOWER: birth and rebirth
THE ORCHID: perfection
THE PANSY: thoughtfulness, remembrance, love and holy trinity
THE CROCUS: abundance
THE IRIS: symbol of royalty
PLANTS: healing, protection
APPLE: fruit of salvation
PALM TREE: prosperity and beauty
ORANGE TREE: purity, chastity, generosity
POMEGRANATE: fertility, immortality and resurrection
OAK TREE: strength, endurance and adversity
CEDAR TREE: incorruptibility
CLOVER: trinity
LAUREL TREE: eternity
FIG TREE: fruitfulness and good works
IVY: immortality
CHERRIES: sweet character and good works
COLORS
WHITE: light, purity and innocence, forgiveness. White is also the color used in signaling a flag of truce or peace.
BLACK: death, grief, sorrow, mourning. Black is also a symbol of conservativeness.
PURPLE: royalty and wealth
VIOLET: humility, suffering and sympathy
BLUE: heaven and peace.
RED: love, passion, fire, the devil, lust and war
ORANGE: flames, luxury and spender
YELLOW: the suns light, wisdom, friendship
GOLD: virtue and wealth
BROWN: the earth, humility
PINK: sensuality
GREEN: The universal color of nature, signifying hope and joy.
ANIMALS, etc.
EAGLE: resurrection, rebirth and the highest inspiration
LION: royalty and bravery
DOLPHIN: security and joy
LEOPARD: peace
BEAR: respect and strength
HIPPOPOTAMUS: creative power
HORSE: A white horse represents purity, red means war and black means apostasy. Associated with war, it's a symbol of strength and the prevailing spirit of the people.
CAMEL: stamina. Because the camel kneels to be loaded it is symbolic of Humility.
WOLF: fearlessness
DOG: loyalty and fidelity
CAT: laziness and contempt
BEE: diligence, productivity, and hard work. The bee also symbolizes sweetness of character and spiritual riches.
ROOSTER: passion
DONKEY: measure of wealth
HAWK: endurance
SPARROW: freedom and humility
OWL: wisdom
PEACOCK: immortality, beauty
ROBIN: courag.
DOVE: gentleness and faithfulness
BLACKBIRD: temptation
BUTTERFLY: symbol for the soul. Also a symbol of the life cycle. The caterpillar stage represents the natural earthly life; the cocoon, represents death of the body; the butterfly emerging from the cocoon represents the resurrection. Two butterflies symbolize a happy marriage.
LIZARD: old age and wisdom
SPIDER: wisdom
SCORPION: A symbol of treachery because of it's deadly tail.
SNAKE: Usually seen as a symbol of evil, wisdom, renewal because of the shedding of it's skin.
TURTLE: chastity
SWAN: The swan is symbolic of the hypocrite because of it's black flesh beneath the white plumage.
GRASSHOPPER: A symbol of the unbeliever
FROG: Symbolizes life's worldly pleasures.
SCALLOP SHELL: A symbol of pilgrimage, because it was often worn by returning crusaders from the holy land.
SKULL AND CROSSBONES: death
BEEHIVE: unity
THE CRESCENT WITH A STAR: peace
THE SUN: justice.
FLAMES: hell, martyrdom or torture, flames can also represent Fire used as purification and renewal as well as sacrifice.
ANCHOR: soul, hope and steadfastness.
THE KNOT: The meaning of the knot symbol varies but usually has to do with life. The idea that life in the human family goes on and on from one generation to the next without end.
FEATHERS: peace
ARBOROUS: Because the snake sheds it's skin, this symbol represents birth, death and rebirth, or a new beginning.
SPIRAL: eternity
Services Overview
Inspired by the beautiful works of art in Asian and Middle Eastern countries throughout history, henna has now become an art form practiced throughout the world. It is a highlight to any social gathering. Having henna applied to the body uplifts moods, relaxes and calms the body, and can be a very meditative and memorable experience. We only use high quality natural henna that stains a rich reddish brown color. Designs last from 1-3 weeks & sometimes longer depending upon placement and care.
Weddings, Bachelorette Parties, Anniversaries, etc.
Traditioanlly, brides adorn their hands and feet with breathtaking patterns that mimic the embroidery in their bridal gowns & jewelry. These fine-detailed patterns can take 2-5 hours depending upon intricacy.
Bridal services include a free 30 minute consultation at the Silk & Stone Studio where you can preview hundreds of bridal henna patterns, get a time estimate, receive a sample design and address any other concerns. Bridal henna should be scheduled 2-3 days before the wedding for best results.
Pregnancy & Baby Showers
Henna is an ancient form of blessings and good will which makes it a perfect way to bless a child to come. It's also a wonderful treat to be pampered a few weeks before the delivery with gorgeous belly designs! Meditative for the mom-to-be and fun and entertaining for the guests!
The pregnancy henna session includes an optional luxurious foot bath!
Henna Classes
Learn the secrets of the henna art through our hands-on henna classes! We offer basic and advanced classes as well as one to help you start your own henna business! Our classes are held at PCC- SE Center off of SE 82nd and Division & by request at the Silk & Stone Studio. Please see Henna Class Description for more details, timings or to register.
Children/Teen Events, Proms, Birthdays, Graduations, Holidays
The ancient art of henna is natural, safe and fun for young children and teens! Children's events can be mixed with face painting as well as henna.
Face Painting
Make your childs event extra special with what they loveface painting! Full face, half face and cheek designs available with glitter and gems .
Henna for Hair & Nails
Henna is very healthy for the hair (gives it shine & strength) and nails (strengthens the nails and reduces fungus). We do hair coloring, nails, eyebrow coloring & lining. The color lasts from 1-3 months.
Hair consultations and strand tests are free and recommended before final application.
Corporate & Community Events: Celebrations, Picnics, Holiday Parties, Fundraisers, etc.
Celebrate your success or promotions by adding a fun and entertaining art of henna ritual to your event. Henna is also great for family and community events!
Individual & Custom Henna Work
Private appointments and custom design are always welcome! Choose from thousands of designs at our studio or bring in your own.
Prices
Individual rates are available at the Silk & Stone Studio or at the Portland Saturday Market location. The rates range from $3 for a quarter size design to $25 and above for full hands depending upon detail & the amount of work. Average lower back designs range from $10-$20.
Party rates for all henna events are $80/hr. (1-hour min. local and 2-hour min. for all other areas.) We are able to do 20-25 small designs per hour and 14-18 small to medium designs per hour. Discounts are available for 4 or more hours. (Prices are based on local Portland-Metro area events. Please call or e-mail for out-of-area rates.)
Face Painting rates range from $2 for a cheek design to $8 and $10 for detailed full face work at the Silk & Stone Studio Party rates for face painting are $65 per hour with a 2 hour minimum.
To schedule an appointment or for more information,
please call 503-342-6859 or e-mail kaniz_silknstone.com.
The art of henna is a natural and one of the purest forms of body decoration. It has been passed down from generations and had long been a secretive art form in which its recipes, techniques, and resources were kept from the public. Education in the henna art field has been increasing since the 90's and as more people are exposed to this type of creativity, more and more people are interested in learning to do it themselves.
We, at Silk & Stone, offer fun and affordable henna classes in which the secrets and proper techniques of this art form are revealed through basic and advanced henna courses. The henna classes are offered privately at the Silk & Stone henna studio as well as at Portland Community College (PCC-SE Center)
Class Description
Upcoming Classes
Basic Henna Preparation and Design- An intense 4 1/2-hour class for henna and its preparation and application techniques including designing and secrets of the art form. Class includes an Artist Kit & materials. $29 Tuition, $50 Material & Instruction Fee. (Class is $69 for full class if class taken at the Silk & Stone Studio)
Additional Henna Practice Session- A 1 ½-hour workshop for additional practice. $29.
Advanced Henna with Gilding, Glitter, and Gems- Once you have the basics mastered, this class is great for learning advanced henna techniques and also includes the use of color and accent into your henna designs. $69
Henna Art as a Business- An intensive 16-hour course that includes training on all aspects of henna and becoming a professional henna artist. This course includes fine tuning basic henna skills, advanced techniques, startup and marketing and everything else you need to learn to start your own henna business ! The cost of this class can easily be made back through your first few bookings! Class includes an Artist Kit, Artist Manual & other materials. $249
The henna classes above include all resources and materials. They are very in-depth, hands on classes with limited seating to give each individual one-on-one attention.
Basic Henna Techniques
Mar. 9th, 2010 from 9:30am-1:30pm at the
Silk & Stone Studios.
Register
May 7th, 2010 from 5-9:30pm at PCC- SE Campus
Henna Artists
Trained by Silk & Stone, Inc.
Abbey Mitchell, Vancouver
Afifa Ahmed Shafi, Portland
Amanda Parson
Anathea Manning
Ann Chatterton
Avis Miles
Bonnie Peterson
Brigitte Dennett
Carolyn Jordan
Casi Yost
Cathryn E. Pool
Clarissa J. Tiningmed
Colleen Browne
Dawn Tsongas
Gemma Coffield
Haley Sabatini
Heather Hanson
Irena Krog
Jazmine Mosby
Jennifer A. Hill
Jessica Helgerson
Jessica Schultz
Jessica Spitzer
Jordan Drebin
Joseph Anzivino
Judy Zifka, Portland
Kara Mitchell, Vancouver
Karylynn Keppol
Kassy Keppol
Katie Perkins, Portland
Katrina Kramer
Kayla Tsongas
Kelly Wachlin
Kellye M. Byal
Kimberly Robinson
Lakin McCarthy
Layla Otey
Linda Pfeiffer
Lisa Bartee
Lynn Schultz
Maria Hammer
Marjorie J. Post
Marsha Carriker
Mischa
Morgan Pace
Nancy Pruett
Nancy Stidman
Natalie Eads, Portland
Nettie McCarrell-Roberts
Patty Magid-Volk
Renee Shergill
Sanda Stein, Portland
Sheryl Riley
Sonia Yemane-Berhane
Sophia H. Schuff
Stephanie Hanson
Stephanie Schick
Susan Hargrave
Suzanne Tom
Tandi Stephens
Terrie Cowles
About the Artist
Kaniz Shah is a graduate of the Art Institute of Portland. She has a background in drawing, art and apparel design. She has been drawing since 4th grade, mainly pencil sketches. Her background with the Pakistani culture exposed her to henna body decorations which she has been doing ever since a teenager. She started out painting family and friends and developed a business in 1999. She has traveled through Pakistan and has seen the use of henna throughout the country on hair, hands, feet and nails. Her passion for henna art has gained her great knowledge and expertise in this form of art using a variety of mediums and techniques.
Before developing a business, Kaniz began her search to find an artist to teach her the art form. Disappointedly, she found that no one was willing to teach this art or give away their secrets. Because the art of henna was rapidly becoming popular in the West, people were very particular about the amount of information they would leak out to the public. It had become a secret art, highly valued with a great demand. The only way she could learn it was to teach it to herself. So she began researching and experimenting for herself and developed techniques and recipes for making high quality henna paste and designs, which she now reveals in her intense henna classes.
Kaniz loves henna and believes in passing out knowledge and a piece of her culture to others so that they may benefit from it. She often volunteers in community events to promote this safe and natural form of body decoration as well as expose people to it's cultural background.
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