Henna

Black and white pattern sheets that look about the size of A3 paper are everywhere. These are patterns for henna for hands or feet. I photographed some. They stick lightly onto the hand, then henna is smoothed on as a paste. The stencil is lifted away leaving a pattern in lumpy dark brown paste. This is left on until it dries, then any debris is brushed away to leave a crisp pattern which can last seven days if you don't wash too hard. As I photographed them a young woman stopped to tell me that this is a new craze, to use the stencils. "Not as good as the old way, which needed some skill", she said.