Watercolor Hamsa Hand
Hamsa is a palm shaped amulet found throughout Middle Eastern and North African countries. It is often depicted in jewelry or wall hangings and has been used a sign of protection throughout history to ward off the evil eye. While several cultures place importance in its image, it is a good example of how varied and different the cultures across Africa can be. Its origins may lie in Egypt or modern day Tunisia (North Africa).
The hand can be shown with the fingers spread apart to ward off evil or together to bring good luck. It can also be rendered pointing upwards to ward off evil or point downward to bestow blessings. Because of its significance in Arabic culture it can be found on the emblem of Algeria as a national symbol. However and wherever it is found, the palm will face out and it will most likely include an eye in the palm. So, let’s get started on our own hamsa!
MATERIALS:
+ white paper
+ sharpie
+ watercolor
I would give my class a copy of the hamsa hand on a good paper. Printer paper is too thin for most painting projects, especially watercolor. My example here is made on card stock. The color isn’t as vibrant, but the paper is definitely sturdy enough to hold the watercolor. This time I drew the hand and then created the eye on the palm.
After drawing the eye, surround it with patterns similar to our paisley designs several lessons back. Vines, flowers, stars, moons, simple patterns, etc. Fill in as much of the hand as possible. Leave some room in between your designs for the color to stand out and for the image to not look too crowded.
Once you’ve finished filling in your design it’s time to start painting. Begin with the eye again. The eye is normally blue so paint the iris blue- don’t paint the white’s of the eye. Do you have a black pupil?
Continue filling in color. I used most of the rainbow. Perhaps you’d like to use only warm colors or only cool colors? Whatever color family you choose, it will be a good choice. Fill in your whole hand and then admire. Happy making!