Indigo - An Alternative to Woad for Body Art

When we think of woad, painted Celts with spears in hand often come to mind. But is this image true to reality? Was woad really used for body art and is it safe for your skin?

There are different theories that don't support the common view of the woad-painted Celts. One thing that's for sure is that body art is more popular than ever. Learn more about the history of woad and why dye from the indigo plant is being used as a substitute.

Indigo has a blue color and is easy to apply. It also has a short staining time which makes it a good choice for body artists and their clients.

While both plants produce blue dye, indigo has a higher dye content. This is another reason that body artists who want to use natural materials might consider indigo a good alternative to woad.

Indigo comes from the Indigofera tinctoria plant. The dye is released during an extraction process from the leaves and is used in some things most of us use every day including blue jeans and cosmetics.

The plant can be grown at home and has beautiful light purple blossoms. But the dye for body art can be bought from online suppliers.

We can thank the movie Braveheart starring Mel Gibson for popularizing the image of woad-painted Scotsmen. The idea of woad being used in this way comes mainly from Roman sources such as Julius Caesar.

In her excellent article, The Problem of the Woad, Kym ni Dhoireann, points out that the words of Julius Caesar used to make the woad assertion have either been mistranslated from Latin or misunderstood. The Latin phrase in question is:

"Omnes vero se Britanni vitro inficiunt, quod caeruleum efficit colorem."

Translated, this means:

"All the British color themselves with glass, which produces a blue color."

Vitro was a bluish glass, so it clearly does not translate to mean woad.

This is a subject for further study, but I wanted to introduce the idea that there are different ways of looking at the issue other than those that have been perpetuated by Hollywood and scholars alike.

Dhoireann also gives excellent reasons why artists shouldn't use woad, not the least of which is its possible toxic effect on the skin. You can learn more from her article link in the sources section of this page.

The powdered indigo used for dye isn't what's being used for the skin. Body art indigo comes in a freeze-dried crystal form. I was first introduced to it through the website of henna artist Catherine Cartwright-Jones. She has worked with designer Alex Morgan who pioneered the use of indigo as body art. Morgan has put together a kit and has several books of patterns, many of which are inspired by Celtic and Pictish pre-Christian art.

For more info on henna and where to buy the indigo for body art including a link to Cartwright-Jones site Mehandi.com, visit my article Where to Buy Henna Supplies for Hair and Body Art Online in the USA.

The FDA has approved indigo for use in cosmetics and soap, but it's still experimental as a body art tool.  Irritation is possible as with any other skin product.  It's best to test on a small area of skin before you apply on yourself or clients.  If you have particularly sensitive skin, you might want to wait overnight to see if it bothers you.

The kit I received via Cartwright-Jones states that it shouldn't be used on sensitive areas such as near the mouth or eyes or on children under 16.

Below is the application technique suggested by the artists I mentioned earlier:

• Place the dye in warm water. A thin film will appear on top.
• Paint on the skin with a paint brush.
• Leave on skin for up to a minute and wipe off.
• Repeat the process until you reach the desired shade of blue.
• You don't have to remove it. Indigo will stay on the skin for a few days and wash off in the shower.

You can see this process (sans removal) demonstrated by Catherine Cartwright-Jones in the video below.

Henna artists interested in expanding their services may want to add indigo to their repertoire. It doesn't last as long as henna on the skin and is a natural dye, which will be two selling points for their client base.

People involved with historical recreation groups such as the Society for Creative Anachronism would be interested in indigo. While some recreationists want to use woad, the case can be made that this isn't necessarily historically accurate, so indigo is a good alternative.

Body artists can add this service at fairs and Renaissance festivals. Tattoo shops might consider adding temporary body art as a gateway to tattoos for skittish clients who haven't made up their minds as to whether to take the plunge into more permanent body modification.

Anyone who is looking for a way to add authenticity to their tribal body art will find indigo an excellent choice.

Sources consulted:

• Catherine Cartwright-Jones. Recreate woading, the ancient Celtic body art with Crystal Indigo. Mehandi.com. 2002, 2004, 2005. February 2009
• Experimental Application Technique. The Indigo Page. February 2009 (accessed).
• ni Dhoireann, Kym. The Problem of the Woad. Dun Sgathan - Entry to a Gaelic Polytheist Domain. 2004. February 2009.