Making Palm Prints
It is a comparatively simple matter to take palm prints of people’s hands. They are useful in a number of ways:
You can see how someone’s hands change over a period of time. I took prints of my children’s hands as they were growing up, and it is fascinating to see their different interests reflected in their hands at an extremely early age. It was interesting to see how their hands changed as they grew, and as their interests changed.
You can see health factors much more clearly on a palm print than you can on the hands.
You can measure time more accurately on a print than you can from the hand itself.
You will gradually build up a collection of different prints that you can examine whenever you wish.
You can do original research. You may find an unusual marking on someone’s hand and not know what it means. You can check your collection of prints to see if anyone else you have read for has the same formation. This is an excellent way to learn, and you may be able to add something valuable to the art.
Nowadays, I frequently take photocopies of people’s hands. These are excellent for examining the lines, skin ridge patterns, and other markings, but are not perfect, since the shape of the hand is distorted in the process. I still find it preferable to take palm prints whenever possible.
To do this you will need to obtain an ink roller and a tube of water-based black ink. I prefer black ink to blue, and use a water-based ink because it cleans off easily. I have occasionally used lipstick to make palm prints when I have been away from home and nothing else was available.
Fingerprint ink makes the best prints, but it is oil based and is much harder to clean off the hands. I used to use fingerprint ink all the time. I now use it only when I am taking palm prints of someone famous, or am reading for someone with some particularly unusual features on their hands.
You will find a selection of rollers and inks at any store that sells supplies for artists. I like a roller that is four inches wide. This is because smaller rollers often leave edge marks on the print.
You will also need some good quality bond paper and a slightly spongy surface to make the print on. I used to use the rubber pad that old-fashioned typewriters rested on, but many years ago changed to a one-inch stack of tea towels.
The paper is placed on top of the tea towels in readiness. Squeeze a small amount of ink on to a pane of glass or a spare piece of bond paper. Roll it with the roller until it is smooth, and the roller is covered with an even coating of ink.
Ask the person to remove any rings they may be wearing, and then hold their hands out in front of you. Starting from the wrist end, cover the palms with a fine coating of ink. This is best done using long, even strokes of the roller. Naturally, some people have a deep area in the middle of the palm and you may have to use small, fine movements to ensure that the entire palm is evenly covered.
Ask the person to hold their hands naturally and to press both hands simultaneously onto the sheet of paper that is waiting on the tea towels. Once they have done this, press down gently on the backs of their hands to ensure that the middle of the palm makes an impression on the paper.
Hold down each end of the paper and ask your client to lift both hands straight upwards. This reveals the print and you can quickly examine it to see if it is good enough.
If the center of the palm has not left an impression, you will have to do it again. This time, though, after they have placed their hands on the sheet of paper, have them raise their hands in the air with the paper still attached. You can then gently press the paper into the hollow of their palms, before peeling the paper away.
I always take a separate print of the thumbs. This is because only the side of the thumb is printed in a palm print, and it is valuable to have a record of the thumb itself.
I discovered early on that it is a good idea to take your client to the bathroom after making the prints, and to turn the taps on for him or her. This saves a tremendous amount of cleaning up later.
Usually, my clients like to take their palm prints away with them. Because of this, I ask if I can make a second print so that I have one for my files. Occasionally, someone will refuse, but most of the time people are flattered that I want to keep a copy of their prints in my collection.
I identify and date the prints. I also make any necessary notes about the person’s hands on another piece of paper. For instance, one of the mounts may be extremely high, but this may not be apparent on the palm print. It is useful to keep information like this for future reference.
Some palmists have a separate data sheet that they fill in on every pair of hands they look at. They may, for instance, make notes about the temperature of the hand, the amount of hair on the back of the hand, the softness or firmness of the hand, et cetera. I did do this at one time, but now simply make notes of the items that I consider to be important for each particular person.
I file the prints alphabetically. Some palmists use other systems of filing based on different features of the hand. This can be useful for research purposes, but can make it hard to quickly locate a particular set of prints at a later date. By filing the prints alphabetically, I can easily find my clients’ prints when they return for another reading. I find it endlessly fascinating to see how people’s hands change from one visit to the next. Sometimes, dramatic changes can occur in just a few months.
It takes practice to become good at taking palm prints. Once you become used to it, you will find that you obtain perfect prints almost every time. It is easier to take prints of one hand at a time, and you may prefer to do it this way. I prefer to do both hands at once, on the same sheet of paper.