A hands on workshop on Arabic calligraphy, recognized on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.. Learn to write your own name using classical techniques, enhanced with a touch of modern artistry. Each artwork will be elegantly adorned with gold ink and painted on a sustainably sourced, framed wooden board, creating a personalized keepsake to take home.
Highlights :
· Understand the Styles: Explore the beauty of Islamic calligraphy styles such as Thuluth and Diwani.
· Introduction to Tools: Familiarize yourself with traditional instruments—the qalam (reed pen), ink, and paper.
· Learn the Basics: Grasp the fundamentals of alphabet structure, scaling, and spacing.
· Write Your Initials: Discover how your initials are represented in Islamic calligraphy.
· Practice the Strokes: On a practice sheet, use a qalam or calligraphy marker to master strokes, angles, pressure, and flow.
· Sketch Your Initials: Lightly draw your chosen initials onto organic cotton canvas, following the proportions of Islamic calligraphy.
· Ink with Gold: Elevate your work with gold ink, paint, and leaf embellishments.
· Frame and Reflect: Complete your artwork on sustainably sourced, stretched cotton canvas—framed and ready to take home as a meaningful keepsake rooted in tradition.
Note: Avid Learning workshops are now ISO 29993:2017 certified, an international standard for non-formal education and training services.
A participation certificate will be provided for the workshop.
Fatema Taher is an artist with a passion for acrylic painting. Her work explores concepts of nature, human emotions, and abstract forms through Arabic calligraphy. She aims to create pieces that embody her artistic authenticity while evoking deep emotions. Each artwork is a reflection of her personal journey as an artist.Fatema believes that art has the power to change perspectives, connect people, and foster a deeper understanding of the world. Through her creations, she hopes to resonate with others and spark meaningful conversations about the way she sees the world.
Read moreThe Uses and Meanings of Calligraphy
Arabic calligraphy is not only decorative but deeply symbolic. Emerging as a visual language of devotion, it transformed the written word into sacred art, adorning the walls of mosques, madrasas, palaces, and manuscripts. From Quranic verses carefully transcribed to invocations, blessings, and names woven into architecture or textiles, each inscription carried weight beyond its literal meaning. To write beautifully was to revere the divine word, and so the act of calligraphy became an act of worship, a meditative discipline where spirituality and artistry merged seamlessly.
In addition to its religious and spiritual significance, calligraphy served as a status and identity symbol. If a mosque's dome were to bear just one verse, it could serve as a sign of faith, while ornately decorated texts would represent cultural heritage and intellectual sophistication. Coins, seals, and fabrics were fashioned by calligraphy, which gave the commonplace a deeper significance and elevated it to the sacred. From current artworks and digital media to graphic logos and fashion, its intricate forms and fluid letters continue to inspire contemporary design. This is only one example of how calligraphy has the remarkable capacity to remain relevant across generations, adapting to new settings while maintaining its rich heritage.
The Techniques of Arabic Calligraphy
In calligraphy, discipline is just as important as aesthetics. Fundamentally, it blends accuracy, rhythm, and balance; each stroke is purposefully crafted. From strong, angular shapes to flowing, flowing lines, several scripts and styles have developed over ages, each with its own distinct aesthetic and cultural character. In addition to mastering instruments like brushes, inks, and reed pens, the technique calls for command of composition, balance, and spacing. Learning calligraphy involves training the hand, eye, and mind in unison; patience improves elegance, and repetition creates muscle memory. These methods are now used in art, branding, and digital design in addition to manuscripts and religious texts, demonstrating the timeless relevance of the fundamentals of this age-old craft.
Masters of the Tradition
Throughout history, many artists have elevated Arabic calligraphy into high art. Figures such as Ibn Muqla (10th century) developed foundational rules of proportion, while Sheikh Hamdullah (15th century Ottoman calligrapher) refined the classical style still practiced today. In more recent times, contemporary masters like Hassan Massoudy and Samir Sayegh have blended tradition with modern aesthetics, introducing calligraphy to global art spaces. By practicing under their influence, participants not only learn a skill but connect with a living heritage that continues to inspire.
