Arabic Calligraphy: Learn Kufic Script

Arabic Calligraphy: Learn Kufic Script

“This concludes our course together. You have taken your first steps into medieval Arabic calligraphy, and I hope this has opened up new horizons for you! Your task for the final project is to choose a text in Arabic and reproduce it using the techniques and tips you have learned in the course. The process taken by an artist to create their work is as interesting as the final result itself, so please, share photos of the most important stages with comments, so that we can all see the evolution of your project. Let's review the main steps: Choose a text you like and use a 5 mm marker to draw a draft of it. This way you will have a better view of the overall layout and will be able to better decide which words you can stretch to create a more aesthetically harmonious composition within the text bok. You might need to make several drafts before you get the right one. When you are happy with the result, make a full-sized draft using pen and ink. Once you have a final draft, it's time to write the actual page. In this stage of the process, it is crucial to be in a relaxed environment so that you can focus on copying the draft, trying to write the letters as beautifully as possible and to avoid mistakes.

After completing the text, you need to add the diacritics or vocalisation marks using a red marker, gouache or any other material you feel comfortable with. Finally, add the punctuation marks following the general guidelines I explained in Unit 5, but remember that there is a lot of space for creativity when it comes to the punctuation motifs. Now your text is complete! What you do with it is up to you: you can continue working in the historical style, or you can adapt it for modern purposes, whether it’s to write posters, cards, create patterns, or if you’re a designer you can use it to write headers… Whatever your inspiration comes up with. But first remember to practice and practice the letters and ligatures. The more you practice the more the script becomes part of you, and the more you can find your own voice in it. Don’t worry and don’t be hard on yourself: practice and it will come. Show me your final project in the historical layout we covered, and then you can let that grow into your own ideas. Make the most of the forum to share your creations and your process: it’s where you’ll get feedback but it will also form a creative community around this subject. Just give me a little time to get back to you as I tend to have a lot of projects requiring my attention. And above all, enjoy slowing down and sinking into that place of stillness where the body can work while the mind relaxes. Thanks for coming this far with me, and, inshallah, until the next time! ”

Partial transcription of the video

“Final Project We've come to the end of our journey together. You've taken your first steps into medieval Arabic calligraphy and I hope it opened new horizons for you. How you go on with the journey is up to you. You can continue working in a historical style if you like it or you can adapt it for more modern purposes. Whether it's writing cards, posters, creating patterns. If you're a designer, you can use it to write headers, maybe, whatever your inspiration brings to you and whatever is appropriate for what you do, but first, practice and practice. Practice the letters, practice the ligat...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Arabic Calligraphy: Learn Kufic Script

• Level: Beginner
• 99% positive reviews (109)
• 3876 students
• 5 units
• 17 lessons (2h 24m)
• 9 downloads

• Category

  Calligraphy & Typography

• Areas

  Calligraphy