the Art of Calligraphy Decoration: From start to finish

5-week Online series with Nagihan Seymour

Oct 24- Nov 21 | 12 pm - 2 pm ET (Time Converter)

Fee: $150 Full Course Early Bird fee ends Sept 20 | $165 Full Course Regular fee after Sept 20

Open to all skill levels | All sessions will be recorded if you are unable to join live

Course Description:

In this 5-week online course, students will decorate a calligraphy piece in the traditional method from start to finish. Students will also learn the traditional process of making and preparing paper for calligraphy and tezhip.

During the course, Nagihan Seymour, will demonstrate the decoration of a calligraphy piece. If you have a calligraphy piece ready for decoration, you’re welcome to use it. Alternatively, you can draw and decorate the Kufic calligraphy piece that will be sent to you at the start of the course. Other options can be discussed with the instructor during the first class.

This course plan provides a comprehensive journey from raw materials to a fully decorated calligraphy piece. Each week builds on the last, ensuring that by the end of the course, participants have both a theoretical understanding and practical experience in calligraphy decoration.

This course is open to all skill levels ages 13 and up.

No experience in Arabic calligraphy is necessary.

Class Schedule:

Date: Oct 24- Nov 21 (5 Thursdays | Meets once a week)

Time: 12 pm - 2 pm ET (Time Converter)

Course Objectives:

• Learn the traditional method of making and preparing coated paper for calligraphy and tezhip.

• Learn the techniques for placing and adhering a calligraphy piece to a prepared paper.

• Learn the art of creating and decorating calligraphy borders.

Course Schedule:

Week 1 (Oct 24): Paper Making and Preparation

Students will learn about the different types of papers suitable for murakka (traditional paper for tezhip). They will then prepare and coat the paper with “Ahar”. Finally, the paper will be dried, treated, burnished and tested for ink durability. The instructor will demonstrate the whole process of preparing the paper during class.

Week 2 (Oct 31): Calligraphy Placement and Border Preparation and Design

Students will gain an understanding about the importance of border design in calligraphy and different types of border styles. They will draw “zencerek” style borders (Turkish work for chain border). Students will also learn the techniques for cutting and placing calligraphy within borders.

Week 3-4-5 (Nov 7, 14 & 21): Border Preparation and Design

Students will learn common motifs styles in traditional Islamic art forms. They will draw and paint Rumi and floral patterns and decorate a border design. Students will complete the decorated calligraphy piece in the final class.

Materials

For Paper Making and calligraphy:

• Cornflour (5 teaspoons)

• Alum ( A couple chickpea size)

• A couple sheets of gelatin or 1 teaspoon of gelatin powder

• Water

• Cooking pot

• Illustration board - 1 Qty

  Links for illustration boards:

  - https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/daler-rowney-studland-mountboard-a1-23x33in-super-white-1062

  - Crescent Illustration Board- 300 sheets, Cold Press

For painting: 

• Tracing paper

• Ruler

• Compass

• Preferably mechanical pencil (0.5)

• Eraser

• Paint Palette

• Preferably gouache paint (white, black, blue, green, blue, yellow, red, gold). Alternatively, you can use watercolor but still a white gouache will be essential.

• A cobalt or ultramarine blue acrylic paint (my preference: https://www.cassart.co.uk/winsor-newton-professional-acrylic-colour-60ml-cobalt-blue--c/)

• Brushes, size 2 (synthetic watercolor brush), Size 0 and size 000 (Kolinsky sable, watercolour brush series). Please note: miniature painting brushes are not suitable for this.

Instructor’s preference: https://artdiscount.co.uk/products/winsor-newton-series-7-finest-kolinsky-sable-brushes