There is no limit in calligraphy. Rules in calligraphy are the starting point. Once you master them you can break them, but you cannot break something you cannot see or touch.
Reviving Traditional Art in the West: A Story of Samiur Rahman
Practicing calligraphy in the UK has required a lot of adaptation for many reasons; firstly, it is quite difficult to reflect the traditional ways where a student would go out in search for a teacher and stay in his /her Suhbat (companionship) for a number of years devoting himself/herself to that field. Similarly, the essence of a calligrapher is their materials..
An Afternoon with Mohamed Zakariya (Part 2) - On Tradition and Precision Writing
When you look at a writing of thuluth script, you will notice invisible lines going in a certain angle that have measurements, like 5 dots or 10 dots. Zakariya hoca said, “these relationships of dimensions are only the beginning of writing.” Therefore, when you are first learning how to write in Arabic calligraphy, you are learning the measurements of letters.
Mysticism in Miniature Art: An interview with Artist Fatima Zahra Hassan
Calligraffiti: How Artist Gabriel Garay Blends Graffiti and Calligraphy
I have been doing graffiti since my teens, so as I came across Islamic art and Islamic Calligraphy it really captivated me. I looked at how the master calligraphers played with the structure of the letters, stretching, and bending the forms. I automatically saw the correlation with what I was, or should I say, what we were, doing as graffiti artist with the latin script
An Afternoon with Mohamed Zakariya: The Story of the Poem
Last fall, I had the privilege to sit with Zakariya hoca to talk about calligraphy and his experiences. But he shared with me more than just calligraphy. We talked about languages, poetry, past and current masters of this art, literature and of course calligraphy! For the next few months I will be sharing with you snippets of our conversation.
Calligraphy is Persistence: Profile of Calligrapher Shahryanshah Sirajuddin
Benjamin Franklin once said, “energy and persistence conquers all things.” If there is a calligrapher that embodies those words, Shahryanshah Sirajuddin is one. We begin a new year of artist profiles with someone whose determination and love of calligraphy brought him to Turkey, all the way from Indonesia. His sincere journey to learn the art of calligraphy is an inspiration for us living in the west where classes and teachers are not so readily available. His story teaches us that with persistence and energy any creative skill, not matter how overwhelming, can be learned.
Calligraphy is Tradition: Profile of Calligrapher Gulnaz Mahboob
The Forgotten Sacred Script: Profile of Master Artist Ian Whiteman
Finding light in Illumination: An interview with artist Behnaz Karjoo
Art and Spirituality: An interview with Artist Ayesha Gamiet
I think the inspiration to follow this path has been fueled by a desire to be fulfilled creatively and spiritually. The practice of Islamic art combines these elements so completely, and in such beautiful ways, I’m sure I’ll always be learning more and creating more. The learning never stops, and the possibilities are infinite.
Necmeddin Okyay (1883-1976): The Man Who Knew a Thousand Arts (Part 1)
In his book, Outliers, pop psych writer Malcolm Gladwell said it takes approximately 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” to achieve mastery in any field. Now this may or may not apply to every discipline, but in my opinion extended hours of practice is certainly needed in fields like art, music and sports. So, how long would it take to master roughly 16 different skills?