Exploring Shamsa Patterns in İznik Ceramics

4-week online series with Nagihan Seymour 

June 10- July 8* (Tues and Thurs) | 11 am - 1 pm ET

Course fee: $230

Open to all skill levels, ages 16 and up | Recordings will be available

(*Updated schedule due to holiday- No class on July 3rd)

Course Description

In this 4-week online series with Nagihan Seymour, participants will learn to design and paint intricate Shamsa patterns inspired by traditional Iznik tile motifs. Each week we will explore a different motif - Rumi, clouds, stylized flowers, and semi-stylized flowers.

There will be two sessions for each topic. In the first session, participants will learn to design and draw motifs and create symmetrical Shamsa patterns. During the second session, they will experiment with painting techniques using both traditional and alternative color palettes.

Recordings will be available for 3 months

Course Schedule:

Week 1 (June 10 and 12): Rumi Motifs in Iznik Shamsa Patterns

Session 1: Design and Drawing

• Introduction to the characteristics of Rumi motifs in Iznik tiles

• Basic geometric structure and flow of Rumi patterns

• Hands-on practice: Sketching and combining Rumi motifs into symmetrical Shamsa designs

Session II : Painting Techniques

• Exploring traditional and alternative color palettes for Rumi designs

• Painting the completed Shamsa design using ceramic-inspired colors

Week 2 (June 17 and 19): Cloud Motifs (Bulut)

Session I: Design and Drawing

• Understanding the history and symbolism of cloud motifs in Ottoman art

• Breaking down the swirling forms into manageable elements

• Creating Shamsa patterns featuring cloud motifs

Session II: Painting Techniques

• Experimenting with traditional hues of blue, white, and gold

• Finalizing and painting cloud-inspired Shamsa patterns

Week 3 (June 24 and 26): Stylized Floral Motifs

Session I: Design & Drawing

• Introduction to stylized flowers in Iznik tiles (e.g., hatai, gonca (flowerbud), penc, yaprak (leaf) motifs)

• Analyzing floral proportions and creating a balanced Shamsa composition

• Sketching symmetrical patterns incorporating floral elements

Session II: Painting Techniques

• Traditional versus contemporary interpretations of floral colors

• Techniques for adding texture and dimension to petals and leaves

• Painting floral Shamsa designs with an emphasis on vibrant contrasts

Week 4 (July 1 and July 8*): Semi-Stylized Floral Motifs

Session I: Design & Drawing (e.g., tulips, carnations,roses and hyacinths)

Exploring the balance between naturalism and stylization in semi-stylized flowers

Techniques for abstracting natural forms while retaining recognizable features

Designing a Shamsa pattern that blends semi-stylized floral elements

Session II: Painting Techniques (*Tuesday, July 8)

• Experimenting with muted and pastel palettes alongside bold colors

• Detailing techniques for semi-stylized floral textures and forms

• Completing and finalizing semi-stylized floral Shamsa paintings
  

Materials

1. 300gsm watercolour paper (hot pressed preferred for smooth finish)

2. Watercolor or gouache paint (gouache preferred for opaque finish) (red, green, blue, white, black)

3. Palette

4. Tracing paper

5. Pencil (Mechanical 0.5 preferred)

6. Ruler 

7. Compass

8. Brush ( size 2 ): Use any cheap synthetic brush to mix paints. For painting motifs, use sizes 0 and 000 (Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable watercolor brush is recommended). Please note that the watercolor brush is not the same as the miniature brush!