Learn – Arabic Calligraphy

Story of Arabic Calligraphy

Ahmed Kandilo 2024 — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 12:58:55 +0000

Story of Arabic Calligraphy

Writing has been invented by human being for thousands of years ago has invented writing to express ideas. So it can be kept for a long time and shared by generations. Remembering man’s ideas extends life even after death. Writing is a Unique activity that done by human being only rather than other creatures living on the Earth. Writing registers, the human civilization indicates human’s history and development. Throughout such human history Arabic calligraphy has been created, developed by the time and formed in such outstanding beauty, expressing different civilization starts from China borders to Western Africa, the heart of Asia and southern Europe. Scripts have many Styles and types literally such as the races and genders of calligraphers themselves, but scripts are similar in using such kinds of well-known and beautiful curves with valuable meanings.

Inception

Writing has started in two civilizational centers, Mesopotamia (land of rivers) and Nile River, Sumerians have invented a specific type of writing called Sumerian script.

At the same time Egyptians have invented a type of writing called hieroglyphic script. Writing has many phases started with visual symbolic, syllabic styles, and ended with alphabets which replaced with the symbolic representations of sounds and letters. Alphabets had two branches: Musnad alphabet, which spread out in Arabian Peninsula.

Other branch is the Phoenician alphabet which spread out in Levant, Phoenician alphabet also has several scripts including Aramaic script, which branched into Nabataean alphabet. Through the last developed style of Nabataean writing, Arabians have derived their own scripts.

Turning point

Although calligraphy in emerged in Arabian Peninsula, but it has been used only in commercial correspondences. Revelation of the Holy Quran the (first revealed word of the first verse is “read” ) was a turning point in the development of Arabic calligraphy.

As reading and writing are related, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has paid special attention to writing, for its importance in spreading knowledge including writing the holy Quran. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has urged all members of community including women to learn how to write and read, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had calligraphers to right down the revealed Quran and letters to Kings.At the early Islamic era Madani script has been used through three styles; circular, triangle and Ta’am.

Rashidun Caliphs Era (632 -661 AD / 11-41 AH)

Collection of the Holy Quran has substantially impacted on developing writing and drafting relevant rules, consequentially solecism and confusion have led Arabians to add Arabic diacritics (Tashkil ) as known at the Holy Quran, then illustration doting has been emerged, to differentiate between similar letters, till they replaced diacritics with small letters; development speeded with the emergence of calligraphy schools in Kufa, then extended into all areas.

Kufi script name derived from Kufa area. Decoration has been emerged early. It started with Mashq, so letters have become a key element of decoration. Beautiful calligraphies could be seen as decoration for domes, minarets and mosques (worshiping places) as well as palaces.

Abbasid Era (750- 1258 AD / 132- 656 AH.)

In Abbasid era the minister Ibn Muqla has ruled calligraphy developed the rules and standards, the Arabic calligraphy became an art and science with distinctive features, he invented Thuluth script, which gives calligraphy more smoothness and streamline motion, by the end of Abbasid era the number of calligraphies has exceeded 80 scripts, indicating how much Arabic calligraphy technically developed at that time.

Al Andlaus (1492 AD – 711 AH)

Caravan still provide creations and innovations. This caravan is now in Al Andalus, Andalusian has developed Kairouan calligraphy, and then invented calligraphy so-called Andalusian and Al Qirtobi calligraphies.

Ottoman Era. (1923 AD – 1299 AH)

Ottoman era is deemed as the maturation era for Arabic calligraphy, it could be called the Golden Era for Arabic calligraphy, some Caliphs learnt from calligraphers, and knew the rules of Arabic calligraphy through them, with beautiful calligraphies Ottoman mosques and buildings filled, and decorations created by the greatest calligraphers. Other relevant Industries such as papering, illumination and the decoration have been flourished as well.

Modern Era.

Modern calligraphers developed more beautiful dimensions for Arabic calligraphy, so it became graphic art with distinctive features and components, that can be shared between Arabians and Non-Arabians, arts lovers became proud of this art, and for which exhibitions are held all over the world !.

Arabic calligraphy and decorations produced glamorous masterpieces that decorate the Two Holy Mosques, mosques and large gathering rooms and halls. Development story of Arabic calligraphy doesn’t tell only beauty and creation trip, but also tell impressive meaning along with a story civilization and superior spirit.

Why Is Most Handwriting So Bad?

Ahmed Kandilo 2024 — Sun, 12 Aug 2018 05:31:08 +0000

Why Is Most Handwriting So Bad?

There is much bad handwriting at large in the world. People in general do not intentionally write poorly; they are simply unable to write better. But why is this so? Several things in the learning process affect the quality of one’s writing and any one of these will have a major effect on the quality of the final product.

Firstly, young learners get off to a bad start. We try to teach children to learn to write before they are mature enough to properly learn. Then we require them to write their class work and homework before they have really learned how to write properly. The resulting bad writing habits learned and ingrained here lay the foundation for a lifetime of bad writing. These poor writing habits develop and encourage the adoption of the two main hindrances to acquiring good handwriting —- excessive finger movement and gripping.

These two faults produce a small, slow, cramped style of writing that usually stays with them through the rest of their lives unless corrected. To avoid this, we should require less writing of children and encourage them to write larger (wider lines on their practice papers, etc) which will lead them to arm movement when writing, not the cramped, finger movements. The handwriting will begin to flow from the arm almost automatically.

The second major cause of poor handwriting is the complexity of the letter forms that are used for teaching. They are too difficult and intricate for the great majority of learners. The forms used for teaching the letters must be suitable for the average learner and not be involved forms appropriate only for the very dexterous who have the talent to become professional calligraphers. The author of the Arm Movement Method of Rapid Writing was the first to recognize this. Thus, the letter forms presented herein are simple, without being slow; plain, without being clumsy; and rapid, without being scrawly.

This leads to the final reason for poor penmanship —- learners have not been trained in the Arm Movement. Some few, of course, attend a calligraphy school or a business college and receive instruction from a professional calligrapher. As for the rest, when finger movement and gripping have become ingrained habits, special instruction and extra effort are necessary to overcome the obstacles to achieving flowing, clear, beautiful writing. This has become much more easily attainable through use of a graded course of exercise plus concise, proper instruction.

What Is Good Writing?

Good handwriting is that which is easily read and easily and rapidly written. Therefore, it must be simply constructed using straightforward, unadorned forms, and must flow smoothly and naturally.

Who Can Learn To Write Well?

The Arm Movement Method of Writing is so simple and natural it is suitable and fitting for all learners, including those with disabilities. Everyone can learn to write well using the system, simply by following instructions and practicing the simplified forms provided. The writing taught is devoid of difficulties and complexities and is thus within reach of all.

People have varying capacities for learning, some learning quicker than others, but there is hope for all levels of learners. The Arm Movement Method of Writing is planned and presented in such a way that a nice, flowing handwriting style is available to anyone interested in good writing and who is prepared to work through a graded course to achieve it.

How To Practice

First, place yourself in your usual comfortable writing position (seated at a desk, table, etc). Then place the alphabet to be learned or copied in front of you. Study it in detail, counting the strokes and noting their direction. Now close your eyes and make the letter in the air following the model seen with your “mind’s eye”. This fixes the proper, ideal form onto your mental tablet. We call this process mental photography. Now use your pen to write the form on paper, counting the strokes as you write, exactly as you did when writing in your mind. Make sure that the strokes are regular with none omitted. Write the letter this same way many, many times. Then move to the next letter and follow the same procedure (visualization, careful practice, and many repetitions). Persevere in this manner until you have gone through all of the letters.

Good Writing Should Be Universal

Writing, like spelling, reading, and calculating, is a necessary talent for everyday life. The educated person should be competent in all of these skills. The reed pen speaks for the writer. It preceded the printing press and faithfully recorded the myriad transactions in the world of trade and business for centuries. The ability to skillfully use the reed pen, a universally important instrument, is a duty which no one should neglect.

Materials

Paper. Good paper is basic to producing good writing. Its surface should be fairly smooth, but not glossy. If you use just one side of the paper, 5-pound paper is adequate. A heavier, more opaque, paper is needed for writing practice on both sides of the paper.

Ink. The ink should flow freely and be of a quality that permits drawing a range of lines, from faint hair-lines to bold, black

Arabic Calligraphy Learning

Ahmed Kandilo 2024 — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 17:17:36 +0000

Arabic Calligraphy Learning

There are two essentials for learning Arabic calligraphy and becoming a successful calligrapher, study and practice. The learner must study critically the form to be produced and then practice the form faithfully in order to realize it. It is using the well-known combination of mind and muscle memory to achieve the desired product. Neither will do so alone; the two must go hand-in-hand at all times. To execute superior calligraphy, both perception and performance are essential.

Study the Form

The hand cannot well perform that which the mind does not perceive. On the contrary, the hand unconsciously endeavors to follow the dictates of the mind. In other words, the thoroughly and carefully trained hand becomes the ready servant of the will and intellect. Poor writing owes its existence quite as much to poor perception as to poor performance. This perception is just as difficult to achieve as the ability to execute. To achieve superior calligraphy, eye training is therefore just as important as muscle training , and just as tedious to attain.

Before beginning to practice any exercise, principle, letter, or word, study it carefully, noting the relative height and width of each letter; then carefully note the main divisions of the letter; and finally take into consideration “the little things”, such as turns, angles, beginnings, endings, strokes, etc.

Practice Perfectly

Draw the letter carefully and perfectly, just as perfectly as you can perceive it, using a well-sharpened reed pen and good ink to get what you perceive. If you can get a better idea of the ideal form by looking at a reproduction as you draw/write, do so. Calligraphers, in their striving for perfection, work for hours attempting to draw the perfect letter before trying it in a word. You will do well to utilize the same method. Much unnecessary effort is expended and not a little paper wasted in writing practice after only superficial observation and study.

Success!!!

You will make no mistake by having a clear form in mind before placing it on paper. A sage very wisely once said that you must think good writing before you can hope to execute it. Truer words were never spoken.