Modern Arabic calligraphy
Free flowing words, a cursive style that’s pleasing to the eye, and text that’s carved almost everywhere in the Islamic culture. That’s Arabic calligraphy for you. Sounds exhilarating, right? How and when did this style come up? How has it evolved over the years? How did it stand the test of time and is still very much relevant and in use today? Let’s find out!
Arabic Calligraphy is widespread in Islamic culture, looked upon specifically as an art form. Being used to a much greater extent for centuries in hysterically varied and innovative ways, Islamic calligraphy is held in great regard by Muslims all over the world. Its significance grew with Muslims not practising idol worship, and thus Islamic calligraphy was seen as a way of worshipping the almighty.
Albeit many dialects of the Arabic language were spoken in the pre-Islamic era, it was all transmitted orally. The first standard form of the script came in use in the 7th century. The Arabic language is sacred to Muslims as it was the language in which Qu’ran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad for the very first time. Arabic calligraphy is not just about creativity and being aesthetically appealing, it is also about clean and decisive strokes that communicate and transmit a text.
The Arabic Text in Calligraphy
The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters and is known as an abjad. There is no distinction between uppercase and lowercase letters, and the words are descripted in a cursive style, giving it the artsy look that it has.
Kufic was the oldest style of Arabic calligraphy. Today, the most commonly used Islamic calligraphy styles are – Reqaa, Naskh, Rayhani, and Thuluth.
While Thuluth script is the most advanced and popular version of the modern Arabic calligraphy, Reqaa is a faster version and is probably used to write letters. Thuluth consists of vertical strokes coupled with smooth rhyming, giving the text a strong identity. This is what makes Thuluth the most-preferred script in Arabic calligraphy in countries like Iraq, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Turkey, and Pakistan.
How Qalam And Kagaz Helps
Learning the basics of Arabic calligraphy with different scripts is no easy task. Each script has its own intrinsic details. As beautiful as it sounds, Arabic calligraphy is very formal and takes a great amount of training to master it completely. This is where Qalam And Kagaz steps in, teaching you the very basics of Islamic calligraphy with attention-to-detail on each stroke.
At Qalam And Kagaz, we help you express yourself freely through this art form, by giving you a detailed understanding of the each letter and how they are put together. I have been practicing the Thuluth script for many years and have known enough to teach Arabic calligraphy to anyone who wishes to learn – in a creative, informal, and a happy-go-lucky way.
Scroll through the courses for more information on Arabic calligraphy for beginners.
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