About Arabic Calligraphy

There are two main types of Arabic calligraphy.

Instead of using drawings to display religious beliefs and stories, those in the Islamic tradition use Arabic calligraphy instead. Khalid Mubireek with the Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization explains this form of calligraphy, based on Arabic script, used the shapes and sizes of words or letters in art because leaders of the Islam religion saw a potential to idolize figural art. As a result, Arabic calligraphy is popularly used as a form of religious expression and is a highly respected form of art.

Arabic Calligraphy History

According to Sakkal Design, Nabatian script influenced Arabic script, which grew in the fifth century A.D. among the tribes of northeastern Arabia. Once the spread of Arabic script reached western Arabia, the aristocracy of the Prophet Muhammad popularized its use. In the seventh century, the Arabic alphabet quickly grew with the rise of Islam and was transformed into a type of art.

The Arabic Alphabet

The Arabic alphabet has 18 different letter shapes, according to Al-Bab.com. Arabic is written from right to left, and its alphabet is related to the Greek, Phoenician, Aramaic, Latin and Nabatian alphabets. The shape of a letter depends on if there is another letter connected to it. There are 28 letters in the Arabic alphabet, which are formed with the one of shapes and different combinations of dots above and below each shape.

Arabic Calligraphy Styles

There are two main types of Arabic calligraphy styles, according to Sakkal Design--"dry" and "moist" styles. The Kufi style is dry, while the Naskh, Thuluth, Deewani, Riqa and Taliq style are the moist or soft styles.

Priests used Kufi in the eight-century A.D. This style is geometric as, according to the Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization, the letters are wide and have sharp, square-like angles. The Naskh calligraphy style is known for displaying letters proportionally. Naskh is one of the more elegant scripts because of the curves used to form the letters, which calligraphers often use to write the Qur'an. Thuluth script uses straight lines, curves and linked or intersecting letters. This elaborate form of calligraphy most often decorates titles and headings. Deewani, according to Sakkal Design, uses many cursive, structured and un-dotted letters that joined in an unconventional style. It, too, is used as a decorative style of calligraphy. The Riq'a style of calligraphy is a shorter style of the Thuluth script. The Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization states Riq'a is the most popular handwriting script in the Arab world. Taliq script, also called "Farsi," is a form of cursive calligraphy used for important occasions and for writing most Persian literary works with the exception of the Quar'an.

Well-Known Arabic Calligraphers

Abu 'ali Muhammad Ibn 'ali Ibn Muqlah is one of the most well-known calligraphers. Arabic calligraphy experts believe Ibn Muqlah invented Thuluth script, and consider him one founder of the modern style of calligraphy along with Ibn al-Bawwab and Yaqut al-Musta'simi. According to Sakkal Design, Ibn al-Bawwab perfected the al-Khatt al-Mansub style of calligraphy.

Writing Instruments

Brush pens made of reeds are the most popular pens used by Arabic calligraphers. These artists also used scissors and knives for forming the pens and their brushes and inkpots. The Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization states the most popular colors of ink to use are black, brown, red, blue, yellow, white, silver and gold. Black and brown, however, are the colors of ink used most often. The Chinese introduced paper to Arabic calligraphers in 751 A.D., which was is made from materials such as cotton, silk and other organic fibers.

References

• Al-Bab: Arabic Calligraphy
• Sakkal Design: The Art of Arabic Calligraphy
• Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization: Calligraphic Styles
• Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization: Introduction
• Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization: Writing Instruments