Introduction to Arabic Calligraphy

Instructor: Wissam Shawkat, Artist & Designer

This workshops is a combination of a presentations and practice, and introduces the participants to the history and practice of Arabic calligraphy.

The aim of this workshop is to familiarize participants with the history and development of Arabic calligraphy, the various calligraphic styles, and the aesthetic elements of Arabic calligraphy.

Participants will also be introduced to the traditional materials and tools of Arabic calligraphy (inks and the traditional reed pens). The workshops focuses on the early Kufi and Eastern Kufi styles; it teaches participants to write these basic letter forms and words in these styles through hands-on exercises and practice.

It will begin with an illustrated lecture on:

• The history and development of Arabic calligraphy.
• The different styles of Islamic calligraphy and how each style differs from the other in terms of forms and proportions.
• Examples of the great masters in different styles.

Materials will be provided

Please register on the Warehouse421 site (click here)

Wissam Shawkat is an Iraqi award-winning artist and designer based in Dubai, with a focus on Arabic calligraphy and typography. His work departs from classic calligraphy yet maintains its craftsmanship. Since 2003 he has been working on a new script named after himself (Al Wissam Style), and in recent years, he started ‘Calligraforms’, an art movement that merges the graphic qualities found in classic letterforms and western Abstraction and Cubism. Wissam has had many solo shows and has participated in many group exhibitions. His calligraphy and typography designs have appeared in several books and magazines about art and design.