This lesson will be looking at the elements and purpose of Islamic design, specifically geometric patterns.
Vocabulary: Calligraphy arabesque infinite What differences do you notice between Christian art and Islamic art? Christian art Islamic art
Uses images, icons and statues Answerin a work underneath of art Uses distinctive, vibrant art which isn't explicitly religious but rather incorporates all (known as Answer underneath artistic traditions in muslim culture. Iconography) Islamic geometric patterns- Background Knowledge
Islamic Art mostly avoids figurative images to avoid becoming objects of worship. This aniconism ( the avoidance of images of sentient beings in some forms of Islamic Art) in Islamic culture caused artists to explore non-figural art and created a shift towards mathematically- based decorations.
Many Islamic designs are built on squares and circles, typically repeated, overlapped and interlaced to form intricate and complex patterns. A recurring motif is the 8-pointed star, often seen in Islamic tilework; it is made of two squares, one rotated 45 degrees with respect to the other. The star is a common feature of Islamic art as it represents guidance in the darkness. Before the invention of a compass, travellers would use the stars to find their direction if lost. Islamic decoration consists of three main elements: 1. Calligraphy
Calligraphy, which is a form of artistic writing, allowed early Islamic artists to communicate a text in a decorative form. It was used in the early Islamic civilisation to decorate many different items including manuscripts, clothing, pottery, buildings and armour. The photo shows a page The practice of calligraphy has been and still is from the Qur’an, which is regarded, not only as the creation of a work of art, written using calligraphy. but as an act of grace. 2. Arabesque
Islamic Vegetal patterns feature Arabesque (meaning ‘in the Arab fashion’ in French) patterns consisting of foliage and flowers in a linear pattern. These semi-natural patterns used in early Islamic art decorated buildings, textiles, pottery and manuscripts. The patterns are based on plants and flowers found in the natural world and are a representation of god’s creation and of heaven. Muslims avoid drawing images of God it is seem as limiting God to human perception. 3. Geometric patterns
Geometric patterns were very popular in the early Islamic civilisation and they decorated everything from clothing to buildings, including mosques. Geometric patterns could be used on their own or combined with calligraphy or vegetal patterns to form more complex artwork. Geometric patterns consist of repeating, interlaced or overlapped shapes arranged in complex, intricate patterns. By the complex geometric designs overlapping and creating the impression of unending repetition, it helped to remind people of the infinite nature of Allah.
Task: Using paper, pencil, ruler and four colours, draw an Islamic pattern by following the instructions on the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7z-G0tWd3c Task
Today you will be drawing your own Islamic geometric pattern.
Use the instructions on the resource titled ‘Drawing your Own Geometric Pattern’ to help you.
When you have finished, try and see if you can you create your own geometric pattern using different shapes. Do all shapes work?