Immerse yourself in the beauty of Islamic Art:
The Islamic College presents a new programme designed to introduce you to the rich traditions and practical skills of Islamic artistic expression.
Hands-on learning:
This course emphasises a practical approach, providing you with the opportunity to create your own stunning Islamic art pieces.
Master the art of Islimi design:
Under the guidance of an internationally renowned and classically trained artist Maryam Mirzaei, you delve into the fundamentals of Islimi (Arabesque) patterns, explore the techniques for their creation and acquire the skill to appreciate their significance.
The Rise of Islamic Geometric Art
After Persia became part of the Islamic world, the depiction of living beings in art took a backseat. This prohibition, however, spurred the flourishing of Islamic geometric art, known as Islimi, among other artistic styles.
Applications of Islimi
Islimi art adorns calligraphic headings and shamsas (sunbursts), which are palettes that separate verses in the Quran and other revered texts. It is interwoven with geometric patterns to create stunning frontispieces for the holy book. Islimi is also a key architectural feature. It appears on intricate friezes crafted from ceramic, stone, plaster, and wood.
Universal Principles, Diverse Expressions
While various styles of Islimi exist within Islamic art, they all share the same archetypal principles. These principles resonate with biomorphic decorative arts from many cultures worldwide.
Three Key elements at the heart of biomorphic compositions
At the heart of biomorphic compositions lie three key elements:
- The Eternal Spiral
- Symmetry and Structure
- Rhythm and Balance
The Course’s Requirements, Structure and Outcome
Students are required to bring with them the materials, tools, and types of equipment needed for the hands-on approach to mastering the different skills taught in the course. These skills include, drawing (from simple lines to complex patterns), painting with gouache and watercolour, and a mount board. Complete sets of the required materials and tools for the course can be bought from the College (please check with sister Maryam Mirzaei)
The course begins by teaching the students the techniques of Khataei floral and animal motifs, before taking them to the different level of mastery of the Islimi art.
Since mastery of art very much depends on students’ personal aptitude, the outcome of the course varies from one student to another. By the end of the course some students may have acquired all the practical abilities to enable them to move to the next stage, while some others may feel they need to linger longer at the beginners level before moving on to higher levels.
