taha al-hiti calligraphy

Calligraphy: (n.) the art of beautiful handwriting. This is the definition of calligraphy in the Oxford English dictionary. Arabic Calligraphy however, is not quiet the same. This web page intends to introduce an artistic perspective to Arabic Calligraphy. It has been laid out to give a comprehensive view of this art, as well as providing a formal yet easy admittance to the basis on which such work prevails. In simple words it encloses a scented oriental view to the rigid and conservative rules of this art.

Arabic calligraphy is a very neat, strict art. When you know that a calligrapher might spend more than an hour writing one word (regardless of the dimensions), you wouldn't assume that it is connected to casual handwriting. The main concept, upon which Arabic calligraphy is based, is proportion. It has a very precise way of creating the relationship between letters, words, lines and paragraphs from one side; and on the other their line weights, angles and directions.

There could be dozens of proportion formulas to each letter; this is what is called the 'setting out'. The images to the left for example, show the setting out and naked forms of one letter in abstract. Each letter can be connected to 28 other letters. In most cases, the rules are different. In general, rules do not necessarily apply for typical cases. This is the basis of Arabic calligraphy.

To be able to call yourself a calligrapher, you have to be so familiar with the rules that all your letters, written under the same rule, would measure up as if they are photocopies of each other.
Old conservative calligraphers used to have an amusing test for skills: write the same line twice on two separate sheets, using the same pen. The ultimate test was to put the two sheets over each other, over a light; they should be identical.

It is the result of constant practicing; calligraphy could be closely compared to music: the more you practice, the more comfortable you are with rules and techniques (assuming that the talent is there). That seems to be the only way that one could force his biological scales to the right proportions. Only at this stage, one could move a step further towards practicing the patience and relax with a very primitive bamboo pen and a black silk powder ink, to do what could be called: a line of Arabic Calligraphy.

Arabic Calligraphy is heading towards extinction. The need for this art in the age of computer generated "everything" is very limited. This site is an art temple to ruminate over how primitivism can still touch. A line written with a sharpened bamboo stick, and scented saffron water could still swing around the lines of the most complicated scales of harmony and composition unity.