Skip main navigation

New offer! Get 30% off one whole year of Unlimited learning. Subscribe for just £249.99 £174.99. New subscribers only T&Cs apply

Find out more

Basic Islamic Calligraphy

This video is about...
11.2
Another part of the calligrapher’s toolset is the ink. Traditionally, calligraphy ink comes in powdered form, which is then mixed with water and arabic gum before being used. At the present time, there are many brands of ink on the market. Some of these are also available in liquid form. However, not all are suitable for calligraphy. The best quality liquid inks are thicker in consistency, whereas a thinner ink will result in blotched writing, making it unsuitable for our purposes. It is important that you ink be of suitable thickness. This will help avoid a surplus building up the nib.
55.4
Often, a silk thread will be inserted inside the ink bottle to help the qalam get the right amount of ink when dipping the nib in the bottle.

This video is about….

Understand the basics of Islamic and Arabic calligraphy and develop your calligraphy skills. University of Malaya logo Go to course – started 14 Aug

This article is from the free online

Islamic Calligraphy: an Introduction to the Art of Handwriting

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now