SYNTHESIS OF ARABIC CALLIGRAPHY AND MOSAIC EFFECTS IN PAINTING EXPRESSIONS

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Author

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Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
This thesis titled: SYNTHESIS OF ARABIC CALLIGRAPHY AND MOSAIC EFFECTS IN PAINTING EXPRESSIONS is a studio experiment in technique within the scope of Islamic Arts. The study explored the possibilities of creating a new method of painting Arabic calligraphy by drawing inspirations from the aesthetic qualities of the tessellation effect of mosaic art and the abstraction principles of Neo-plasticism, to generate compositions of Arabic calligraphy in painting. To this end, the study purposed to establish that in Arabic calligraphy painting, a linguistic message can be achieved in addition to the visual aesthetic qualities of the characters and the background, bearing the iconoclastic nature of Arabic calligraphy in mind and without compromising any of the goals of Islamic art, such as, leading the viewer to a perception of the divine messages of the Qur?an. Accordingly, the study attempted to solve this problem through studio experiments, which were carried out in two categories and stages of exploration and development of forms. Preliminary sketches of Arabic scripts and compositions were made with pencil, marker pen, coloured pencils, as well as computer software for prints on paper, while other art media used were oil colours, mixed media and acrylic paints on canvas. The research thus established that making calligraphy paintings on canvas to imitate mosaic on wall is a distinctive approach to painting expressions. Another finding from this study is that the characters of the calligraphy can be treated as plastic images without compromising their readability while synthesizing Arabic calligraphy with mosaic effects for painting expressions. In addition, the composition of the verses and phrases taken from the Qur?an is both a noble and an artistic way of expression, which can convey concepts such as harmony, hope, grace, unity, peace, and spiritual knowledge. Among other recommendations for further research, the thesis suggested that, to get the best of synthesis of Arabic calligraphy with mosaic effect in painting expressions, the principles employed in the synthesis should be broad enough to cut across geographical, sociological and conceptual boundaries.