Home - Calligraphy Qalam
Welcome to Calligraphy Qalam—we’re glad you’re here. On this website you’ll find a variety of interactive tools and information to help you learn more about calligraphy in the Arab, Ottoman, and Persian traditions.
Tools and Materials - Calligraphy Qalam
The materials listed below have been used for centuries to write Arabic script calligraphy. Though other options exist, a reed pen, carbon-based ink and coated paper are the primary tools needed to write good calligraphy.
Process - Calligraphy Qalam
To learn Arabic script calligraphy in the traditional way, you first find a master calligrapher (someone who is licensed to teach) with whom to study. Though resources exist to help you learn calligraphy on your own, you will be most successful if you study one-on-one with an artist.
How to read calligraphy - Calligraphy Qalam
In this video New York-based calligrapher Elinor Aishah Holland and Arlington, VA-based calligrapher Mohamed Zakariya give tips on how to read Arabic script calligraphy.
Introduction to the Arabic script - Calligraphy Qalam
Letters in a word are connected to each other, and the strokes linking letters can be made longer or shorter depending on the needs of the composition. These characteristics allow for the creative play, flexibility and variation often seen in calligraphy compositions.
Styles - Calligraphy Qalam
The different styles of writing used in calligraphy are called scripts. Each script has distinct visual characteristics and follows specific rules. Once you begin to recognize these characteristics, you will be able to tell the scripts apart from each other.
Image Gallery - Calligraphy Qalam
Calligraphy from modern artists, including painting, graphic design, digital and traditional art
Frequently Asked Questions - Calligraphy Qalam
Calligraphy differs from handwriting because its purpose is both aesthetic and functional. Writing’s primary purpose is to communicate—its beauty is irrelevant or secondary. Calligraphy, on the other hand, is practiced for its beauty and its content.
People - Calligraphy Qalam
The art of Arabic script calligraphy has been passed down from master to student for centuries. A master calligrapher is someone who has achieved a high level of skill in one or more scripts. This person has also received a certificate or license ( ijaza ) verifying their skill.
About - Calligraphy Qalam
I created Calligraphy Qalam in 2009 for my Masters of Fine Arts thesis project; I updated this website in 2021 with support from the College of Liberal Arts at James Madison University. When I began studying Arabic in 2004, I became fascinated with calligraphy.