Introduction to Islamic Art: Create Biomorphic Patterns
A course by Esra Alhamal , Artist, Educator, and Podcaster
Joined May 2021
Delve into the rich history of Islamic art to draw and paint intricate patterns that honor tradition and encourage experimentation
Delve into the rich history of Islamic art to draw and paint intricate patterns that honor tradition and encourage experimentation
Joined May 2021
An ancient art form steeped in tradition, dazzling patterns, and motifs inspired by nature, is at your fingertips. Saudi artist, educator, and podcaster Esra Alhamal has established a career in Islamic art, born from her profound adoration for the practice, and has specialized in the art form for her PhD. She founded online platform Islamic Illumination where she hosts workshops, and her weekly podcast Art Illuminated has received more than 15K downloads. Esra’s work has also been exhibited in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, and in London where she is based.
In this course, learn how to reproduce a pattern from a 16th century Safavid manuscript in your own style. Discover the traditional methods of painting a symmetrical biomorphic pattern using free-hand techniques and an eight-pointed geometric grid for structure. Explore color harmony and experimentation, and see how to outline with ink and a brush to create stunning compositions of Islamic art. See where this ancient art form takes you.
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 18 downloads
- 97% positive reviews (222)
- 9,475 students
- 16 lessons (3h 20m)
- 18 additional resources (6 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Paint a motif from the Safavid (Islamic Persian) period, with the choice of adding your own style to the pattern or following the original.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone interested in exploring traditional Islamic art and painting biomorphic patterns.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is required; this course is suitable for anyone from beginners to advanced painters.
In terms of materials, you will need a pencil, ruler, eraser, compass, drawing paper, tracing paper, watercolor paper, gouache or watercolor paints, brushes, and waterproof black ink.
Reviews
A course by Esra Alhamal
Saudi artist, educator, and podcaster Esra Alhamal has dedicated her career to traditional Islamic art, experimenting with her own contemporary edge. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Interior Design, and a Master’s of Arts in Interior Architecture from London, where she is based. It was during her master’s that Esra spent her spare time taking Islamic pattern classes at the Prince's School of Traditional Arts.
Now a PhD candidate on the topic of traditional Islamic art history, she is determined to make the craft accessible and inspire others. She does so by sharing her expertise through workshops on the educational platform she founded, Islamic Illumination, and via her weekly podcast, Art Illuminated, which has received more than 15K downloads. Esra’s work has been exhibited in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain, and she has participated in collaborative shows in London. Alongside her art career and PhD, Esra set up Bristle & Brush with her husband, a business that makes natural and plastic-free watercolors.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Foundations
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Brief History of Islamic Patterns, Manuscripts, and Illumination
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Materials
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Grid and Biomorphic Motifs
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Colour Harmony and Painting
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Outlining
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U3
Drawing and Painting
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Drawing the Grid
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Adding the Biomorphs 1
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Adding the Biomorphs 2
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Tracing and Transferring
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Painting Motifs
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Outlining with Ink and Paint
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Painting the Background
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U4
Sun Rays and Social Media
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Adding Sun Rays
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Community and Social Media
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FP
Final project
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Introduction to Islamic Art: Create Biomorphic Patterns
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Meet expert teachers
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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FAQs
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
marj_toledo
excelente curso lo disfrute mucho, fácil de seguir
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clare_marshland
I am enjoying this course and I think the explanations and tips are very good and helpful. I do think it would be an enormous improvement if there was one clear close-up of the final drawing at the end of the first video on doing the biomorphs. It is very difficult to follow from the close-up camera angle at a slant and the overhead is very faint
pabloteruya
Gostei muito do fato de a professora ter bastante domínio sobre a história da arte.
Ainda não acabei o curso, mas já achei isso um ótimo fator!
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blue_rose_emerald
I hope to see more from this teacher and on topics around historical motifs, pattern design etc
ayadamira
Amazing course and very well designed and explained