Author(s): Khaled Azzam

Craft

Islamic arts and crafts do not belong to the past: artists and craftspeople in the Islamic tradition draw on their rich cultural heritage to inform and inspire their practice today. Created by The Prince's School of Traditional Arts, one of the world's leading schools for the study of Eastern and Western crafts, this book combines detailed information on techniques and materials with discussion of the philosophical and historical background of the cultures that have contributed to Islamic arts.

The book covers a range of artworks and media from intricate geometric drawing, decorative Kufic calligraphy, and Persian miniature painting to ceramics, wood parquetry, mosaics, and glassblowing. Common tools and materials, such as gesso panels, gilding, and brush and wasli paper are presented along with information on their historical significance. Each chapter introduces a principle, tool, or technique along with examples of masterworks found across the Islamic world before providing a fully illustrated step-by-step guide to creating specific designs.