IDC School of Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art with Prof. Majewski

The Fall Semester Educational Program for the School of Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art will be realized at the Istanbul Design Center (IDC) with a basic and intermediate level courses.

Both courses will be very intensive and will contain a lot of drawing exercises. Students will be designing and creating geometric patterns by hand using traditional Central Asian techniques. Paper, pencils, compasses and other tools will be the necessary media for this course. Although IDC will provide the necessary drawing materials and tools, you are encouraged to bring your own favorite materials and tools.

School of Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art (Basic Level)

The Basic Level course is planned to be conducted in 5 days on 1-5 October, 2018. The course will contain around 30 hours of teaching – lectures and tutorials. This is the first course related to geometric patterns in Islamic art. The course covers foundations of Central Asian methods in pattern design. There are three modules in this course:

1. Typological and historical overview, analysis of dafta- e-gereh examples, gereh rules of design and exceptions, algorithmic approach. Diversity of designs using basic hexagonal geometry.

2. Systematic building of intuitions of gereh design using octagonal examples.

3. Patterns from the Great Mosque in Damascus – exploring diversity of pattern types, creating suitable geometries for each pattern type.

After completing this course students will understand foundations of the Central Asian methods of pattern design. They will be able to analyze simple geometric patterns, point out errors in them (if any), reconstruct them, and construct their own patterns using very basic approach.

School of Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art (Intermediate Level)

The intermediate course is the second from the three intermediate type courses: I, II, III. Each course in this series is independent and requires only the knowledge from the introductory course. The course is planned to be conducted in 5 days: 8th to 12 October, 2018. The course will contain around 30 hours of teaching – lectures and tutorials. Each course of this educational program is independent of each other and this course requires basic level knowledge of participation.

In this course we will cover techniques allowing us to create complex patterns using compositions of simple gereh patterns. There are three parts in this course:

1. Analysis of contours and proportions for gereh design. Developing examples of geometries for different types of patterns using different local symmetries. Constructing panjara/sebeke patterns based on different local symmetries.

2. Analysis and construction of stars and rosette types for different geometries.

3. Gereh patterns with complex structure. Using example, with two different types of local symmetries, from Topkapi scroll as a source of inspiration to create a diverse class of gereh patterns.

Workshop Schedule

Basic Level: 1 - 5 October, 2018 / 09:30 – 16:00

Intermediate Level: 8 - 12 October, 2018 / 09:30 – 16:00

Participants: Artists, architects, teachers of mathematics and students.

(Due to the limited capacity the final admission of participants will be determined by Prof. Majewski from the list of pre-registrants.)

Course capacity: 25 persons

Language: English

Note: All works that are made during the course (with one exception) belong to the participant. Your last work/project will be exhibited at the IDC at the end of the course and will be left to the IDC’s archive.

The Basic Level course to be held on 1 - 5 October, 2018 from 09.30 - 16.00 is now full. (However, you may pre-register here online to participate in the next program.)