|
Showing 1 - 5 of
5 matches in All Departments
A richly informative and visually packed sourcebook demonstrating
and explaining the function and worldwide appeal of Islamic
architecture. Islamic architecture dates back 1,400 years and
continues to reinvent itself up to the present day. The enormous
richness of building types, regional styles, and architectural
details is revealed here by a well-travelled expert guide,
exploring the familiar and unfamiliar, striking a balance between
famous masterpieces and unknown gems. All eras and global regions
are represented, with a selective eye for some of the creative
exuberance, boldness and sensitivity of Islamic architecture that
has not always been widely appreciated outside of the region.
Close-ups of architectural details not only describe style and
function but also show the hand of the craftsman, making this
reference work both useful and beautiful. Here is a wealth of
information about the historical and cultural context of buildings
around the world, a chance to encounter the widest Islamic
community, and the deeper pleasure of immersing ourselves in the
beauty of Islamic architecture.
Geometric patterns are perhaps the most recognizable visual
expressions of Islamic art and architecture, magnificent in their
beauty and awe-inspiring in their execution. Now, with the aid of
this book, anyone can learn how to master this ancient art and
create intricate patterns or re-create classic examples. An
introduction guides the reader through the basics, and is followed
by some of the best examples of geometric patterns from around the
world, arranged into three levels of complexity, with careful,
step-by-step instructions taking the reader through the stages of
composition.
Islamic geometric designs are admired worldwide for their beauty
and marvellous intricacy, yet in truth they are seldom understood.
Indeed, their complexity and artistry can seem almost beyond the
powers of human ingenuity. In this handsomely illustrated volume,
artist and teacher Eric Broug analyses and explains these complex
designs in their historical and physical context. His own original
drawings accompany magnificent photographs of mosques, madrasas,
palaces and tombs from the Islamic world, ranging from North Africa
to Iran and Uzbekistan, and from the 8th to the 19th centuries.
Chapters are devoted to each of the main 'families' of geometric
design - fourfold, fivefold and sixfold - and to the complex
'combined' patterns. Every design is carefully explained, and
illustrated with a wealth of stunning photographs and clear,
meticulously detailed drawings. Readers can follow the design
processes by which these patterns were created and even learn to
reproduce and invent geometric patterns for themselves, using
exactly the same tools as the Islamic craftsmen of old: a ruler and
a pair of compasses.
Since its invention in c.100 BC, paper has been a cornerstone of
civilization and a key component of the human experience. Artist
Matthew Shlian has always recognized paper's significance as a
material for experimentation and understanding. In his hands,
engineering, science and geometry can all be expressed within the
medium of paper. Folded, tessellated, compressed, extrapolated -
two-dimensional paper becomes three-dimensional sculpture in
beautiful and unexpected ways. Unfolding is a complete overview of
Shlian's oeuvre over the past ten years, including small- and
large-scale works, unseen development sketchbooks, collaborations
with scientific researchers and scientists, three-dimension reliefs
and sculpture - all in paper. Printed in full colour on two paper
stocks, the book features an introduction by Diana Gaston, an
interview between Stuart Kestenbaum and the artist, and essays by
acclaimed writer Lawrence Weschler and Islamic design scholar Eric
Broug. In keeping with the geometric underpinning of Shlian's work,
the dimensions of the book are '16 cubed': 16cm squared by 16cm
squared by 16 signatures of 16 pages. Unfolding is a journey into
the new possibilities of folding technology, the intricate
complexities of Islamic patterns, and the sheer potential offered
by a simple sheet of paper. With 200 illustrations, 150 in colour
In this inventive interpretation of the popular colouring book
concept, Islamic design expert Eric Broug helps readers to create
their own patterns, based on compositions from across the Islamic
world. The book opens up the world of intricate Islamic patterns,
allowing artists, designers and doodlers alike to learn about these
works of art as they produce their own. With 48 Islamic geometric
compositions from around the world to choose from, artists at all
skill levels will relish the myriad opportunities to replicate
these intricate patterns or create their own. The workbook's clever
design invites the pattern-maker to consider a composition in the
book, take a corresponding loose leaf from the back of the book and
figure out which sections of lines to trace to make the
composition. Readers will have the unique satisfaction of making
patterns appear where previously none were visible. Compositions -
including a mix of more familiar geometric compositions and those
that have scarcely been documented - are categorized by region and
have various levels of complexity, making it possible for beginners
to get started and artists or designers to develop their skills.
|
|