Om - Calligraphy

Hindi Calligraphy

The hindi alphabet is very curvy and this makes it a calligrapher's delight. I experimented with hindi calligraphy in a few of my paintings and I was quite satisfied with the results.

My first attempt at hindi calligraphy was this picture. The words in the painting read 'Shanthi, shanthi, shanthi' which in english translates to 'let there be peace, peace, peace'.

This was followed by many more paintings where I experimented with hindi typography. I tried to create two different fonts of the alphabet one with soft flowing lines and the other more angular. This one is all curvy and twined called the Perinneal Vine

The second one a more angular attempt at writing the words depiciting the seven notes of Indian music called Sapta Swar.

The final painting of this post is an inspiration form an arabic calligraphy painting I came across in a magazine. It was a lovely maze created by alphabets. I wanted to try if the hindi alphabets would look as lovely if depicted in such a style and the outcome is this painting which I have named Maze.

Calligraphy

Calligraphy as an art started centuries ago when mankind invented communication through the written word. The Arabs, Chinese and Japenese have inculcated this art form into their culture.

In the Arabic art world, calligraphy has grown from the traditional styles to include contemporary abstracts also. The Sharjah Calligraphy Binniale is an event which proves the importance of calligraphy in the Arab world.

We began our journey into the world of arabic calligraphy with the traditional styles of rokah, deevane and deevane jalil scripts. The tradition calligraphy and ornamantation is a laborious task with very minute drawings. Very soon we branched out into the abstract representation of calligrapy.

Dubai hosts many exhibitions in contemporary calligraphy and we have had a chance to see the best of the calligraphers exhibit their art here. Our penchant for calligraphy grows with visits to these exhibitions and we hope to integrate calligraphy into our paintings.