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Islamic Geometric Patterns

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Clear diagrams and a detailed explanatory text: an inspirational guide for craftspeople and artists everywhere. Includes a CD-ROM. The marvels of Islamic patterns―the most recognizable visual expression of Islamic art and architecture―are not just a beautiful accident. The ancient practitioners of this craft used traditional methods of measurement to create dazzling geometric compositions, often based on the repetition of a single pattern. The results are magnificent in their beauty and awe-inspiring in their execution.

Now, with the aid of this book, everyone can learn how to master this ancient art and create their own intricate patterns or re-create classic examples. All one needs are a pencil, a ruler, a compass, and a steady hand. First, technical tips demonstrate the basics: how to draw a square, hexagon, or pentagon. This 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.

The book features geometric patterns from some of the most famous and beautiful Islamic architecture and art, including: La Mezquita, Cordoba; Capella Palatina, Sicily; Mustansiriya Madrasa, Baghdad; Umayyad Mosque, Damascus; Mosque of al-Salih Tala'I, Cairo; The Koran of Rashid al-Din. Over 290 illustrations

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2008

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About the author

Eric Broug

12 books16 followers

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5 stars
86 (49%)
4 stars
64 (36%)
3 stars
17 (9%)
2 stars
6 (3%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Asma.
108 reviews29 followers
July 30, 2017
I absolutely enjoyed this book.

Islamic geometry is not an easy thing (one can call it a science). It takes special understanding of math and patterns to be able to make geometrical shapes. This book is a good introduction for that.

It has almost 20 patterns from all over the Islamic world, starting from easy to difficult according to how complicated the pattern is, with a short intro on where this pattern can be found and a step-by-step on how to draw it. The steps are pretty easy to follow, and the instructions are very clear.

I almost drew all of them but I particularly liked the difficult level. Those ones lived up to the name, I made a lot of mistakes and it took some time but it was worth it.

I'm currently practicing the patterns on a larger scale and multiplying them (so I'm no longer drawing one only) and we'll see how it goes. But it definitely was a great start. I kind of wish it had more patterns to teach.
40 reviews11 followers
April 12, 2018
I was told by an expert on Islamic geometric art that Eric Broug's work contains many mistakes. I didn't think much of the comment, and have attended 3 of his lectures and workshops since then, and purchased this book at one of those workshops.

Unfortunately, I've discovered problems with the work myself. Look at the pattern on page 55 - the Alhambra alicatado. Then look at an actual photograph of the pattern. They aren't the same at all. Broug's construction is mirrored and slanted from the original, and doesn't even the resolve the centres. This is a glaring mistake. The real pattern doesn't even tile on a pointed hexagon like in his drawing, it tiles on a flat hexagon.

The concept of the book is great, but I feel that Broug has simplified many of the patterns to make the steps shorter and fewer. As others have pointed out, he treats the designs as single motifs and has only chosen patterns that tile with squares and hexagons. There are actually far more difficult patterns out there that tile with a mixture of rotated squares and hexagons and rhombi. This means that the entire book is actually easy level. I don't know whether all of these patterns truly tesselate in simple grids as he's done, or whether he has simplified the tiling. However, from my experience, patterns often tesselate with interstitial shapes in between the hexagons and squares. He leaves this aspect of the geometric art out of the book entirely and never discusses it.

The best thing about the book really is 'Chapter 1: the Basics' where he explains to beginners the construction techniques behind square, hexagonal, and pentagonal patterns. This is a valuable introduction since so many other authors skip this and go straight into specific patterns. However, I find his simplification of the patterns and the existence of glaring mistakes like the Alhambra pattern to be sloppy and insulting to the artists and craftsmen who first designed these patterns. If you can't get the pattern right in this 8-step format, then perhaps the format is just wrong.

I will update the review as I find more mistakes.
1 review1 follower
June 18, 2011
Yes this book will assist you to learn to construct Islamic patterns. However be aware it does not provide any photos of the patterns themselves in situ, only the authors line drawings(so dont be misled by the cover pic). It treats each pattern as a stand alone design "motif" (authors word) which is repeated within a grid by use of a stencil to create a pattern. As a lot of these patterns were, centuries ago, first drawn then created by producing specially made tiles that were laid on site within the design format (and probably using a stencil of some sort), there is some truth to this approach. However when it comes to the drawn form, it renders the construction processes used by this author as blatantly incorrect. Within each pattern, there is a repeating design. Not so simple, as there are also interconnecting lines between each design segment. The author constructs these as stand alone lines within his repeatable "motifs". This is an entirely incorrect approach, which results in much more work (in one pattern I have found 8 steps that are unnecessary)and can also be inaccurate. I also find this approach highly disrespectful of the artists who created these designs, and of the religious nature of the designs, which are symbolic of aspects of the Islamic faith and adorn holy structures of Islam across many countries. They are worshipful within themselves. I suggest this book be used only in conjunction with other texts, and also with the images and books available on the easily found website on patterns in islamic.
Profile Image for Ruwaida.
37 reviews17 followers
December 31, 2014
So wonderful, highly recommend it for anyone want to learn how to draw the geometric patterns - it's for beginners though -
Profile Image for Kira.
13 reviews2 followers
February 5, 2013
Step-by-step instructions on how to construct common patterns. Wide variety and easy to follow.
76 reviews4 followers
April 20, 2021
Does exactly what it says on the tin -- gives a series of tessellating straightedge-and-compass patterns from Islamic geometry. Easy to follow, really impressed with the thought that's gone into making the diagrams clear. This is at the top end of four stars. Good stuff!
Profile Image for Sarah.
30 reviews
January 4, 2022
So cool to learn about these different patterns and how to construct them. Some of these are awfully tricky -- it's astonishing that these were originally conceived of & created with just a ruler and compass.
Profile Image for hamna.
717 reviews424 followers
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December 21, 2020
read this in turkish so i missed a few things, obviously, so i can’t wait to reread when i find an english copy!:)
April 30, 2021
This was my first book on Islamic patterns and I thought it was a great way to get into it. The diagrams and steps are easy to follow.
Profile Image for Wilson Cotton.
3 reviews
March 29, 2013
This is a wonderful introduction to Islamic geometry. Clear instructions are given on how to create both simple and complex designs using pencil, rule and compasses. Skills are soon mastered and the creation of shapes and patterns becomes a wholly absorbing occupation.
Profile Image for Davoud Taghavi.
27 reviews10 followers
April 27, 2014
Brilliantly done and is possibly the best out there in terms of instruction. It could have had more designs for the price of the book. Maybe the second of Broug's books on the subject is meant to include more designs he chose to omit in this first one.
89 reviews2 followers
October 30, 2012
short, to the point, explicit direction for someone with intermediate + geometry skills. really beautiful choices of designs.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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