Week One: Getting aquainted with letters
Truth is, I never really learned to write.
Although I always held words very highly, I was only taught to equip letters to suit my purpose, and that was usually to jot down information or fill out forms. All my other dealings with words was and continues to be through typing- ordained digital light.
When I joined the Syntax team, I was bombarded with type and calligraphy. Literally speaking. I discovered that there are more details, counters, and curves to letters than what meets the eye. I realized that there are a million ways to describe the way a letter looks. I also realized that I didn’t know much about this world. So when a colleague put up the opportunity to take a four week workshop on Arabic calligraphy with Syrian calligrapher Saleh Nasab, I found myself getting really excited.
I know that four sessions with reeds and ink will not even begin to scratch the surface of Arabic calligraphy, but hey, it’s a start. Watch this space for a weekly photographic recap of two hours spent learning to write.
