ISLAMIC STYLE BOTANICAL SURFACE DECORATIONS

Abstract

There are many types of Islamic style engraving designs and the most important is botanical engraving designs. My studies on the Islamic inscriptions, inspired me to use the Islamic style engraving in my ceramic artwork, for example, calligraphy, geometric shapes, and botanical imagery. While researching and firing the Hood College soda, salt and propane fired kilns, I combined traditional historic Islamic engravings of calligraphy with botanical imagery, utilizing the unique reduction effects of the hybrid wood/soda cross draft kiln. The main purpose of this research is to learn how to fire in the soda/ wood kilns used in the United States of America. The use of soda and wood provides a very a distinctive effect, which works well to enhance the prominent and precise details of the Islamic engravings that I am using in my ceramic work.