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The complex geometry of Islamic design - Eric Broug

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TEDEd Animation

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In Islamic culture, geometric design is everywhere: you can find it in mosques, madrasas, palaces, and private homes. And despite the remarkable complexity of these designs, they can be created with just a compass to draw circles and a ruler to make lines within them. Eric Broug covers the basics of geometric Islamic design.

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Eric Broug
  • Director Jeremiah Dickey
  • Animator Peyton Skyler
  • Script Editor Emma Bryce
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
Avatar for Hui-hua Wang
Lesson completed

Different cultures seem to have different approaches to still the mind. I was so happy to learn the lesson. For I recently learned a very similar way to still the mind, Chinese calligraphy. We have to practice the eight basic strokes and use them to write many characters. Repetition, order, structure, balance are keys to learn Chinese calligraphy. I am curious to know whether in other cutlures, we have something similar. Thank you very much.

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Avatar for Cyril Molony
Lesson completed

in response to Barbara Baker Show comment

I wondered if symmetrical pattern of Islamic design in Mosaic, was to represent the magic that can be the night sky, bring god heaven inside the mosaic, we now have electric light, but I wonder how amazing giant mosaic in Egypt, Turkey etc I have visited when they where built and only lit by candle, oil light or sunlight, how more amazing they pattern would have seemed when seen for first time.


Avatar for Barbara Baker
Lesson completed

The colors and symmetrical patterns of Islamic design are soothing on many levels. This may explain the phenomenal sales of adult coloring books that contain intricate drawings. Coloring these forms has been shown to relieve stress, perhaps through the calming effect as described for Chinese calligraphy.

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