Islamic Tile Design Printmaking

In the Muslim world, every aspect of daily life is considered to be art- furniture, rugs, dishes, fabrics. Muslim artists do not try to imitate nature but concentrate instead on conveying what nature represents. So, almost all Islamic art is made up of complex abstract patterns that create a sense on unending repetition. For Muslims, geometric patterns reflect the language of the universe and all geometric patterns are developed within a circle, the symbol of unity.

Inspired by their recent study of Islam in History/Geography, fifth grade art students began this project by creating a radially symmetrical design on graph paper. They transferred their designs onto a small rubber block, carefully carved the negative space using a special tool called a gouge, and then printed them repeatedly on paper of their choosing. First, here are a few photos of the printing process:

 

 

 And the final work: