Arabic Calligraphy Oil Painting

I started working on a new Arabic calligraphy oil painting with oils, I chose to do it with Kofic script, and to stick to a restricted palette a I was advised from Terry who is my MA peer. The writing is a quote that I have already done once with watercou  lors, but now it’s an oil painting and a done in a bigger scale on canvas. The quote is said by Al Imam Al-Shafe’e: ‘If your heart is one of content, you are equalized to the person who possess the world’ once again for all the audience who cannot red Arabic, the painting is composed in an abstract form, focusing on tones, shapes and textures. I printed out the writing after I typed it on my computer and traced the writing on canvas, and added some elongated letters and Islamic designs.

I am working on the writing and I didn’t like the effect I tried to achieve, so I decided to add some different tones of yellow ochre, burt amber, sienna and titanium white. I am satisfied with the new results more. however, I feel that  the background needs more textured effects contrasting the softness of the writing on the elongated letters and designs.

I thought I need to add some rough texture on the left hand side to balance the composition, so I used a palette knife to apply rough broad strokes of titanium white. I am satisfied with the result but yet feels it needs more work on my identity, my little design…

I completed the painting by adding some intricate designs to balance the whole composition, I am satisfied with the result.