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Qatar Foundation International's (QFI) Mosaic Tilemaker application introduces students to fundamental concepts of Islamic art and architecture through the exploration and creation of mosaic tile art. Here, users can learn more about the history and geometric principles behind this art and engage in an interactive learning process to explore these concepts by designing and sharing their own mosaics.

Create

Enjoy the element of discovery and the act of artistic creation with Tilemaker, an interactive tool offering an introduction to the art of geometry. Experimenting with shapes, patterns, and colors, you will learn about the characteristics and key mathematical principles applied in geometric design.

Learn

For centuries, Islamic designers and craftsmen have made geometric patterns just by drawing straight lines and circles with a compass and straight edge. With a click or two, Tilemaker lets you build layers of lines and circles, mimicking their actions. As you experiment drawing different intersections of line segments and circles you will discover new patterns, just as they did!

Gallery

Explore the Gallery, where you can view and enjoy the designs of others using the Tilemaker tool and find inspiration for creating your own unique tile. After creating your own design using the Create tool, you can post your tile to the Gallery and share it with friends, colleagues, and family.

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QFI's Mosaic Tilemaker application will introduce students to fundamental concepts of Islamic art and architecture through exploration and creation of mosaic tile art. The app will provide historical information about the centrality of repeating geometric designs in the art and architecture of the Islamic world, and users will engage in an interactive learning process exploring concepts like tessellation, symmetry, and calligraphy in mosaics.

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How to Video for the above website

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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The Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar, Doha, Qatar - Google Arts & Culture

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Set in the MIA Park on the waterfront, the museum building stands out as an architectural gem. Once inside, you will see masterpieces of Islamic art, inclu...

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The complex geometry of Islamic design - Eric Broug

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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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This website offers an archive of over 4000 images of patterns and other design features drawn from the rich cultural heritage of the Islamic world. Historically, the decorative arts have always formed a major part of Islamic aesthetic expression.

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MIA's online tours introduce you to some of the masterpiece objects on display in the museum. Take the online tour and visit the museum to see the objects in person. MIA Visitor Services staff at reception or in the galleries will be happy to help you find these objects.

Chinese Trail

Learn more about the historical relationships which have shaped Chinese and Islamic art since as early as the 9th century and can be seen in many of the pieces in our collection today.
Take the Chinese Trail >>>

Science in Art Tour

In this tour, you will see and learn about the achievements and contributions of Muslim scientists through history. The eight objects have an obvious scientific purpose or show how science has influenced artistic methods.
Take the Science in Art Tour >>>

Highlights Tour

This tour highlights ten masterpieces from MIA's collection and illustrates major principles of Islamic Art. Take this tour online, in preparation for your visit to MIA, where you will see these masterpiece objects on display.
Take the Highlights Tour >>>
Family Tour

When you visit MIA, we suggest that you help your children find these objects in the galleries; answer the questions together as you go around. Start in the Introductory Gallery at the top of the stairs on Floor 2.
Take the Family Tour >>>

Guided Tours

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Self guided tours of the Museum of Islamic Art

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MIA's online tours introduce you to some of the masterpiece objects on display in the museum. Take the online tour and visit the museum to see the objects in person. MIA Visitor Services staff at reception or in the galleries will be happy to help you find these objects.

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We have collected a selection of activities for children, families and adults to help you dive in to the exciting world of Islamic art. You can learn more about MIA and our collections through fun and engaging activities plus tips for personal research.

We will continue to add activities and build this page so keep coming back to see what's new. If you do an art activity or challenge, why not let us see it by sharing it on Instagram and tagging it #miaqatar or #MIALenoubda.

Let us know what you think! Click This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to send us any comments or suggestions.

*NEW* Check out the new 3D virtual tour of the galleries HERE
and download this document for guidance on how to use the programme

*NEW* MIA & QM Facilities Department celebrate International Clean Air Day, 7 September. Click HERE to download our activities.

CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND ADULTS

Colouring, puzzles, spot the difference etc.

- Download these files and cut out the shapes - make your own puzzle based on two of the tiles in MIA's collection! ( square tile puzzle, large tile puzzle)
- Spot the differences in these two paintings ( spot the difference x 2)
- Colour an earring from our Set in Stone exhibition ( colour by number)
- Do a wordsearch from our Syria Matters exhibition ( word search eng arb)
- Marvellous Creatures Exhibition colouring ( KS! Colouring 2020)
- Instagram dominoes video materials ( MIA Dominoes)
- Doha Architecture Dot-to-Dot ( Architecture )

Online jigsaw puzzles:

Manuscripts:
- Hamza Nama Folio CLICK HERE- Folio from the Shah Tahmasp Shahnama CLICK HERE
- Diwan of Shir 'Ali Niva'i CLICK HERE
Textiles:
- The Franchetti Tapestry CLICK HERE
- The Rothschild Small Silk Carpet CLICK HERE
- 15th Century Nasrid (Spain) Textile CLICK HERE

Here are some art activities that you can try at home:

- Create a tile using the cuerda seca technique ( Cuerda Seca)
- Create your own kaa'ba with this simple mathematical net ( Kaa'ba net)
- (Paper) weave your own prayer rug ( Ramadan paper weave)
- Instgram Astrolabe video ( Astrolabe Template)
- Instagram Weaving video ( Weaving)
- Instagram 8 pointed star and pattern videos ( video1, video2, video3)
- Instagram 10 pointed star video ( 10 Star)
- Instagram Blue Monkey video ( Monkey)
- Instagram Ramadan lantern video ( Lantern)
- Instagram Plaster Ramadan lantern video ( Lantern)
- Instagram Lino video ( Lino)
- Instagram Eid paper chains video ( Steps, Templates)
- Instagram Mono Printing video ( Mono)
- Instagram Eid glass painting video ( Glass Painting)
- Instagram Ramadan Moon Sheet ()

Maths, Literacy and Science

- Maths for Years/Grades 2-3 from Set in Stone ( Gemstone Maths)
- Shahnameh Reading Comprehension for KS2 - British Curriculum ( Shahnameh comprehension)
- Choose a new book to read then write a book review? ( my book review 2020)

MIA ONLINE COLLECTION

Visit our Collections pages to learn more about objects in the MIA Collection. You can also explore our collection and take virtual tour of the museum at the Google Art Project.

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We have collected a selection of activities for children, families and adults to help you dive in to the exciting world of Islamic art. You can learn more about MIA and our collections through fun and engaging activities plus tips for personal research.

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Educational videos about Islamic geometric design by the world’s leading author on this subject.

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Archnet site created using create-next-app

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The Met's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

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Geometric patterns make up one of the three nonfigural types of decoration in Islamic art, which also include calligraphy and vegetal patterns. Whether isolated or used in combination with nonfigural ornamentation or figural representation, geometric patterns are popularly associated with Islamic art, largely due to their aniconic quality. These abstract designs not only adorn the surfaces of monumental Islamic architecture but also function as the major decorative element on a vast array of objects of all types. While geometric ornamentation may have reached a pinnacle in the Islamic world, the sources for both the shapes and the intricate patterns already existed in late antiquity among the Greeks, Romans, and Sasanians in Iran. Islamic artists appropriated key elements from the classical tradition, then complicated and elaborated upon them in order to invent a new form of decoration that stressed the importance of unity and order. The significant intellectual contributions of Islamic mathematicians, astronomers, and scientists were essential to the creation of this unique new style.

Consisting of, or generated from, such simple forms as the circle and the square, geometric patterns were combined, duplicated, interlaced, and arranged in intricate combinations, thus becoming one of the most distinguishing features of Islamic art. However, these complex patterns seem to embody a refusal to adhere strictly to the rules of geometry. As a matter of fact, geometric ornamentation in Islamic art suggests a remarkable amount of freedom; in its repetition and complexity, it offers the possibility of infinite growth and can accommodate the incorporation of other types of ornamentation as well. In terms of their abstractness, repetitive motifs, and symmetry, geometric patterns have much in common with the so-called arabesque style seen in many vegetal designs. Calligraphic ornamentation also appears in conjunction with geometric patterns.

The four basic shapes, or "repeat units," from which the more complicated patterns are constructed are: circles and interlaced circles; squares or four-sided polygons; the ubiquitous star pattern, ultimately derived from squares and triangles inscribed in a circle; and multisided polygons. It is clear, however, that the complex patterns found on many objects include a number of different shapes and arrangements, allowing them to fit into more than one category.

Department of Islamic Art. "Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/geom/hd_geom.htm (October 2001)

Grabar, Oleg. The Mediation of Ornament. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992.

Necipoglu, Gülru. The Topkapi Scroll: Geometry and Ornament in Islamic Architecture. Santa Monica, Calif.: Getty Center, 1995.

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Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art | Essay | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

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Geometric patterns make up one of the three nonfigural types of decoration in Islamic art, which also include calligraphy and vegetal patterns. Whether isolated or used in combination with nonfigural ornamentation or figural representation, geometric patterns are popularly associated with Islamic art, largely due to their aniconic quality.

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Patterns - School of Islamic Geometric Design

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Step-by-step instructions for drawing Islamic geometric patterns. Suitable for all ages.

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Patterns

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Posters that explain the basic principles

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Classroom Resources - School of Islamic Geometric Design

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Islamic geometric design is ideal for teaching young people about maths, art, creativity, history. A wide range of classroom resources.

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Classroom Resources