Islamic Geometric Pattern vs Kufic

イスラム幾何学文様 / クーフィー体

Islamic Geometric Pattern comes from Ornament and Kufic from Calligraphic Traditions. One is technique and the other style. They are reached for with some of the same intent, which is where they get confused.

Islamic Geometric Pattern

Islamic Geometric Pattern — アルハンブラ宮殿のタイル（CC BY 2.0）Islamic Geometric Pattern — イスファハーン金曜モスク（CC BY 2.0）Islamic Geometric Pattern — ギリー・タイルの文様（CC BY-SA 4.0）

Divides, repeats and combines circles, squares, polygons and stars, building infinite extension and order on a finite plane.

Kufic

Kufic — クーフィー体のクルアーン写本 8–9世紀 — Wikimedia Commons / Public domainKufic — スルス体の祈祷文 — Wikimedia Commons / Public domainKufic — スレイマン1世のトゥグラ（花押）16世紀 — Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

Keeps the uprights short and draws the horizontals long, massing letters of straight strokes and right angles into a band of even height.

Islamic Geometric PatternKufic
Era8th century–8th century onward
FamilyOrnamentCalligraphic Traditions
KindTechniqueStyle
CuesCompass construction / Star forms / Repeating units / Interlacing linesHorizontals drawn long / Short angular uprights / Letters turning at right angles / Lines massed into an even band
Best used forFilling walls and ceilings so the surface reads continuous, with no visible seam. · Deriving screens and modular building parts from a single repeating unit.Cutting an inscription into a wall or a vessel as a band · Using the angular letterforms as figure, for titling and marks meant to be read from a distance
TypeIf lettering enters, give it its own band and leave the grid intact.Fix the ratio of upright to horizontal first, and turn every corner at a right angle
CompositionDerive the unit from the construction circle and size the field in whole units.Align the top and the foot of the line, space the uprights evenly, and run the letters as a band
MaterialPierced stone, assembled wood, inlaid tile, crossings shown as level changes.Cut into stone, brick and tile, and on parchment hold the stroke to an even weight with the reed pen
CautionStar shapes pasted together without the construction leave lines that miss at the crossings, and the error multiplies when repeated. The Islamic world is not one culture, so check region, dynasty, material and use.Copying only the right angles while breaking the joins between letters leaves an ornamental band that no longer reads as a word.

Put these two together

Ornament ／ Calligraphic Traditions

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