Calligraphy is the art of using ink and a brush or pen to express the very souls of words.
I have always admired calligraphy, especially Arabic calligraphy. Over the years this art has changed and evolved. As Arabic is my first language I can understand and appreciate how each letter flows. There are some very talented calligraphers breaking the rules but still cleverly allowing you to crack the codes and understand what the message is between those elegant lines.
Which brings up a question, do you really need to know about the language?
For me the answer is definitely yes. It is important to know even a basic knowledge of the language before diving into this art and freely joining letters together. As this sometime could lead to disasters.
This brings me to the topic of Arabic tattoos.
When a person decides to get an Arabic tattoo their intention is to have something elegant, deep and unique. Unfortunately, this can lead to embarrassing outcomes, where either the practicing tattooist or the customer doesn’t have the correct translation. You end up proudly showing off a shiny new piece of art that doesn’t say what you thought and in some cases actually causes offense.
