construction processes

Persian Miniature

A Persian miniature is a richly detailed miniature painting which depicts religious or mythological themes from the region of the Middle East now known as Iran. The art of miniature painting in Persia flourished from the 13th through the 16th centuries, and continues to this day, with several contemporary artists producing notable Persian miniatures. These delicate, lush paintings are typically visually stunning, with a level of detail which can only be achieved with a very fine hand and an extremely small brush. Persian miniature is a small painting, whether a book illustration or a separate work of art intended to be kept in an album of such works. The techniques are broadly comparable to the Western and Byzantine traditions of miniatures in illuminated manuscripts, which probably had an influence on the origins of the Persian tradition.

Ghalamzani (Persian Engraving)

The splendid art of engraving is the creation of designs by carving chisels on various kinds of metals. It seems that the history of engraving has not been too far from the time when man discovered and used the metals. The ancient samples kept in “Iran-Bastan” and other museums in the world register the engraving art as 3000 years old.
Engraving (Ghalam Zani) is the art of carving superb designs on various metals such as copper, brass, silver and gold. Isfahan is the main center for engraving.
Engraving procedure and methods:
After completion of the drawing of pattern by the artist, the back side of the work is covered by a layer of tar, baked with some other materials, then the main lines of design is traced by carving chisels and henceforth it takes time, even months, for the artist to give life to the whole design which once was just an imagination to him.

Firoozekoobi (Persian turquoise inlaying)

Turquoise Inlaying on containers includes a copper object on parts of the surface of which small pieces of natural turquoise are set in mosaic fashion thus giving the object a special glamor. The production of Turquoise Inlaying includes two general stages: Goldsmith includes the making and preparation of the object intended for Turquoise Inlaying using one of the metals indicated above.  Then Turquoise Inlaying where inlayer buys waste turquoise chips & use them in making each Turquoise Inlaying object in proportion to the surface area.

Persian Carpet - Iranian Rugs

A Persian carpet or Iranian carpet also known as Iranian rugs (qālī) is a heavy textile, made for a wide variety of utilitarian and symbolic purpose, produced in Iran and surrounding areas which once belonged to the Persian Empire, for home use, local sale, and export. Carpet weaving is an essential part of Persian culture and art. Within the group of Oriental rugs or Islamic carpets produced by the countries of the so-called "rug belt", the Persian carpet stands out by the variety and elaborateness of its manifold designs.

Ghalamkar (Textil Stamp Printing)

Ghalamkari or Kalamkari is a type of block-printed or hand-painted cotton textile, produced in parts of Iran and India. Its name originates in the Persian,قلمکار which is derived from the words qalam (pen) and kari (craftmanship), meaning drawing with a pen. Only natural dyes are used in kalamkari and it involves seventeen steps.

Textile printing is the process of applying colour to fabric in definite patterns or designs. In properly printed fabrics the colour is bonded with the fibre, so as to resist washing and friction. Textile printing is related to dyeing but in dyeing properly the whole fabric is uniformly covered with one colour, whereas in printing one or more colours are applied to it in certain parts only, and in sharply defined patterns.

Terme and Sermeh embroidery

Termeh (Persian: ترمه‎‎) is a type of Iranian handwoven cloth, produced primarily in the Yazd province. Weaving Termeh requires a good wool with tall fibers. Termeh is woven by an expert with the assistance of a worker called "Goushvareh-kesh". Weaving Termeh is a sensitive, careful, and time-consuming process; a good weaver can produce only 25 to 30 centimetres (10 to 12 in) in a day. The background colors used in Termeh are jujube red, light red, green, orange and black. Termeh has been admired throughout history: Greek historians commented on the beauty of Persian weavings in the Achaemenian (532 B.C.), Ashkani (222 B.C.) and Sasanidae (226–641 A.D.) periods and the famous Chinese tourist Hoang Tesang admired Termeh. During the Safavid period (1502–1736 A.D.), Zarbaf and Termeh weaving techniques were significantly refined. Due to the difficulty of producing Termeh and the advent of mechanized weaving, few factories remain in Iran that produce traditionally woven Termeh. Rezaei Termeh is the most famous of the remaining factories.

Sermeh embroidery (Persian: سرمه دوزی) is an Iranian style of embroidery. Its origin dates back to the Achaemenid dynasty (some 25 centuries ago). It reached its zenith in the Safavid Dynasty. In this style of embroidery, gold and silver threads would be used to make decorating patterns on the surface of fabric; however, nowadays, almost entirely, threads twisted out of cheaper metals and alloys and metal like yarns have replaced gold and silver. The yarn used in patterning is springlike and elastic. Sermeh embroidery is the most popular in the cities of Isfahan, Yazd, Kashan.

Khatam (Persian inlaying)

Khatam: An Ancient Persian Technique of Inlaying

Khatam is a Persian version of marquetry, art forms made by decorating the surface of wooden articles with delicate pieces of wood, bones and metal precisely cut geometric shapes. Khatam Kari is the art of making a Khatam.

Common materials used in the construction of inserts are gold, silver, brass, aluminum and twisted wire. Works with smaller inlaid pieces are generally rated higher.

Mina, Minakari - Persian Enameled Handicraft

Meenakari (Minakari) is the art of coloring and ornamenting the surface of metals by fusing over it brilliant colors that are decorated in an intricate design. Mina is the feminine form of Minoo in Persian, meaning heaven. Mina refers to the Azure color of heaven.

Enamel working and decorating metals with colorful and baked coats is one of the distinguished courses of art in Isfahan. Mina is defined as some sort of glass-like colored coat which can be stabilized by heat on different metals particularly copper. Although this course is of abundant use industrially for producing metal and hygienic dishes, it has been paid high attention by painters, goldsmiths and metal engravers since long times ago. In the world, it is categorized into three kinds being: Painting enamel, Charkhaneh or chess like enamel, Cavity enamel.

Isfahan's handicrafts

For centuries, the handicrafts of Isfahan illustrated some of the finest Persian art. Isfahan handicrafts get a lot of attention. The province itself is a major tourist attraction, and so many foreigners and Iranians frequent Isfahan. And they help spread and introduce Isfahan’s art to others. Maybe that is why Isfahan’s handicrafts are somewhat more popular throughout the world. That, in addition to the ages of experience the Isfahani artists have in mastering Persian craftsmanship.