About
Trade routes provide more than just exchanges of textiles and spices. They enrich understanding, broaden horizons, and spread knowledge and possibility across the lands. Languages, stories, beliefs, technological innovations, and also ornamental designs all travelled along established trade routes.
In this six-part course, we begin in eastern China: the fountainhead of the Silk Road, where we will study and draw geometric wooden lattice designs. We then follow the historic trade route through India, Uzbekistan, Iran, Syria, Turkiye, Malta, and Sicily, exploring architectural ornamentation as a manifestation of connectivity. We will learn to draw a range of patterns based on rotated interlocking shapes, exploring design terrain outside of the star and rosette patterns which often dominate our Islamic geometric curricula.
Students will learn how to construct square and triangular grids with ruler and compass, and learn how to develop these grids into a wide variety of diverse yet interconnected patterns. We will observe certain common features used to structure and organise our designs, including revolving symmetry motifs and chirality (“left and right handedness”) and discover connections across regions through shared motifs and shared geometric methodologies.
Images courtesy of: David Wade, and Yalen
Key Information
Who is this course for?
This course is suitable for entry-level learners, providing experience with a wide range of patterns from diverse regions. It also caters to more experienced learners looking for an opportunity to work with some lesser known patterns using methods which diverge from those used in standard star and rosette pattern construction.
If you are a beginner, you can prepare with our essential geometry skills video.
You must be aged 18 or over to participate in our online programmes.
When will the workshop take place?
This workshop will take place on Fri, 17, 24, 31 October and 7, 14, 21 November 2025
What materials do I need?
You will need:
- 1 x standard compass
- 1 x smaller compass, ie. 4.5 inches
If you don’t already own both, Rotring makes this useful set. - a pad of tracing paper, A3
- a pad of drawing/cartridge paper, A3
- Pencils, 1 x HB, 1 x 2B
- sharpener, eraser
- selection of colour pencils and/or coloured fineliner pens
- a ruler, at least 30 cm
Online Learning
How do I attend the online class?
This class will take place on Zoom, an online meeting platform. A link for joining the Zoom meeting will be sent before the start date.
Handouts and recordings of sessions will be made available via Thinkific, our online learning platform, for a period of 3 months after the end of the workshop.
What if I have questions during the workshop?
Students will be able to ask questions via chat or unmuting themselves. Students will also have access to our online learning platform, Thinkific, where we share supplementary content.
I live in a different time zone, can I still attend?
We encourage you to attend the course in real time to really benefit from instruction; however, if you are unable to attend live due to the difference in time you can catch up via recordings on our online learning platform, Thinkific. These recordings are available for a limited time after the course.
Recordings cannot be purchased separately if the course is fully booked or if the course has already started.
Tips:
You must download the Zoom app and create a free account before the class begins, so that you can use the full range of features:
- You can create your free account here
- You can download the Zoom app onto your computer or device here
FAQs
Do you offer concessions?
Yes, we offer concessions for Seniors/60+, full-time students and people who are unemployed/in receipt of benefits.
Concessions cannot be applied in retrospect. To receive a concession, please apply via our online form. We will then send you a discount code to use when booking your space.
What if I need to change or cancel my booking?
No refunds, unless cancelled by the School. If you cancel up to 1 week before the workshop starts, we can offer a transfer to another workshop of equivalent value, subject to availability.
Tutor Biography
Gillian Turnham graduated from NSCAD University as a fine metalsmith, creating sculptural works in metal, wood, and stone. Her early work investigated elements of structure and ornament through architectural miniatures. Building on her interest in ornamentation, her attention turned towards the complex geometric patterns of the Islamic tradition. Gillian’s paintings fuse classical geometry and illumination techniques with contemporary fine art practice. Alongside exhibitions and commissioned works, she is a regular teacher for the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts and has developed outreach initiatives to enhance awareness and understanding of traditional arts in the community.
